Any non-traditional students here?

frozen one

This subject has no doubt been covered before.

When I was in high school I had an urge to go on to college after graduation. This was back in 1980. Needless to say my desire was recieved rather cooly by my parents. But, they didn't outright forbid the notion. I did enroll at a commumity college and my mom actually went to the city and help me find a place to live. I think she actually wanted to check out the congregation in the town I would be going to and make sure the elders knew I would be living in the area. On the way back home, mom "happened" to swing by the hall in another town and was "surprised" to see the CO's camper sitting in the parking lot. We just had to stop. After saying hello to the CO and his wife and exchanging small talk, the CO pulled me off to the side and asked me about my plans after high school. When I said that I was planning on going to college he started asking me the standard questions..."Do you realize how long it takes to earn a degree? Four years? Five years? Do you know that bachelor degrees are pretty much useless, that most people have to go on to earn higher degrees in order to make the education worthwhile and that these degrees could take as much as 8 or nine years to complete? Do you really thing that this tired old system will last that long? Won't going to college really be a waste of time? Do you want to die a horrible death?" Well, he certainly did give me something to think about and I ended up dropping out after one semester (mostly because of zero support from my family). Most importantly, what that CO really did is give me a personal prophecy. He had said that Armegedon would occur before I could finish a college degree. Fast forward to 1995 and my first day in a college classroom in almost 15 years. This time I was determined to actually earn the degree and I didn't need anybodys support to do it. Six years later (giving credit, the CO was correct when he stated that a bachelors degree can take more than fours years to earn) I walked across a stage and recieved my diploma and proved the prophecy given to me by an official agent of the wbts FALSE. I did earn a degree before Armegedon occured. Earning that degree was crucial in getting over the influence of the wbts.

Good luck to all of you pursuing a higher education. It is worth every minute.

Incense_and_Peppermints

Earning that degree was crucial in getting over the influence of the wbts.

so twue

that was one of the proudest moments of my life - second only to the overwhelming joy i felt when my son was born. it's funny all i could think of right then was that scene in "how the grinch stole christmas", when they show his heart growing bigger and bigger, i felt like my heart was just blooming...it was a strange and wonderful moment.(it's funny what pops into your head)

When I said that I was planning on going to college he started asking me the standard questions..."Do you realize how long it takes to earn a degree? Four years? Five years? Do you know that bachelor degrees are pretty much useless, that most people have to go on to earn higher degrees in order to make the education worthwhile and that these degrees could take as much as 8 or nine years to complete? Do you really thing that this tired old system will last that long? Won't going to college really be a waste of time?

ugh... dream crushers...

Tigerman

Congratulations on earning your degree! I guess I'm a non-traditional student in that I never finished college, however, I never wanted to stop learning. All a person needs is desire, curiosity and to live in a country with available resources. Good luck, and may your dreams come true.

NameWithheld

Yes, in my case a 15 year break between HS and going to college. One of the best things I've ever done with my life. My mother was told she'd never grow up in "this system" - and here she now has several grandchildren. More "personal prophecy" unfulfilled!

Forscher

Yes, I and my wife both are.

My case was much like yours. When I finished high school the year of the big A, my school counsellors felt that I had such a talent in a certain area that they took the step of finding me some scholarships at the two finest schools for that tlaent in the country at the time (University of Michigan & North Carolina State U. at Chapel Hill.). The brothers insisted that no true Christian would go to college and so I turned the scholarships down.

Fifteen years later I entered college anyway and let the disapproval of my fellow Dubs slide off my back like water off a duck. I had to intterupt that education for a few years, but I recently graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree. So good work. I know how proud you feel. And good luck to those who are pursuing theirs!

Incense_and_Peppermints

so what's your degree in, frozen one? (curious)

Simon

Yes, just doing a degree now and Angharad is coming to the end of hers. Both with the Open University in the UK (www.open.ac.uk) which is hard work 'cause you have to keep yourself on track but worth it.

frozen one

My degree is in Business Administration. My major was Organizational Management. I was working full time while attending school. At the time I thought that life in general sucked - work, school, sleep, repeat. I even went to school in the summer which was brutal given that I live in northern Minnesota where the summers are sweet but short. Summer should be spent playing out doors, not sitting in a classroom studying human resources or financial theory. But, when I crossed the stage and picked up my paper from the Uni president, my only thought was "that wasn't so bad." My JW parents and sister attended the ceremony. They gave me a few presents and took me out for dinner to celebrate. It was a great day.

stillajwexelder

I am both a traditional and non-traditional student - went to college before I came in Da Troof and then again after I was baptized - our KH was fairly liberal but I did get one or two raised eyebrows at the time

Any non-traditional students here?

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