What follows is our interview and a fuller explanation of the motivation behind the seminar as well as what I hope is accomplished on October 12:
What motivated you to put together a seminar on college planning?
Derek: The mission of CPYU’s College Transition Initiative is to provide resources to help students (and parents) be more spirituallyprepared for life after high school. Since 2005 I’ve been giving seminars for students and parents that address issues of faith, spiritual formation and how to make the most of college from a Christian perspective. Since the economic downturn of 2008, I’ve noticed a trend during the Q&A: parents are really questioning the cost and value of higher education; students seemed to be more and more unsure about what they want to do after high school; and so many students are graduating with excessive, crippling debt. New books are being published every month that call into question the worth of a college degree.
From the many conversations I’ve had with parents and students, and from my own research into the contemporary landscape of higher education, I kept thinking that CTI was uniquely positioned to address “college planning” from a biblical perspective. The seminar tagline says it all: “Put faith first in college planning.” I’ve written more about the motivation behind the seminar on CTI’s website. I had a tipping point experience after a conversation with a father in Houston. You can read about it here: “Houston, We Have a College Planning Problem.” And here is a short video message:
What do you hope seminar participants walk away with on October 12?
Derek: I should say upfront that I am not naïve enough to think that this seminar can prepare families completely for the college planning and admission’s process. But from the beginning of CTI, my main focus and passion has been creating opportunities for parents and students to have more meaningful conversations about life after high school. We live busy lives. We need to be intentional about creating space to ask good questions, listen to each other and think through the best “next steps” in the process. My hope and prayer is that people who attend the seminar will (1) learn to ask the right questions about the college planning process, questions they might easily miss and (2) be pointed in the direction of helpful resources that can guide them along the way.
Who should come to the seminar?
Derek: Anyone who is thinking about or already planning for college. It really doesn’t matter if you are early in the process (family with a 9th grader) or later in the process (family of a senior in high school). It’s never too early or too late to start thinking wisely about life after high school. Also, all of the advertising for the seminar says that “seating is limited.” This is not a marketing technique! We actually do have a limited space. If you are interested in attending, please do not hesitate to register.
Today many would-be college students and parents are second guessing the culturally assumed next step after high school. And for good reason. Outstanding college student loans have exceeded $1 trillion. Time Magazine listed “Questioning the Value of Higher Education” as one of the top-ten trends in America in 2011. The New York Public Interest Research Group (NYPIRG) recently launched a campaign warning students with this message: “Don’t Major in Debt!”
I have had countless conversations with students and parents regarding funding for college. Many families are asking difficult questions about whether or not a college degree is “worth it” in today’s economy. (These conversations have been the catalyst for the new CTI seminar: “The College Choice: Faith, Family & Finances.”)
Terry Evearitt is committed to helping parents and students make wiser decision about college. His life journey has taken him in many directions including: journeyman carpenter; sailor on the Great Lakes; US Army (Vietnam veteran); missionary for three years in West Africa; pastor for 13 years; and working in financial services for 25 years. Terry draws on all of these experiences when working with families through his business College Funding Advisors, Inc. Terry is also a good friend. I have learned much from our many conversations about college planning and the future of higher education. (Terry graciously offers a one hour FREE consultation and I would strongly encourage interested readers to take advantage of it). What follows is an interview with Terry to help us think more clearly about planning for college:
What motivated you to focus on college financial planning? Why are you passionate about this work?
Terry: It comes from two life experiences: First experience was while doing general financial planning for families. I often ran across clients who had graduated 15 years ago and still had $30,000 or more in student loans. Second is from personal experience. When my children started college, I was not prepared. I jokingly comment to my clients: “You don’t have to make any college planning mistakes. I’ve already made them all!”
Some experts have suggested that college loans/debt is heading toward a bubble that will lead to another economic crisis. Do you think college debt is as bad as many pundits suggest? Are we heading toward a crisis?
Terry: For many families it is far worse than they can imagine. Statistics are that few are prepared for retirement. When people enter their highest earning years and should be aggressively saving for retirement they are hit with college costs for their children. You cannot borrow for retirement and you cannot repossess a college education. Also, statistics don’t reflect all the student loans. Often parents will take a second mortgage to pay for their student’s college costs. These are not calculated in student loans. For many families and students college debt will be with them for decades.
What do you think surprises people the most when you talk to them about the rising cost of higher education?
Terry: Most people have no idea about today’s cost of college. For many they have not “counted the costs” and what it will mean to their economic future. People have been saying for decades that college costs can’t keep going up. Guess what? Today many colleges cost over $60,000 per year and the least expensive state supported college in Pennsylvania costs over $20,000 per year. Where’s that money coming from? How can you afford college?
