Monday, January 18, 2021 - Education

 Monday, January 18, 2021 - Education

Mural in Kennedy Center - “The Sky's the Limit” 

My focus this week is on education - and particularly higher education.

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First - how does a teenage kid choose a college and a major?

One of the most significant aspects of a person’s life might be where they go to school and what they select as a college major.

Let’s take a generic student - Jill Johnson (and while there are probably hundreds of Jill Johnson’s, I don’t think I know of one specifically!!)

A lot of the first aspects of choosing a college may depend on Jill’s parents, family, and friends. 

FUNDING

For example, when I was a senior and looking at college, my older sister was in a private college, and the tuition was high.  My parents didn’t directly say it, but I knew that I had to find a cheaper college, so I looked at state colleges.

I have been like my mother who was “frugal” (aka ‘cheap’).  I didn’t want to come out of college with a load of debt.  

So, Jill might consider what financial burden she (and possibly her parents want).  My ex did borrow money for college, and while it wasn’t a large debt, it took a few years to pay it off.  I do know of some that graduated with huge college loan debts. Parents - this might be a good time to help your children learn some responsibility.

LOCATION

I grew up in eastern Iowa (Cedar Rapids), and I had no desire to go to college in Alabama, Florida, Texas, Washington State, or anyplace a huge distance away.  But, I did want to get away from home.  If finances would have been different, I might have chosen the local community college for a year or two to get credits.  BUT, in my case, I needed to get away from home and establish myself.  The Iowa public universities were very large (at least to me), so I looked at state universities in Missouri and Minnesota.

So, does Jill want to go to college close to home, a ways away, or a long way away?  Knowing that she will (normally in non-pandemic years) have trips home for Christmas Break; Spring Break - and depending on the closeness, Thanksgiving break.  Flying home for breaks can be expensive.  

There are some great reasons to go a long way from home.  Part of the college experience is to understand other cultures and experiences. If Jill is from (say South Dakota), going to New York might give her some experiences that she wouldn’t get by going to a local college.  She will meet people from a different geographic area, and different experiences.  

There might be reasons to go to a very distant university.  Might Jill be close to some relatives in that other area?  Uncle Bob and Aunt Erika are about 30 miles away, and Jill can go there for long weekends or holidays.  (Make sure Uncle Bob and Aunt Erika are acceptable to have Jill around!!)

Being closer to home also means being closer to friends.  Many students are very social - and going to college with friends can both be good - and bad (if they detract from the real purpose of college - getting a degree, and gaining knowledge.

UNIVERSITY SIZE

Some students might like a large university, and others might like a smaller university.  I taught at the University of Texas which has about 50,000 students; I taught at Dakota State University which has about 3,000 students.  It might be interesting for Jill to go to a major large university, but she might be happier.

My personal bias (note - not for all), I felt more comfortable going to a smaller university and teaching at a smaller university.  I felt like I got to know my students (as a professor) better, and my classmates (as students better).  

MORE

Parents - your child picks a college because of how it appealed to them.  In some respects, it is like an 18-year-old is selecting a luxury car (or more - depending on the costs).  You might be asking things like how are the professors, and they are thinking about sports, drinking, partying, and almost anything BUT the academic side of college.

REFLECTION

I picked my undergraduate college sight-unseen!!  I wanted a state campus (less expensive), close enough, but far enough (okay - qualification - I didn’t really want my parents to pop in - “We were in the neighborhood and thought we’d stop by”).  I had no idea about the academics - I didn’t even think about that.  It wasn’t too important in my decision.  I wanted to be a math teacher, and almost every college had a math major and education programs.

BUT, THAT WAS THEN, THIS IS NOW.

I went to college in 1965.  All colleges were bursting at the seam, as this was the first of the baby boomer group.  Dad came on in 1945 or 1946 from World War II; he and mom started their family - the first of which was born in 1946 or 1947.  

Colleges these days are a big business.  Your child will start to get information possibly by sophomore year.  Take the PSAT test and score well, and more information will come.  (For those who don’t have children in college yet, get a box and put everything in it that he or she gets - it will be significant).  You will get fed, you will be contacted by alumni in your area who will be more than glad to talk about what it was like at University XYZ.  Your child will also be hearing from his or her friends (“I’m thinking about XYZ  Their basketball team went to the sweet sixteen last year.” )  Some students pick campuses for the wrong reasons.  While in Connecticut, I had a great transfer student who went to the University of Connecticut because he loved basketball and both UConn basketball teams were strong.  But, in his business major, he (seemingly according to him), had professors that didn’t care.

There will be more subtle statements between kids, like ‘I’m thinking of a college in Colorado because they have legalized marijuana’.  They won’t say that outloud to parents, but they are looking to get away from home - and PARTY!!!!  

PARENTS - yes, your child wants to go to “their” school; but their logic (rarely really expressed) can be faulty - based on a teenager’s preferences!!!  

Tomorrow - more about getting a college education.

LOVE WINS!!!

HUGS!!!

Karen