Even if “Help me choose a college” is one of those prayers that doesn’t seem to yield a clear answer, students can trust that the hours they spend in prayer are themselves beneficial. “I am learning that prayer need not to be ‘productive’ in the normal sense of the word,” explains Philip Yancey. “I find that when I reserve that time…I make clearer decisions and fewer impulsive mistakes. I waste less time worrying.”
For in the end, there’s no need to worry about the college choice. That brings me to my last piece of advice:
4. Don’t fret—any college can ultimately become a good choice.
Or as a friend of a friend likes to tell prospective students: “Make a decision, then make it the right one.”
In other words, students should try to make the best college choice they can, based on fit, cost, or whatever other factors matter to them: size, location, type, etc. But encourage them to keep in mind that that’s just the first of many decisions they’ll make about their college education. Soon they’ll need to decide how to approach their studies and choose a major, how they’ll spend their time outside of the classroom, how they’ll sustain their relationship with God…and maybe above all: how they’ll use the most freedom they’ll have ever known, as they take steps away from their upbringing and into adulthood.
How they make those choices will make a much bigger difference to their college education than the choice of college itself. Your student might pick what seems like the perfect school then make poor choices and waste time there. On the other hand, your student might find that the college he or she chose isn’t quite what they thought it was, yet still get a great deal out of his or her education.
So help your student make a decision (prayerfully). Then they can start making it the right one.
