Some college thoughts…..sorry….little longer than usual….
My wife and I did something summer before last that we had
not done in 11 years….we sold and bought a house. We loved our previous
house but with a 3rd child on the way; it was time to move on.
Our first house will always be home, and it will always hold a special place in
our hearts. We had some great memories of that place and shared it with some
wonderful family and friends. We actually ride by it often and reflect on
the blessings God gave us in that house. In thinking about my seniors,
our old house reminds me of FPD. For many of you, it is home. For
some, it has been home for as long as you have been in school and for others of
you, it has been home for just a little while. Hopefully, no matter how
long you have been here we will always hold a special place in your
hearts. We hope you have had some great memories and will have more to come.
But like our old house, it is getting closer to time to move on. We wish
we could keep you longer, but we know God has bigger plans for you. Where
do you go to next? Just like buying a house, you need to seek out lots of
advice when thinking of college. You will need to seek out the wise
counsel of others such as your parents and teachers, you will also want to take
the advice of your friends, you will need to look at the financial situation of
paying for college, you will need to be patient and wait yet also know when to
be aggressive, and you will need to pray and seek God’s direction.
While house shopping, I often thought about my seniors and
what it is like for you to visit colleges. There were some houses that
looked great online but were not for us when we set our foot in the door.
There were some that didn’t look so good online but were even better in
person. There were some our kids liked that we did not like. There
were some Katherine liked that I did not like and there were some I liked that
she did not like. We had to trust each other’s opinions and be patient on
the “right” house. We also had to weigh the financial costs and needs for
our family. There were some houses outside our range that would not come
down into our range so we had to be wise in our decision. We had to be
realistic about what we needed and wanted. The day our house came online
we saw the pictures, and we were interested. The next day when we visited
it felt “right”, and we were sold although we still had a long process to go
through. It is now home. It is reaffirming that God led us to the
right house, at the right time and for the right price. Our kids even
agree! The college visit process can be similar. They can all
look great online, but that does not mean they are for you. Others may
like them, but that does not mean it is for you. There can be something
special about visiting the college and knowing it is the right fit. Some
will say that it will just feel right. True. However, I credit that
more to the prompting of the spirit than to just a feeling. I will have kids
come back on the Monday after a college visit and tell me that they did not
like their visit, and they are often surprised when I tell them that is a good
thing. Wouldn’t you rather know that now rather than later? I
also have some who are not real excited about a certain college but love that
college upon a visit. The key is the visit.
Please go visit and please trust the overall process.
Seek wise counsel and pray! God will be in as much control as you allow as you
find your next home!
This Tuesday/Wednesday I blocked my calendar and went and
visited 5 colleges….Agnes Scott, U. of North Georgia, Truett-McConnell,
Piedmont College and UGA. I thoroughly enjoyed my time at each place and
love thinking of all the similarities and differences of even just those 5
colleges.
Go visit! Have fun and enjoy the process!
Coach Thompson