What advice would you give parents and students who are just starting to think about college planning?
Terry: Start early and explore ALL options. Earlier is always better than later when it comes to college planning. Begin with a career direction. Next, explore what college major is required for that career. Finally, explore what is the best way to get that degree; explore all options.
Is there anything else you would like to communicate to students and parents?
Terry: It has been my experience that many do not know what they don’t know and they don’t know they don’t know it. Most families don’t know enough to ask questions or where to begin a college plan. Yes the web is full of information but it is difficult to apply it to your unique situation. Every family and every student is different. There is no “one size fits all” in college planning. It is possible to get a great education and not be in debt for the next 15-25 years. I love helping families discover what works for them!
CPYU’s College Transition Initiative began in 2005. For the last eight years, I’ve had the opportunity to speak to groups of students and parents about how to be prepared for and make the most of life after high school. Recently, I’ve noticed a shift in the way families talk about higher education. Here’s a story that captures what I mean…
A few years ago I was speaking in Houston, TX. During one of the breaks a father and his son hurried over to talk to me. The dad stood behind his son, his hands on his son’s shoulders and his plea went something like this:
“Please tell me what to do with my son. We don’t have a clue. Everything has changed! When I was growing up, this is how it worked. I grew up in California. During my junior year of high school, the guidance counselor took the initiative and told me, based on my interests and academic ability, that I should consider a career in engineering. I went to a state university, for free, got a degree in engineering and I’ve been an engineer at the same company for over 25 years. Now my son is entering the college admission’s process and it seems so confusing! He doesn’t know what to study or where to go. He’s has received very little help from his school. We receive mail from colleges every day. We really don’t know how we can afford it. Make sense of it for me!”
He smiled after the last sentence. He knew I couldn’t possibly provide all of the information he needed during a five minute break. But this conversation has stuck with me. Since that day, I’ve wanted to provide a seminar for students and parents to help them “make sense” of the college planning and admission’s process.
The times have changed… Think about this father’s story: A guidance counselor knew him well enough to help him in the process. He went to college FOR FREE! He got a job in his field shortly after he graduated. He has been working for the same company for over 25 years.
This scenario is no longer the norm. But the other parts of his story are now very common: His son isn’t sure what he wants to study, where he wants to go and the father has no idea how to pay for college! Sound familiar?
The seminar has three goals… Participants will gain:
A biblical vision for making the most of these years
A clearer understanding of the cost/value of college
A wise approach to the college admission’s process
This seminar is for students, parents, educators and youth workers looking for resources for making better decisions about life after high school. The seminar will be beneficial whether you are early (parents of middle schoolers) or late (parents of high school seniors) in the college planning process. I hope to see you there!
What I remember most about my first week of college was lanyards; the string that students wore around their necks to hold their student ID and room key. They were useful for at least two reasons: (1) they kept important items close and (relatively) safe and (2) they identified all of the other nervous, confused and anxious first-year students. We ran in packs and swung our IDs around our necks like a tetherball. I also remember how different things seemed to be. Everything was new: schedules with a bit too much free time, classes that didn’t meet every day, and something called a syllabus.
I’m sure you’ve received a lot of advice over the past few weeks from family and friends about how to make the most of the college years. I hesitate to offer more. I know how easy it can be for it to go in one ear and out the other. But the truth is we all want you to succeed and do well. It is, after all, a privilege to go to college and we don’t want you to waste the great gift that you have been given.
Here are three quotes for you to consider as you begin your first year of college. I hope you can find some time to reflect during the busy first week. May these quotes guide your next four years:
“Fat, drunk, and stupid is no way to go through life, son.” – Dean Vernon Wormer
Now that’s some good, straight forward advice right there! The quote comes from the movie Animal House and here’s the main reason I offer it to you: It’s a reminder that this stage of life is formative. You will make decisions every day that will shape your character. But don’t just take my word for it. Spider-Man’s uncle, Ben Parker, knew a thing or two about the college years as well. He offered this advice to his nephew Peter:
“These are the years when a man changes into the man he’s going to become for the rest of his life; just be careful who you change into.” – Uncle Ben Parker
Just be careful who you change into… This is not to say that college shouldn’t be fun. And, of course, you will make mistakes and bad decisions. But remember, that’s all part of the “character forming” process as well. Being attentive to the kind of person you are becoming, admitting mistakes and learning from failure may not be bullet points that build a resume, but it is the foundation that builds a life.
