I recently attended a workshop at the ACSI Convention focused on preparation for college. Its leader expressed concern that many students are fundamentally unprepared to make a solid decision about which college or university to attend. Her research has seemed to show that many students make their final choices with very little specific investigation into particular college communities or into their own abilities, beliefs, and goals.

Various problems result from this simple omission.   Too many students find the college program that is a good match for them only after expensive trial and error.   Others drop out of college, discovering too late that they were not prepared in some way for the major academic, social, and spiritual challenges they faced.   Many, many others seem to thrive academically but stagnate spiritually and become foolish.

All this leads me to wonder what questions should guide the college selection process.

I would guess that the questions that most often drive our decisions are:

- Where is the college or university located?

- What does it cost?

- What are the student housing options?

- What majors are offered?

- Do I know anyone there?

- Is it a prestigious school?

Note that, while these questions are relevant, none of them have any actual bearing on the primary purpose of education: the formation of the student into a good, responsible individual and citizen. All of them, on the contrary, are either focused on personal comfort or the acquisition of a job. Thus, while these questions should play a part in the university selection process, I increasingly believe that they ought not be primary.  

I’d like to propose that the following questions be carefully considered:

- Who have I been? Who am I? Who do I want to become?

- Where are the best teachers?  Where are the greatest experts in their fields? Are those the same people? Around which sort of person is it more important for me to be?

- What educational philosophy is best?  Is there a college or university available to me that shares my beliefs about what learning is and the way in which it works?

- What character traits do I seek to develop?  Is there a college or university community that will help me grow in those ways?

- Am I spiritually prepared? Do I need a college community that nurtures me spiritually? Can this sort of community be found at the secular or religious colleges that interest me?

- Am I ready to learn through adversity, overt temptation, and direct attacks on my faith? What would it even mean to be ready? What are the spiritual challenges on a secular campus? What are the spiritual challenges on a religious campus?

- Why do I want to go to college?  Do I have good reasons, or am I just conforming to vague social expectations?

- Is my level of academic preparation strong enough for the programs that interest me?

- Do I have adequate self-discipline to thrive?  Am I able to say ‘no’ to pleasures when I need to work?

- Is college the best choice for me immediately following high school?  What other good options are available if I need a season in my life to become better or differently prepared?  Do I want to pursue specific training for a career or skill set prior to pursuing a Bachelor’s degree?

With all this in mind, I would like to recommend the formation of an Alma Heights Community Forum for Students, Parents, and Teachers to Discuss College Preparation.

If you would like to contribute ideas or questions on the topic of college preparation, please feel free to meet with me in person or send your input by email.  I look forward to beginning this dialog on an individual level, and we will use your ideas and questions to help form the topics for one or a series of seminars and dialogues to be hosted at the school.