A column in The Huffington Post on Wednesday offered some great parental insights on the growing paradigm shift away from the knee-jerk my-kid-must-attend-an-impressive-four-year-college-right-out-of-high-school mentality that for so long has dominated American culture.
The write up by Sarah Stewart Holland touched on how and why that trend is emerging among typical parents. It cited not only the economics of ballooning tuition costs coupled with parents still paying off their own ill-advised and costly college loans, but also took into account if colleges are suited to meet kids’ educational needs in this rapidly changing technological world. It also rightly acknowledged the maturity levels – or lack thereof – of some teens, who may not be ready for college right out of high school.
For those interested in a real average-mom’s perspective on this issue, it’s a great read:
Recently, I was at dinner with a group of friends, several of whom were mothers. As is often the case, the conversation had turned to the education system. We were discussing testing and home schooling and teachers, when another friend — who does not yet have children — asked me a question that caught me off-guard:
“Let me ask you a question. Will you tell your children they have to go to college?”
My response surprised me almost as much as the question. I told her five, even two years ago, I would have said “absolutely.” I wouldn’t have hesitated. Yet, here I was hesitating and giving a different answer.
“I don’t know.”
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