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What God’s Word Says About The Discipleship And Training Of The Next Generation.…

Gain Admission

The first step towards getting your teen successfully off to college is getting him into a college. It can seem like an overwhelming task, because you are essentially playing the role of your child’s teacher and guidance counselor, both of which are full-time jobs. If you have provided him with a rigorous and varied curriculum, then you have prepared him academically for admission to a good school.

As a homeschooler, what your teen does not have is an official transcript. This should not put you at a disadvantage, however, if you create a thorough record of what he has learned. Consider consulting with your local public schools to find out what information should be on a transcript and how you might record your child’s credits and grades. The public schools can also give you an idea of what subjects and how many credits of each they require for graduation and which are desirable to have when applying for colleges.

Contact colleges as well for the information you need to get your teen ready for admission. Find out what entrance exam is required (for instance the ACT or SAT) and what scores are needed. Your child can take the test along with the kids at your local high school, but make sure you get him registered by the deadline. Work with your teen on his application and help him craft an essay that highlights his unique experiences as a homeschooled student. Although it may seem like you are at a disadvantage, many universities and colleges are very open to admitting homeschoolers and many even have a separate admission procedure. Check with the schools of your choice to find out how they handle homeschooler admissions.

Talk To Your Teen About College

As a homeschooling parent, you have the advantage of being close with your kids. Communicate openly with your teen about college and your and her expectations. As you go through the process of looking for a school and trying for admission, talk about what she wants in a college, what she thinks she might like to study and major in, and how she envisions her future. Too many kids go into college blindly, simply knowing that they should get a college education, but having no plan and no idea what to do with their degree later. Stress that she need not have her future mapped out precisely, but that she does need to start thinking about it.

Going off to college will be a very new experience for your teen. Whether she will be staying at home or living on campus, the change may be overwhelming. Keep the lines of communication open and prepare her for what she can expect life to be like as a college student. When you maintain your close relationship and talk about everything, your child is more equipped to cope with her new experience.

Visit Campus

Perhaps the best way to illustrate to your teen what life might be like at college is to visit. If you are considering more than one university, take the official tour to help you decide which may be the best fit. It may also be possible for your child to stay overnight in a dorm to get a more in-depth feel for campus life. The college should be able to place him with an outgoing and friendly student who can show him around and help make him feel more at ease.

At a minimum, plan to spend one full day on campus so that your teen can see everything he is interested in. For instance, if he loves sports, you can visit some of the intramural teams and learn about how to get involved. If going to church or Bible study is important to him, you can check out the options available on and off campus.

Talk About Diversity

If there are any negatives to homeschooling, one may be that your children likely do not experience all of the diversity that is out there in the world. Of course, if you have joined up with other homeschoolers and church groups throughout your child’s education, she is no stranger to socializing with others and making new friends. But, chances are, those friends came from like-minded families, people with the same values and from similar backgrounds as your family.

When she gets to college, she will experience a new level of diversity. Talk to her about this and make sure that she understands just how different other people will be from her. She can expect to meet people of different backgrounds, different faiths, with different values, and of different sexual orientation. Help her to understand that different does not mean bad.

A great way to teach all of your children about the differences that make people interesting is to experience diversity firsthand. Your curriculum should include the study of different cultures around the world and across the U.S. Watch documentaries about different cultures and discuss them with your children afterwards. Take field trips to locations where your children can see and interact with different types of people. Getting involved with your church’s volunteer opportunities and mission work are great ways to become familiar with diversity.

Encounters With Different Values

Interacting with people of diverse cultures and faiths is one thing. What may be more difficult to prepare your teen for is encountering people who are making choices that you consider to be immoral or counter to your values. If you have done your job as a parent and homeschooler well, your child should be ready to stand up to the immoral behaviors and peer pressures that she is likely to find on a college campus. But, before you let her go, have a discussion about it.

Talk to her about how you expect her to handle such situations and be specific. Come up with real scenarios that could happen to her and ask her how she would react. You can even role play it with the other kids for a fun activity. Also talk about the fact that your teen might want to be friends with her fellow students in spite of the fact that they drink or partake in other similar behaviors. Remind her that she can interact with and even befriend these other kids without joining in on the bad habits. Also encourage her to join up with student groups that share your values. For example, most college campuses have student-based church and faith groups.

