The College Search

My daughter only had three colleges on her list. We looked at all three. She applied and got accepted to two. She picked one. By late September of her senior year, we were done.

Not so this go-round. I’ve now been with my son to visit six different colleges. My husband took him to another one without me. Seven universities. We still have at least 2-3 to visit—maybe more. And I’m getting tired.

I mean really, how many financial aid lectures can you listen to—especially after we pretty much have it down with one already in college? The dorms are all starting to look the same. And given that most of the schools he’s chosen to look at are small, Christian colleges, they are similar in tone and requirements. I think I could practically give the tours myself now, as long as I had a few key terms unique to that school.

At least football district play is about to begin, so that will table his thoughts of the college search for a few weeks. Maybe by then I can gear up for a few more drives, a few more informational sessions, a few more tours. But most of all I’ll be looking forward to the day when he makes a decision and we can all breathe a sigh of relief that the selection process is over!

Decisions, Decisions

There are moments when a strong-willed child is a joy. I think the college search can be one of those moments. Child numero uno knew exactly what she wanted to do, where she wanted to look. It was a painless (though expensive) process.

Child number two, the compliant one, is proving to be much harder. We don’t want to make the decisions for him. We want his future to be his. But he refuses to make decisions about even where to look. And time is winding down. Yes, we have a whole year and two months until graduation, but with not wanting to miss days of school before finals in May, a summer of work, and senior seasons of football and basketball on the horizon, we know there will no be time to make campus visits. So we have to go now. But we have to choose some places to visit.

We’re driving him crazy. He’s driving us crazy. I think he’d just prefer us to make the decision for him, but I won’t give him that out. He has to learn to decide, to know what HE should do, not simply let others’ opinions sway him. It’s when you worry about that child that you’ve always been thankful was “the easy one,” for sometimes their later days are paved with hard lessons they sidestepped in their younger years.

I’m sure things will all work out in the end, for we continue to do the one thing that works—we pray. I just wish I could see that end a little more clearly in the now.