Standing Strong
posted April 13th, 2007 in etc
If there is one thing that everyone struggles with, it is standing strong and not backing down. Everyone faces challenges and choices that we can’t avoid. For many of us, college is a decision that will affect the rest of our lives and that choice is looking us in the eye right now. For some, college is necessary, others might go to a tech school, and a minority may not go at all. This decision however, is inevitable. Some face it early, and others later on in life, but the ultimate decision of whether or not to pursue “higher education” faces all of us.
The challenge, at least for myself is sticking with my answer despite the pressure to fit the mainstream mold. With most of my close friends and colleagues going to college this year or next, and family pressuring me to attend an actual college, the struggle is to stick with my decision of not going to college.
As you can imagine, I walk a road less traveled. I’m going to severely miss the people going off to college, and I know that the firestorm I’ve started is not going to end anytime soon. However, the reason that I’ve chosen a course outside of the mainstream isn’t as unreasonable as it sounds at first glance. If I were to follow the mainstream, I would have to postpone all the projects I’m working on and will work on, in order to take some classes so in the end I would do what I have been and will continue to do.
Jeremiah 1:8 says “Be not afraid of their faces; for I am with thee to deliver thee, saith the Lord.”
When I read Jeremiah, I realize that no matter what kind of pressure I’m under, Christ is here to deliver me. That doesn’t only apply to my life, but it applies to everyone. No matter what comes our way He is with us to deliver us.
“And they shall fight against you, but they shall not prevail against you, for I am with you, says the Lord, to deliver you.” - Jeremiah 1:19
When you say you’re not going to college, do you mean you’re not doing any higher education at all, or you’re just doing something like distance learning where you don’t have to be on a campus all the time?
I won’t say you’re wrong if you mean you won’t do any higher education, but I would tend to think that you’re limiting yourself somewhat. If you at least plan to be a homeschooling parent, you would probably want to take some basic courses…but hey, if you think God wants you to stay away from college, that’s fine.
Well done! Actually according to an article in USA Today in 2005, 64% of students went to college and over the last 10 years only 74% of students that start college finish. This means that 48% of High School graduates will graduate from college (if my math is correct
Although those statistics are “good”, in just the field of engineering and science only 19% to 21% of bachelor degree students work in the field of their degree according to www.nsf.gov/statistics. On the Dave Ramsey financial show this Thursday, a young lady
(24) called in to the show. She and her husband both graduated from college with bachelor degrees. She has a new baby and is working making $18,000 a year and her husband who is working in his degree field is making $40,000 a year fresh out of college and they have $180,000 in student loans for both of their bachelor degrees. Dave Ramsey, rightly so, said they were foolish to go into that kind of debt to earn a combine total of $58,000 and be strapped for YEARS with that kind of debt. They can not even buy a home now. Their student loan payment is $700 a month.
Making good decisions based on God’s revealed will for your life as well as using wisdom in the matter of finances is best. Choosing to go to college for the sake of going or pleasing others when God has already opened the door for you to follow his leading and work/volunteer in the areas of your passions would be foolish. I know that our belief is that you would always continue to learn and grow in both the things of God and things pertaining to your field of interest, but that after homeschooling for 11 years, it needs to be from “College” because that is mainstream even among homeschoolers is not true. Education comes in many forms…reading…internships…volunteering….camps and programs are all sufficient means of continuing learning. You are blessed in the fact that we are following the practical wisdom of God’s ways of having you remain under your father’s roof and his provision until you court and get married. Therefore, there is no pressure for you to obtain a degree in order to “financially support” yourself, which is the primary purpose of those seeking degrees. To be able to spend your time serving God until you spend time serving your own family too is a great gift from the Lord. ENJOY IT!
For what it is worth:
I have a good friend that graduated from GA Tech as rocket scientist (Aerospace Engineering). He was a former homeschooler. The most startling thing he told me is that most college graduates only retain 20% of the knowledge learned in the classroom.
If God has led you down a path that does not include college, I believe that is wonderful! I feel that the Lord is leading me to go to college and follow a passion he has laid on my heart for years.
My mother is a homeschooling mom of five children. She never want to college. She hasn’t had trouble teaching her children anymore than another person.
I strongly believe that you can learn and enhance your knowledge without going to college and deeling with the trash that comes along with it all.