Great cover story in World magazine about the challenges of Christian higher education, with input from schools in California, Texas, Louisiana, and Missouri. A few highlights: A 2012 study by Bain & Co. consultants examining the financial sustainability of U.S. colleges and universities found that 36 percent of CCCU schools are sustainable, 32 percent are at risk, and 32 percent are unsustainable. The four-year cost of attending a Christian college is now $100,000 (presumably for four years). Federal regulations add to cost, as do amenities. Students utilizing dual credit … [Read more...] about The Challenges of Christian Higher Education
Archives for April 2014
Anya Kamenetz, DIY U, and the Future of Higher Education
There's a growing number of books on higher education reform. One that I recently found interesting and provocative is DIY U: Edupunks, Edupreneurs, and the Coming Transformation of Higher Education by Anya Kamenetz (staff writer for Fast Company who regularly publishes in a variety of places). Thankfully, Ms. Kamenetz was willing to answer a few questions for us. Do you think high schools today push four-year college onto students who should be considering other paths (associate degrees, trade schools, etc.)? And if so, what, historically, has led to this bias? It's not just high … [Read more...] about Anya Kamenetz, DIY U, and the Future of Higher Education
Nifty Graph on Discovering Your Calling
From: Tony Chung These concepts are further unpacked in chapters 8 and 9 of Preparing Your Teens for College. … [Read more...] about Nifty Graph on Discovering Your Calling
Christianity, the World’s Most Falsifiable Religion
Fantastic post by Michael Patton, author of Now That I'm a Christian: What It Means to Follow Jesus. Patton writes: The central claims of the Bible demand historic inquiry, as they are based on public events that can be historically verified. In contrast, the central claims of all other religions cannot be historically tested and, therefore, are beyond falsifiability or inquiry. They just have to be believed with blind faith. … [Read more...] about Christianity, the World’s Most Falsifiable Religion
The Myth of Working Your Way Through College
Svati Kirsten Narula, writing for The Atlantic: "the average student in 1979 could work 182 hours (a part-time summer job) to pay for a year's tuition. In 2013, it took 991 hours (a full-time job for half the year) to accomplish the same." Read the whole thing. FYI - My new book has tips on saving for college, lowering the costs of college, and earning money during college. … [Read more...] about The Myth of Working Your Way Through College
Five Errors to Drop From Your Easter Sermon
Andreas J. Köstenberger and Justin Taylor, authors of The Final Days of Jesus, discuss five errors to drop from your Easter sermon: 1. Don't say Jesus died when he was 33 years old. 2. Don't explain the apparent absence of a lamb at the Last Supper by only saying Jesus is the ultimate Passover Lamb. 3. Don't say the same crowds worshiped Jesus on Palm Sunday and then cried out for his crucifixion on Good Friday. 4. Don't bypass the role of the women as witnesses of the resurrected Christ. 5. Don't focus on the suffering of Jesus to the extent that you neglect the glory of the … [Read more...] about Five Errors to Drop From Your Easter Sermon