Consider Community College

After all the talk, preparation, visits to campus, and discussions, your teen may still be unsure about going off to live at or attend a university away from home. An alternative is to start with a community college that is close to home. He can ease into college life while earning credits that could transfer to a university. One, or even two, years at a community college while still living at home might be just the right path for your teen who is struggling with the idea of being jolted into independence. If he can spend a few days a week on the local campus, learning without you, he will gain confidence and be better prepared to take the next step.

©2012 Off the Grid News

The fifteen exposed colleges had all enticed students to pay thousands in tuition on top of the price of a book by convincing them that only specially trained people could properly identify lists of informative books. The audit explains that colleges then promised students well-crafted pieces of rolled paper confirming that students had read the books and listened to explanations of the books.

At the same time, educators had elaborate schemes in place to convince students that the books by themselves were unreadable, even though the lecturers themselves were often the authors of the assigned texts. “Explanations to explain their own explanations,” said Barry Narveson, a chief author of the audit. “It’s a sort of an incestuous Ponzi scheme of explanations.”

“Having teachers made more sense in the middle ages, when they didn’t have textbooks readily available,” said Watterston. “Now, to have both books and teachers makes the system very redundant and invites the sort of sad exploitation we’re seeing.” Narveson noted that some students leave college hundreds of thousands of dollars in debt, “when they just could have read the books and exercised their minds a bit more.”

Several students from the audited colleges, however, defended the system. “It’s important for my future employer to know that I can listen to explanations of explanations,” said Marjorie Atkinson of Bremerton-South University, Virginia. “College is like a four-year labyrinth,” said Jake Dowd of Middle College, Iowa. “And I always pay good money for expensive mazes.”

When asked why not just read books, and the books those books recommended for a fraction of the cost, some students gave blank stares. “That’s just silly,” said Marjorie Adams of New Suffolk Tech. “What would teachers do if they couldn’t explain things for thousands of dollars? That would be so sad.” The audits suggest that students have often become co-dependents or enablers for the system.

Most students interviewed agreed that they simply wouldn’t read if they didn’t have to pay someone to get them to read. “Knowing that I paid an institution to tell me what books to read really motivates me to keep reading,” said Mallory Simpson of Westchester College. “And paying thousands makes me read more and more difficult material. I’ll probably pay people my entire life to let me read.”

Several of the audited colleges denied their institutions perpetrated scams. “Teachers do much more than just repeat and explain books,” said Sid Toller of Illinois-Brace College. “We show students how to think and read critically.” Toller conceded that thousands of books already exist which teach students how to think and read critically. He replied, “but books don’t smoke or come late to class or lose their train of thought or tell you tedious stories about their glory days. Books have all that stuff edited out,” he said.

Some of the colleges are considering dropping books altogether in order to avoid fraud indictments. Nathan Braxton, Dean of Westbridge College, Kentucky, said his college has plans to eliminate the redundancy of books and teachers. “We are considering having teachers themselves function as books. Students will have to focus on the wisdom and depth and character of each teacher. It will be more of a mentoring or discipleship program.” Several teachers have already resigned over the possibility. “That sort of system is fine for monks and people with souls,” said Jenny Jacobson, assistant professor at West State College, Ohio. “But I learned from people without souls, and I was never required to have one before. They didn’t give those out at my college. It’s just not fair. My job is to explain explanations.”

Other colleges are considering dropping teachers and just offering books. “Some would say that is just another name for a book store, but we’ll provide well-directed lists, too,” explained Ralph Peterson of Stenner University. “And bookstores don’t give degrees. Our bookstore will, and our teachers will like stocking shelves.”

Watterston says the audits have been handed over to the respective authorities. The previous set of audits led to the indictment and closure of thirty-seven colleges. “I suspect this is just the tip of the iceberg,” she said. “These sorts of scams used to target the elderly, but now they’re suckering the young and obedient.”

Getting financial aid at a community college requires attention to the fine print and adherence to deadlines. If you can manage the details, you may be able to cover a substantial portion of community college costs. With a bit of research, you may even be able to get great local and private monies to fund your education. Here are a few tips, divided by category, for making the most out of the financial aid opportunities at the community college level.

More On What God’s Word Says About The Discipleship and Training of The Next Generation…

Government Loans & Grants

Government loans and grants are awarded based on completion of the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). For community college students, completing a FAFSA creates eligibility for Stafford Loan, Perkins Loans, PLUS Loans, and Pell Grants.

