So far, both of my graduates have wanted to attend college, and Engineer Husband and I have been supportive of their desire to do so. However, college isn’t for everybody. I know a young man, still in high school, who wants to build houses when he gets out of high school. He’s already been apprenticing with Mom, who buys apartment complexes, remodels them, and rents them out, and he’s taking an interior design class at our homeschool co-op this next year. He probably won’t go to college and probably will start his business of remodeling, then home-building when he graduates from high school in a couple of years. So, as you think about requirements for graduating from high school, think about what your state requires, what you want your young adult to learn, maybe what colleges require, but also what your teenager wants to learn and needs to learn to get where he wants to go.
I posted this list before, but it bears repeating. Look over these reasons, god and bad, with your teenager. Talk about where he or she wants to be in five years or ten years. Then, decide prayerfully what it will take to get there.
Ten Bad Reasons to Go to College
1. I’m going to college to have FUN!!
2. I’m going to college to figure out what to do with my life.
3. I’m going to college to find a husband or wife.
4. I’m going to college to get out of my house.
5. I’m going to college to find myself.
6. My parents saved all this money for my college education, so I guess I”ll have to spend it.
7. I just graduated from high school, and college is the next step.
8. I don’t have anything else to do for the next four years.
9. All the really rich people go to college first before they get really rich.
10. I don’t wanna grow up–I’m a Toys R Us kid.
Ten Good Reasons to Go to College
1. I’ve saved up or earned or been given enough money to pay the tuition myself.
2. I want to learn something that I can learn best at a college.
3. I want to earn a credential that I can only earn at a college or university.
4. I want to learn a marketable skill in order to support a family someday, and I know that I can learn that skill at college.
5. I know what God wants me to do , and I need a college education to get there.
6. I don’t have responsibilities for a spouse or children, and I can afford to spend the next four years learning something that is important to me.
7. My parents and I are in agreement that college would be a good educational setting for me.
8. I want to get a broad liberal arts education now while I have the time and the opportunity.
9. I have the Biblical foundation and the right relationship with Christ to be able to filter all the teaching I receive through a Christian worldview.
10. I believe that God is leading me to go to college.
Very good lists! Thank you for posting these – for my oldest two (one in college, one to go next year) at least four of the good reasons apply, and none of the bad reasons. But my next two children’s reasons for college appear to fall solidly in the bad camp, at least for now. I think today I’ll have them read your post and we’ll discuss the reasons behind choices and decisions.
I know a guy who spent (wasted) one semester in college skipping class every nice day cause he wanted to be outside. He wanted to build houses. That’s what he does now (along with remodeling and furniture building) and is very sucessful at it. College would have been a waste for him. He was much better off to invest in good tools rather than classes.
I’m sorry, but I disagree with some of the “bad” reasons to go to college. For example, number seven. I’m a high school student and I found this site by doing some research on good reasons to go to college. I firmly believe that people should go to college and further their education. There is nothing wrong with learning more than you need to. Plus, it is better to exceed than just get by. I think people that do attend college will find themeselves to feel satisfaction. Even if you do not know EXACTLY what you want to do, whats wrong with tasting other oppurtunities that your not sure of yet? At least you will learn something. Also, God will probably not see anything wrong with you learning, and if it is not meant for you, He’ll let you know. Aim your goals high because you will only get as far as YOU decide you want to go. Everyone should plan on going to college after high school. the question should not be, “Should I go to college or not?” it should be, “What do I want to start studying when I get there?”