4/9/10

Questions to ponder for a student choosing a college

Keep in mind that no degree will get you a job. Rather than trying to determine a hypothetical advantage of one school’s degree over another’s, think about these questions when you choose your college.

  1. Where will I be most comfortable?

You are choosing your home for the next 4 years.

  1. Which school reflects my personal values?

I believe there is a misconception in the minds of many students. College is not a time to test the “real world.” It is a time to formulate what your identity will be when you have to make a career and family after college. A college that nurtures and strengthens your values is far more valuable than one that “challenges” them with a chop block at every turn.

  1. Where will I best develop my adult character as a person of faith and a good citizen?

In college, you are free – sort of. Your parents are now letting go, and you are learning how to handle your day to day life on your own. What opportunities does your college provide to help you gain confidence as an independent person?

  1. Where will I be challenged intellectually?

Will I have the intellectual capacity to get work and to work well? Keep in mind that there is a big difference between learning “skills and procedures” for a career and developing critical thinking skills for a career. Critical thinking skills are far more flexible and capable of innovation. This is the focus of the liberal arts education at Concordia University.

Only you and your parents can answer these questions for you. What I can say is that Concordia teaches you to think like a professional while becoming a wise, honorable, and cultivated citizen who is commissioned by Christ. The faculty take all of this seriously, not just the academic side of it. But like anywhere else, how far you progress on that track is in your control.

God’s blessings on your college decision!