Of the four, Perkins Loans are considered the best for community college students, while Pell Grants are considered the hardest to obtain. This is due to the fact that Pell Grants do not need to be repaid and require students to show significant financial need, which can be harder to do given the lower overall costs at community colleges. In contrast, Perkins Loans are considered to be more flexible with repayment options and tend to offer better terms to community college students than Stafford or PLUS Loans.

Complete the FAFSA on time to get the best chance at money, and be sure to double-check all the fine print. Government loans must be paid back, so borrowing a minimal amount is in your best interest.

State Money

State money for community college tuition and fees is available in addition to federal funds. Unlike federal dollars, not all state aid monies are dependent on completing a FAFSA, though some states do require it. For most state aid dollars, students will need to be enrolled at least half-time to qualify for grants, scholarships, or loans.

To find out more about state aid programs, look to your own state’s web information and discuss options with the admissions team at your community college. Ask about deadlines, requirements, and application forms that have to be completed. Start early, as some funding is available on a limited basis and may run out later in the year.

Remember to never assume similarity between state programs, and research carefully when looking at out-of-state schools. Some states, such as New Jersey, have their own customized aid eligibility calculators, while other states offer merit-based scholarships to qualifying high school graduates as long as they attend school in-state. For some degree programs such as nursing, energy fieldwork, or farmwork, individual states may also have special education credit or scholarship programs that tie in with policy goals for state development, so if you’re willing to relocate for a few years, you can save big on school. Compare apples to apples where you can and don’t be afraid to ask for more information!

Local Funds

Don’t overlook local scholarship programs when applying to community colleges. Business groups, alumni clubs, and volunteer organizations in your hometown may all have scholarship money for you regardless of where you choose to go to school. Memorial scholarships may also offer funds for specific educational goals, such as study abroad or vocational certifications. Check with your high school guidance counselor for a place to start in your research.

Often, these scholarships will not be sizable in and of themselves – typical community scholarships range from $25 to $1000. However, $50 here and $200 there can add up quickly. Since these scholarships are available only to a restricted population – your local community – you stand a very good chance of getting the money if you take the time to apply.

Private Scholarships & Loans

Last but not least, don’t overlook private scholarship and loan programs. These are often available through national charitable organizations and development groups. Examples include the United Negro College Fund, P.E.O. scholarships and loans for women, and monies from the community outreach arms of groups like the Miss America Pageant. This author, for one, received a $1,000 scholarship from the Miss America Pageant despite never being a contestant or, frankly, even a fan of their beauty pageants.

How does it work? Many of these loan and scholarship programs link back to community service or extra-curricular involvement. With a good essay and solid resume, you can lock down useful funds for your community college experience. You can find the details on application deadlines through your high school guidance counselor or by searching online databases of national scholarships.

©2012 Off the Grid News

Education is simply the soul of a society as it passes from one generation to another.
- Gilbert K. Chesterton -

There are a number of assumptions made in our modern era about a college education, including that everyone needs one and deserves to have one paid for them. Nearly all institutions of higher learning, both secular and religious, have come to expect government to be a silent, if not active, partner in nearly every phase of providing an education to their students. A brief overview of history shows this to be a fairly new concept of what the role of higher education should be.

As already stated, this partnership between government and college is a relatively new phase in the development of higher education. Medieval universities existed almost solely for the purpose of professional education. Of the 79 universities in Europe during this period, almost all were schools of medicine, law, or theology. With the Renaissance came a renewed emphasis on Greek and Roman literature, along with the addition of arithmetic, geometry, and music.

During the Reformation and post-Reformation period, universities placed every aspect of education in the framework of a Christian worldview. Colleges in early America were firmly built on this educational model and nearly all were governed by trustees of one religious body or another.  The religious colleges found during this period read like a who’s who of American higher education:

• Harvard – founded in 1636 as a Congregational school.
• William and Mary – founded in 1693 as an Anglican school.

• Yale – founded in 1701 as a Congregational school.
• Princeton – founded in 1746 as a New Light Presbyterian school.
• Columbia – founded in 1754 as an Anglican school.
• Brown – founded in 1765 as a Baptist school.
• Rutgers – founded in 1765 as a Dutch Reformed school.

Prior to the 19th century, every college founded in America was a purposefully designed integration of faith and learning. With the exception of the University of Pennsylvania and the University of Virginia, all were Christian-based colleges with a firm commitment to revealed truth.

