College Choice: Culture And A Bad Fit

Just like a tailored piece of clothing, a college should "fit like a glove" too.  I am forever harping on the fact that every college has its own culture. When our high achievers list "all the Ivies and Berkeley," I know they are victims of "Brand-Name Paralysis." The Ivies are generally small—some rural, some urban, some a combo of public and private colleges. Berkeley is a huge public research institution. These students tend to only look at the academics for these colleges, and when they get there, they are often dismayed.  If they don't "fit" the culture of the college, they can either conform, or be miserable.

Last week, a group of students at Biola, calling themselves the "Queer Underground" decided that they were going to "come out and be recognized."

Hello???? Did they not remember the doctrinal statement, or check out the vision and values when they visited the college?

Even though Biola is not as conservative as it was when I went, it is still one of the most conservative evangelical Christian colleges in the country. Students at Biola have a common thread of believing that the scripture is non-negotiable, and not up for individual interpretation. Yet this group doesn't think the rules (that they knew before enrolling) are fair. So,instead of taking themselves out of the college, they are seeking to change the rules and policies. Foolish.

The reasons some students go to colleges they are completely ill-fitted for are many.  Some parents will not foot the bill for any other college, some students attend because their friends go, some don't want to let their parents down. The list goes on. If a particular college is totally against "who you are," there are many colleges that are a good fit. Changing tradition and policy at Biola to embrace the gay agenda would be like expecting UC Santa Cruz to embrace capitalism. Ain't gonna happen.

College is a big decision with huge financial consequences.  If "being true to oneself" is worth risking mommy and daddy pulling the purse-strings, then go for it. The money spent for students who drop out because they are ill equipped, or disillusioned with the culture is a heavy price to pay. In our practice, we don't see many parents who can write a check for college with after tax dollars. Most take out loans. And those loans will follow you and them to the grave unless they are paid back before you die. 

So parents, DO YOUR RESEARCH before allowing your 17-year-old to make such a big decision that could impact the family for many years. Many people think college planning is "too expensive," but just like those who buy home inspections before they purchase a home, it could save you tens of thousands, and years of heartache.

For free seminars, WEBinars, and useful tools to help guide the college planning process, please go to GetCollegeFunding.org, and sign up for our "7 Mistakes Most Parents Make When Planning For College."