Speaking of how to build a life…
“The best thing that anybody ever said to me is that you’re only as good as the people you associate with. Look at the five friends that you spend the most time with—that’s who you are.” – Will Smith
There you have it… advice from a fictitious Dean, a superhero’s uncle and now the Fresh Prince. Not only do you need to pay attention to your own character, but you need to be sure to surround yourself with a good cast of characters as well. Choose wisely.
College is a gift and a remarkable opportunity. It will be a formative, transformational time in your life. May you make the most of the time you’ve been given.
A few years ago, I was driving a recent college graduate to lunch to celebrate his completion of college. He had a very difficult four years and he was excited for the next chapter of his life story. I asked him if he was graduating with much debt. “I’m one of the lucky ones,” he responded. “I’m only graduating with $50,000 of debt from student loans. Many of my friends have a lot more debt than me!”
What? I almost drove the car off the road. $50,000! I knew the degree he had earned, I knew of his plans for graduate school, and I couldn’t imagine being 22 years old, carrying that much debt. And he is one of the lucky ones?
This conversation was eye opening. First of all, it made me more attentive to the reality of debt most college students face. To my surprise, many of the students I have talked with since that memorable car ride are unaware of the crippling burden that debt can bring. A college degree can increase earning potential, to be sure, but not enough students and parents are talking about what kind of debt is good debt. Certainly, college is about much more than getting a degree to get a job and there is good reason to be concerned about the commodification of learning. We do need to be careful about how we measure the economic value of an education. But students and parents need to be practical and wise as well, asking: “Is this particular degree worth the cost?”
Secondly, the conversation with the young graduate open my eyes to the need for helpful resources for students and parents as they think through financial concerns related to college. As I surveyed the vast landscape of books available, a book by Steve Miller stuck out the most. Enjoy Your Money! How to Make It Save It and Give It Away is creative and engaging. It communicates deeper truths about money and spending through stories. Steve is an educator, investor, entrepreneur, and speaker who is known for drawing practical wisdom from serious research and communicating it in accessible, unforgettable ways. What follows is an interview with Steve about his important book and the financial challenges that many students and parents face…
Two of the stated goals for this website are to provide information on emerging adulthood and resources for developing lasting faith. If the church is going to help young people develop a lasting faith, we need to have a good understanding of the cultural conditions in which they live (emerging adulthood).
From their extensive background in college and young adult ministry, the authors were motivated by two questions:
(1) What does the gospel have to offer emerging adults as they are formed through the adult transition?
(2) What do emerging adults shaped by the gospel have to offer to the church and the world?
Their stated desire for writing the book is “to provide a ‘practical theology’ for college and young adult ministry, one that combines important scholarship, a Christian theological vision, and attentiveness to concrete ministry applications.” Baker Publishing Group invited me to read the book ahead of time and offer an endorsement. Here it is:
“Young adults need guidance and so do those who desire to help them mature into healthy adulthood. This book provides a lucid overview of the current research regarding emerging adulthood as well as accessible guidelines for reaching this generation with the Gospel. The authors make a strong case for why the church should take emerging adulthood research and emerging adults more seriously. Most refreshing, the central motivation behind Spiritual Formation in Emerging Adulthood is not the desire to grow a church or young adult program, but to see young people grow up in Christ.”
I highly recommend this book for church leaders, college ministers and parents who desire to see young people embrace and live-out faith during the formative, young adult years.
Auxano is the gap year discipleship program of Camp Imadene, located on Vancouver Island off Canada’s west coast. Students live together with their leaders in a large house overlooking the local community, and travel each day to the camp for classes and service opportunities. This way, they keep one foot in the community and the other in the environment of learning and ministry. The focus is on learning to follow Jesus in all of life, becoming like him and joining him in his work. What follows is an interview with program director, Jim Badke.
What is the mission of your program?
Auxano is the Greek work for “grow.” Our mission is discipleship in the community through biblical training and service.
How many students participate?
The program is designed for eight to twelve students, age 18 to 23. This past year we had eight students and two peer leaders.
What are the basic elements of your program?
Community is essential to this program: the small student community acting like a “rock tumbler” as each is shaped by the lives of the others; the surrounding believer community of camp staff and church family who encourage and challenge them; and the broad local community that is touched and included in the lives of students as they live out their faith.
Biblical teaching takes top priority, providing a comprehensive understanding of most books of the Bible, and engaging students in discussions of burning issues like social justice, Christian worldview, spiritual formation, First Nations reconciliation and environmental stewardship. Rather than focus on assignments and grading, students interact with gifted teachers from the local area and the books they recommend, which allowed us to offer 23 modular courses of two to five days in length this past year.
