I guess this is a question mostly for born-ins. I wonder how many of you went to college after leaving or while you were in and what was your experience like?
How many went on to college after leaving the JW's?
by Cagefighter 22 Replies latest jw friends
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sooner7nc
Raises Hand. My experience? As Joe Dirt said "Righteous and Kick-Ass!".
Being in a place where critical thinking processes are not only required but encouraged is very refreshing.
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Cagefighter
Did you fly thru Engl Comp I and II like I did? I think the society discourages college because once you spend a weak on fallacious arguments the Watchtower just doesn't cut it anymore.
I wonder what people got degrees in and what they did with their lives? I am at the cross roads, gone about as far as I can go before picking a major.
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Tuesday
I went on to college, majored in Creative Writing; minored in Evolutionary Biology.
Now I do like most college graduates, work in an office.
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Coffee House Girl
I explained when I left that I wanted to pursue a college degree- I originally went with the aim of becomming a social worker, I planned on getting a BSW and specializing in helping battered women- but after a year I realized that I was pursuing that subject out of feelings of guilt- I thought that maybe my family would except my decision if they could see that I was going to college to help people
Now I have transferred to a state university to pursue a passion I have always had but felt guilty as a JW spending too much time on- art
I am majoring in art history with a minor in advertising and public relations. I plan on working in a museum or gallery as a promoter or organizer of exhibits. I also plan on later going to graduate school, with a masters or PhD in art history I would be able to teach art at the community college level- that would be cool also.
I agree with you flying through writing or composition classes...our experience in dubland gave us good writing skills :)
CHG
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Band on the Run
I always planned on going to college. My mom was expelled from high school at fourteen b/c of the flag salute. Her dreams were to be a teacher/fashion designer. She worshipped education. My parents demanded As or else. There was no plan for me. I attended a very poor urban high school. Many colleges reached out to the pool of black students. I went along for the trip. Univ. of Penn. treated us to a tour and the Penn Relay games We were given a nice box lunch. The black students included me more than other whites b/c my grandmother lived in the projects.
Other influences were the civil rights movement and the antiwar movement. Newspapers and TVs showered attention on elite colleges. Later, when I majored in Political Science, I found out that most college students supported the war in Viet Nam. The children of the lealders, the future leaders, were an aberration. My college was completely shut down and buildings seized in 1968. Columbia is still the subject of many documentaries. I was very impressed at the time. Now when I see footage, I weep at the tragedy.
Another key factor was a te,en fashion magazine that had editors write complimentary things about their alma mater. I chose Columbia b/c of the write up in the fashion spread and I adored NYC. When the Witness stuff became too heavy, I'd run to Manhattan.
I did not want to major in Political Science. My feeling was that it was too stereotypicaisl. Most majors had prerequisites, such as math or a foreign language. It was the easier major I could find. I paid a heavy price for attending such a sham of a high school. I cherish the opposite culture of the WTBTS. We were constantly told that hard questions were the best questions.
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JonathanH
I am about to matriculate to go to college. I'm going for my bachelors of science in Engineering. I will do my first two years at a state technical college to get my AS (2 years there is cheaper than 1 year of university), then I can transfer that to the local state university to do my next two years to get my BS. My long term goal is I would love to get my Masters in Engineering (robotics I think is what I will specialize in, but we'll see) but right now I want to just focus on two years at a time.
Right now I'm just brushing up on some geometry, trigonometry, and algrebra to prepare for my classes. Definitely looking forward to it.
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Cagefighter
Wow, it's really cool to hear about people finding their passions and pursuing them after the Org. This to me seems to be the best way to move on after being born in and leaving. I have seen people (myself) wander aimlessly with out stopping to think about what is this life for. It's a question we never got to ask and answer honestly or critically.
Keep the stories coming, I love reading this stuff.
-Cage
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Violia
I did as an adult and still received criticism. Don't care what they think, it opened my eyes up to another world.
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Quentin
Being in a place where critical thinking processes are not only required but encouraged is very refreshing.....Sooner
My thoughts exactly....I managed to get 60hrs at Weatherford Jr College....My degree plan was a double major; Sociology and Anthropology with a minor in Philosophy....Kathy was finishing her degree in Poltical Science at TCU in Ft. Worth. I was completing paperwork for entry to TCU when she had her heart attack. That changed the whole game plan, neither of us got to finish.
I strongly urge anyone who has escaped the manipulation of the wt, don't walk, run to college get that degree. I visited yesterday with one of our board members who managed to get his degree while still a jw. I started when I was 42, will tell you guys, especialy you younger ones, get that degree. Makes all the difference in the world.