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What's a College Education Worth?In early June, 2012, my son Solomon graduated from College of the Atlantic. His experience there included a term working on a goat farm in Ireland, and a semester at sea on a tall ship (a wooden schooner), earning full credit both times. Solomon also performed in two Shakespeare plays, studied martial arts, read and wrote literature, created a sound exhibit in the local whale museum, went scuba diving in the Gulf of Maine, and fell in love. His final term was spent almost entirely on a personal project (a musical analysis of a whale's song), with one hands-on course working with draft horses. After Solomon and his girlfriend graduate (planned with more humor than pomp), they will spend the summer as deckhands in Maine, with no certain plans after that. Solomon will take a gap year (he went straight from homeschooling high school to college) and continue his travels and adventures. There is much talk these days about the value of a college education. Is it worth the high price of tuition? Is it worth saddling a student with debt? Solomon was very fortunate to get a generous scholarship that included a grant for foreign studies. His time at an expensive private college actually cost him less than attending our state university. He never viewed college as a path to guaranteed income or career, so it would not have made sense to take on a substantial amount of debt. Rather, college was a series of experiences that each led to the next. A degree is a feather in his cap, but not a guarantee of employment. Besides, Solomon wants more than a job. He wants to find his bliss, something that the freedom of homeschooling taught him was possible. His time at college was full of moments of bliss, and in my opinion that is the best that it can be. When I was a girl, college was considered the only path to a good life, a decent income, and a professional career. These days people are discovering that this is no longer true. A degree or license can help in many cases (just try working as a massage therapist in New York City without one), but in other cases it is experience and connections that create the job, and a degree has nothing to do with it. Ultimately, it is the student who must make his own decision and find her own way. Interesting resources are Michael Ellsberg (see his article 8 Steps to Getting What You Want… Without Formal Credentials) and Blake Boles, whose new book is titled Better Than College: How to Build a Successful Life Without a Four-Year Degree. For more information on applying to college as a homeschooler, go to About College/Teens. |
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