Camp Imadene has a long tradition of volunteer service, hosting 500 to 600 volunteers during its summer camp season, and this heritage spills over into the Auxano program. Students are trained to care for the physical property of the camp and to facilitate activities with guest groups. There are also opportunities to serve in the local community with agencies that care for the homeless and ministries to the local First Nations community.
Life as a student includes several adventures along the way, starting with a canoe and hiking trip as the setting for the first course, rappelling and caving in the local mountains, surfing on the west coast of the Island and enjoying several days on the slopes of a ski hill that measures snow in meters. Students love Auxano House, which is their very comfortable retreat and residence.
Why are you passionate about your work?
There are few privileges better than helping people transition into adulthood. Young adults are emerging into their own system of beliefs, values and principles, and I love it when they take time out of their educational and occupational pursuits and devote a year to listening to God. A student once told me, “This program has ruined my life!” He explained that he was ruined for the ordinary, and that the path he once thought he would pursue was no longer satisfying. God had something more for him.
What do you tell parents who might be reluctant to have their child take a “year off” before going to college?
What is the greater risk? That students might join the work force a year later than their friends, or that they might spend four years getting a degree that has nothing to do with who they really are and that they will never use? Most young adults enter college years with no firm grasp on who they are and what God has in mind for them to accomplish in the world. I have seen many students completely alter their direction in life as a result of a gap year program. “For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them” (Ephesians 2:10). Here is an opportunity for students to discover the purpose for which God designed them.
This past weekend, the Lancaster Sunday News (PA) featured two, side-by-side columns about the rising cost of higher education. Both articles are worth reading: “Paying For College Is A Whole New Ballgame” by Lancaster Newspapers staff writer Gil Smart and “Student Services Fuel Rising College Costs” by Elizabethtown College professor April Kelly-Woessner. Here are a few highlights…
From Mr. Smart:
“According to U.S. News & World Report, the total cost of a four-year degree by the time my youngest goes to college, assuming he does, will top $200,000… My own schooling was paid for with grants, loans and the occasional credit card; the debt was paid off a decade after I graduated, and the feeling of liberation was palpable. But the $10,000 or so I owed is minuscule compared to the debt accumulated by graduates today. And particularly in this job market — one likely to continue deteriorating in terms of quality, good-paying jobs for those just out of school — how in the world can grads expect to conquer the resulting mountain of debt?”
From Dr. Kelly-Woessner:
“College costs are largely consumer- driven. The solution may be to simply reduce the money available to students. Unfortunately, universities often find that instructional costs are the easiest to cut. Indeed, many institutions are increasingly relying on low-paid adjuncts. In the face of financial strain, my husband has seen the full-time faculty members in his department at Penn State Harrisburg cut in half. So, although faculty salaries have not driven the rising tuition costs, instruction is often the first casualty in the face of budget cuts.”
From my many conversations with families, I’m realizing more and more that parents and students have questions about how to make wise decisions concerning life after high school. That’s why I’m so excited about the seminar on October 12 in Lancaster, PA. Registration info coming soon!
Higher education has faced sharp criticism recently. Many pundits and families are starting to question the value of a college degree. And for good reason. Did you know…
Nearly 50% of first-year students do not graduate within six years?
Student loan debt has exceeded $1 trillion?
Only one in seven high school seniors report feeling prepared to face the challenges of college life?
Now it’s more important than ever that families make wise decisions about college, particularly concerning where to go, what to study, and how to pay. Participants will gain…
A biblical vision for making the most of these formative years
A clearer understanding of the true cost and value of college
A wise approach to the college admission’s process
This seminar is for students, parents, youth workers, and educators looking for resources to make wise decisions about life after high school.
My morning routine is so rigid, that if I miss it my day is shot. Ask my wife!
I wake up around 6:30 AM. Brew coffee. I then sit in silence and sip. After 10 or 15 minutes I pray. I’ve a created a prayer-by-notecard system contained in a little black box. The system is a bit complicated and it’s taken me over 10 years to perfect. Basically it involves a prayer from one of three prayer books (The Valley of Vision, The Lutheran Book of Prayer, or The Book of Common Prayer) followed by a few things to pray for each day, including family, community, church, upcoming speaking events, fundraising. I then read from a devotional of some kind that typically involves reading a biblical passage. After that I read or reread a book that I am currently reading slowly. Most often it is something by Eugene Peterson, N.T. Wright, or Wendell Berry, or it is a biblical commentary. I shower at 7:50 AM and I’m at the office by 8:30 AM. It’s a short commute!
