So colleges aren’t what they used to be. Does this mean you shouldn’t send your teen to college?
Not at all. What it does mean is that you and your teen must be extremely diligent in the choice of a college, once you determine that he or she is “college material.”
How to define “college material”:
Motivated to attend college, to study hard and to succeed.
Strong enough to handle peer pressure of all kinds.
Interested in a career that requires a college degree and will allow the degree-holder to make enough money to cover the cost of said college experience and then some.
Willing to help pay for college (important for what it says about your child as much as how it will help financially).
If you still think your teen is “college material,” it’s time for due diligence. Check out prospective colleges thoroughly. This includes Christian colleges, some of which are Christian in name only. If you’re going to leave your teen somewhere for four (or more) years, you want it to be a good, safe place, not just a well-known place, right?
Finally, in light of what we’ve considered in these college posts, consider online learning and/or community college for at least part of your child’s college experience. Starting out by studying at home can give your child time to mature further, in order to face the trials and temptations of modern college life with more maturity than he or she had at 18.
One good book for those who are attracted to the benefits of distance learning for college is Accelerated Distance Learning.
Next: College: The Bottom Line
Excellent post! I have to agree with you that colleges are certainly not what they used to be, and due diligence is definitely needed when contemplating one. But what I agree with you most and am so thrilled to see you mention is the online education option. It is the future of education and has grown by leaps and bounds over the last several years. I have found that for homeschoolers online education is a vital tool, and even a substitute for some families. There are endless options out there for higher education online, but there are new developments in the middle and high school level online academies as well. Just thrilled to see you mention the option.
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Thanks, Michele, for stopping by. My dd18 took an online course last year, when gas was really high (the tech college is an hour away). She and we were pleased with the course, and we also appreciated the savings in time and gas. It’s obvious why online education is becoming so popular!