“A native of America who cannot read or write is as rare an appearance…as a comet or an earthquake.” – John Adams

In the mid 1800s a shift began to occur in both established and newer universities. Career and vocation became separated from faith and truth, leading to a dualism. It was a subtle but unstoppable shift in worldview. There was a breakdown in the visions that saw every discipline and specialization within the framework of faith. This division of faith from learning and teaching was the beginning of the confused and disconnected approach to higher education that is known today, even among church-related institutions.

Following World War II, a rapid expansion of higher education has taken place all across America. Now there are around 3,600 institutions of higher learning: 2,000 public and 1,600 private. Many of the public institutions are community colleges. Others are large research universities. Of the 1,600 private institutions, almost 800 maintain some church relationship (about 400 mainline; a little less than 300 Roman Catholic; and few more than 100 Evangelical).

Along with this division of truth and vocation, and an increasing role of government in every level of higher education, has come a prevailing notion that such an education is both a right and necessity for all people. Community colleges, once designed to be two-year vocational training institutions, are quickly becoming four-year degree granting institutions. Federal student grants and guaranteed loans have further cemented the partnership between government and higher education. The result is a system that has divested itself of the very roots upon which it was built.

The only thing that interferes with my learning is my education.
- Albert Einstein -

Many of today’s colleges have become the bastions of liberal and socialistic thought, institutions that disdain the very foundational principles upon which this country was formed. They teach an anti-Americanism that is affecting the way this country operates. Perhaps it’s time to revisit the question of our universities and community colleges and what they teach. We’re going to have to capture the minds and imaginations of our young people to keep this country firmly grounded in its founding principles.

We have allowed others to use our schools for their own ends. They have infiltrated our society at its most vulnerable and highest levels.

For the sake of our future, it may be time to run a little stealth operation of our own, and focus on taking back our schools.

In theory, everything you have already taught them since they were small should keep them safe. You’ve told them to be observant of their surroundings, how to park safely, and the slew of other tips you have given them along the way. However, many students are going off, and for whatever reason, they are both naïve and extremely unprepared for what they soon may face as a college student.

Here are just a few tips that will help keep your college student safe:

• Whenever possible, go in a group or with at least one other person. It doesn’t matter if you are going to a social event or a study session – it is critical that you are not alone. There is truly safety in numbers.
• Don’t go anywhere with someone you don’t know. This can be difficult as part of the whole college experience is meeting new people. However, there is a safe way to do this: get to know new people in groups, never one-on-one.
• Always tell someone, like your roommate, where you are going and who you are going to be with. Also give them an estimated time of when you will be returning.

Additional things for your college student to think about:

Purses, Backpacks, & Wallets

Be cautious of what you are carrying and how you are carrying it. Think about if your backpack were stolen right now. Despite losing several hundred dollars in books, what else could you potentially be losing? How about your class schedule? This could potentially give someone your whereabouts each and every day. How about your address and/or phone number? Neither of these items are what you want a potential perpetrator to have in hand. Most college students would say that it is unavoidable to have some of this information in their backpack or purse – and that very well may be true – but what you do with the purse or backpack is something altogether different. Do you leave your backpack unattended? When you are in the mall or somewhere else, do you hold your purse securely or are you making it an easy target for a mugger? Are you carrying your wallet in your backpack, the easiest of all places for someone to lift your wallet without you even knowing about it? Just remember to be aware of these things and do your best to prevent any unnecessary risk where this is concerned.

Social Networks

Social Networks have grown in popularity exponentially over that past few years. This has created a huge market for a whole new set of “bad guys” out there. The one thing you always need to remember when dealing with people online is that bad people lie all the time. Don’t fall into a trap of revealing personal information about yourself just because a person “sounds nice.” Remember, you know nothing about that person on the other end of the computer other than what they are telling you. The 20 year old handsome college student could very well be a 45 year old stalker.

When you are on Social Networking sites, here are some do’s and don’ts:

• Don’t befriend someone that you don’t know.
• Don’t agree to meet someone that you don’t know, even if it is at a public place.
• Don’t ever give out your address or phone number. With that being said, don’t even give out details of where you live. With some clever questioning, it does not take long for a perpetrator to get the information they need to locate you. This would even include an email address, as most college students are given an email address from their college or university, which makes it very easy to find you.
• Do lock down your personal settings as tight as you possibly can. Reveal information and photos to your “friends” only.

