I realize it’s kind of a gruff question to start with… but it’s a very real question for me… and it’s the premise for the book I’m working on.
Having worked with college students since the mid 90’s, I’ve seen a lot of changes. And one of the hardest to observe has been (at least on the campuses I’ve served) to see an increasing number of students seemingly wasting their formative college years.
In the intro I write:
For far too many students today, the formative college years are being wasted. In a lot of ways college has become High School – Part 2, but with A LOT of debt incurred. While it was once assumed that youth would stay in school through the 12th grade, and then go on to pursue further education only if it was required to obtain a specific job, this is no longer the case. For most of today’s young people, there is an expectation that they will graduate from high school and go right on into college, much like they transitioned from middle school to high school.
This being the case, a growing percentage of students are entering college without a clue of why they are there… or what they are there to do. With no clear sense of direction or purpose, coupled with the retention of many of the same poor habits, attitudes and low levels of responsibility that were present during their high school years, too many of today’s college students are wasting their college years. They are not being shaped and formed in the ways that God desires for them. They are not making use of the formative environment, and season of life, that are the college years.
I recognize that this doesn’t describe ALL college students today — but I’d be willing to bet that we can all identify a number of students on our campus that would fit this description.
And this is the problem I’m hoping to address in my book — currently titled: Why Faith (On Campus) Matters.
What do you think?
Am I over exaggerating the problem?
Am I being too pessimistic in my choice of language? Or will this description grab the attention of the parents, pastors, professors, coaches, directors and mentors of college students that I hope to reach? (I promise, the book will be more encouraging in attitude).
What do you like in the two paragraphs I shared? What don’t you like (you won’t hurt my feelings — I promise)?
Feel free to leave a comment in the comment section below. Remember, it’s a work in progress. 🙂
Thanks!
4 thoughts on “Are Students “Wasting” Their Formative College Years?”
definitely relevant, good issue to bring up and good for students to reflect on
I think the problem lies more on the side of the college/university academic culture: disciplinary specialization (the silo effect); anti-metaphysical metaphysical assumptions (I know, ironic, if not oxymoronic). I could go on. I think students generally adapt to the environment in which they find themselves. So, yes, they are wasting their college years, but for reasons largely beyond their making.
I like your general assessment since it lines up with my experiences with college students in the last 9 years. It seems to be more so now than even when I started in 2002! Have you come across John Piper’s book, Don’t Waste Your Life? The language you used reminded me of his book.
And as one who avoids “not’s” even in contractions (see http://www.remembertheice.com) in an effort to articulate exactly what I want to say, here is how I’d reframe the last two sentences:
“They are wasting (missing out on) opportunities for God to shape and form them. They are wasting (missing out on) the formative environment and season of life that are the college years.”
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