Headphones

When you are running, biking, or jogging, it is very tempting to put your earphones in and forget about everything else. However, by doing this you can be putting yourself into a scary predicament. You are eliminating one of your key senses in detecting danger – your hearing. That is why your hearing is so imperative. With you hearing you can detect footsteps behind you or someone approaching in another threatening manner.

Social Get-togethers

Never leave your drink unattended. Ever since the “date rape drug” Rohypnol hit the scene,  it has been a favorite of many perpetrators. It is a very discrete way to attack a person. A perpetrator simply puts the drug in someone’s glass when they aren’t looking, enabling them to take advantage at a later time.  This doesn’t just occur at parties where drugs and alcohol are present – this can occur at a quiet social get-together as well. It is imperative that your college student understands that perpetrators don’t wear signs around their necks advertising who they are. They look like everyday people and do their best to blend in.

One final thought to help you college student – if they get somewhere and they don’t feel comfortable, ask for an escort. Whether they are walking home from the library late at night or at one of the many activities present in a college lifestyle, encourage them to ask for help when needed. Nearly every campus has some sort of security system where they can ask a guard to escort them to where they need to go.

College financing challenges pull children into their parent’s financial concerns, and for many it’s the first time they’ve had to be involved in such discussion. The complexity of figuring out finances together can be a strain for families, but there’s no need for things to degenerate into arguments, hurt feelings, or bad decisions. By preparing for a thoughtful discussion, it is possible to find answers that work.

Re-focus On The Goal

College degree programs are designed to prepare students for the career of their choice. Refocusing on this before starting a discussion will help both sides remember why a particular college is being chosen. It shouldn’t be about having fun, following in parental footsteps, or being with friends:  the focus is on how the college program prepares graduates for success. This refocusing helps keep the discussion oriented around the future benefits, and avoids letting students and families end up paying for a college that doesn’t fit their end goals.

Get The Facts

After refocusing, it’s time to get the facts. What are the true costs for tuition, room and board, books, and lifestyle expenses while at college? When are payments due, and what are the options for making payments? Use these numbers to help break things down into monthly budgets that reflect tough realities instead of college fantasies.

With the facts in hand, it is easier to talk realistically about paying the bills. Parents should never promise to foot the whole bill, states financial advisor Bob Goldman in the Wall Street Journal. The reasons are twofold:  rising costs can make even the most well-meant promises impossible to fulfill, and involving students in paying for college ensures they’re invested in their educational outcomes.

Armed with real numbers, talk things through in terms of who can comfortably pay for what. Debate which schools offer more value for the dollar in terms of career goals and get employment levels for recent grads as a guide if needed. Identify what’s really affordable, and where extra income or borrowing would be needed to pay for classes.

Talk Jobs

As the total bill for college is discussed, it is important to talk about jobs. Many students do work during school, while others view school itself as the job, and this shapes financial discussions.

If a job is needed, work with your child to figure out where it will come from, and what Plan B is if it can’t be found. Investigate work-study programs, and figure out average wages in the area for part-time work at restaurants, retail stores, and so on. Be realistic about what’s possible, what’s comfortable, and where things might negatively impact grades or future careers.

If going to college is the job, lay out what could get students “fired” from their school. After all, if they’re really doing their “job” and studying, poor academic performance, partying problems, and skipping school shouldn’t be accepted. Having this conversation long before classes start insures no surprises. This allows students to be aware of the consequences of poor choices in college.

Talk Debt

Last but not least, have an open conversation about debt. Student loan debt is approaching $25,000 for the average student at graduation, and this debt burden limits the kinds of choices students can make after they finish college. Looking at possible career choices and salaries coupled with college costs, families need to determine what debt levels (if any) are going to be wise throughout school, and start looking at how those debts can be repaid after graduation.

Get Creative

There are always options, and finances don’t have to be a barrier. The key is to get creative. Students who want a degree from an expensive school might start at a local school to cheaply fulfill general requirements and then transfer in to finish with a name-brand diploma. Taking a year off either before college or during school to work can reduce debt burdens and keep college affordable.

By having college finance discussions early, parents and students have the chance to get things worked out in a way that is realistic and practical. In this way, crushed dreams and high debts can be avoided in favor of keeping college a positive, educational experience.

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