For those of you who have yet to decide what you want to do with your life, be patient, careful and deliberate. As with nearly every decision you will have to make in life, it is important to clearly identify, understand, and accept the environment around you. To this end, it is important that you understand a few key points before we continue discussing your education.
- You do not have a High School Diploma…sorry.
- All colleges and university are not the same, and do not offer equal educational opportunities.
- If not going to a Christian College, you need to get your GED.
- You do not need to know what you want to do with your life.
- You are not prepared for collegiate studies.
- Finances are the last thing that should keep you away from a quality education.
Let me explain these points a little further in order to establish the academic environment you’re about to encounter.
Your Diploma
Odd as it may sound, I hold a Bachelors Degree, but I never graduated High School! How can this be? I was accepted initially by Atlanta Christian College in 2000 after submitting my ACT scores and my Diploma and transcripts from Pinehaven Christian School. Truth is, I was lucky – naïve, but lucky. I had applied to a total of 7 colleges (4 private Christian, 3 public universities), and was only accepted by four. I assume you can reasonably deduct which institutions accepted and rejected my credentials. Many other alumni have had this identical issue, and this silent deception has ruined promising academic careers while keeping bright, motivated students out of public universities for some time.
You might ask why. Why would Pinehaven School avoid accreditation? Simply put, the Larsson families operate under the misguided and false impression that accreditation requires secular education methods. Additionally, the increased standards required by accreditation regulations would greatly diminish their graduation rate (i.e. their greatest annual selling point). Pinehaven Christian School is the only school in the entire nation that can boast a 100% graduation rate. Finally, the goal of Pinehaven Christian School was not to educate you, but direct you – direct you in doctrine, understanding, and towards a preferred Christian College. The Larssons do not want you to attend a “secular” university, and have therefore made it nearly impossible for you to do so while under their control.
Educational Equality?
While attending a Christian College will provide a satisfactory education, it is by no means of the same caliber that you can attain at an acclaimed liberal arts university. Simply put, the diminished availability of subjects reduces the academic capabilities of these institutions by default. Am I saying that Christian or faith-based universities are not good options? By no means. If you wish to go into the ministry, then they are your greatest resource and your finest option. However, if you are looking to earn a well-rounded education that can direct your life towards your greatest professional and academic capabilities, then you need to devote yourself to applying and selling yourself to an esteemed academic institution. But which school should you apply to, and how do you get in without a recognized, accredited High School Diploma?
Getting a GED
The quickest way for you to wipe away the involuntary stain of academic inadequacy you’ve inherited from Pinehaven Christian School is to take some initiative and study for the GED. You may be well suited to pass this test, but the manner in which it is delivered is far removed from the LifePac curriculum you have become accustomed to over the years. For this reason, enroll in a GED preparation program so that you will reduce your investment of time and money securing GED certification. This training will serve you well in transitioning from Pinehaven School’s self-guided system of learning to that which you will more than likely be using throughout the rest of your academic career.
Once you have passed the GED, you will be well-suited to overcome your involuntary deficiencies, leaving no excuse but to succeed. This process will do much more for you than get you into a good school, but will also bring you a great sense of satisfaction and accomplishment as you break the mold of institutionalization. You will have taken a small step towards becoming your own person, which will lead to bigger steps. Keep on this pattern of personal development, and you will soon be well suited for academic, professional and personal success.
What do you want to do with your life?
The answer is simple. It doesn’t matter. Due to your isolation at Pinehaven Christian Children’s Ranch, you have not had the benefit of actual exposure to your potential, talents and capabilities outside of a strict, self-defining environment. For this reason, you will be well suited to enroll with general academic courses, expanding your comfort levels to the limit until you discover what really excites you and captivates your mind. Join organizations, travel, and experience every morally acceptable avenue of life that you can - doing so will keep you busy, interested, and help you stay out of trouble.
Are you ready for college?
Sadly…no. I hate to admit it to you, but due to the structure of your high school academics, you are going to be greatly challenged in a collegiate atmosphere. At Pinehaven School, you had a set amount of subjects, a set amount of quantitative work that must be completed, a completely standardized format of testing throughout each subject, and most importantly, the ability to test and advance in small, digestible, reviewable increments.
In order to adapt to this new environment, you will need to go against your own natural tendencies. You will need to lessen your burden. Don’t be influenced by other students who begin taking full schedules (16-20 semester hours), as these students are familiar with this style of learning, but instead take only the minimum full time class load (most likely 12 semester hours) and build up each semester an hour or two until you are on par with the rest of your class. This system will allow you to ease into your new academic environments without the stress, panic, and probable failure that many of your previous alumni have experienced.
It is important that you understand the following statement – Many Pinehaven Alumni have gone on to college, but very few have graduated.
You’ve most likely heard about the great successes of Pinehaven Christian Children’s Ranch, particularly about all the kids in the past few years that have gone on to college. What you didn’t hear was how many of them left after one year, one semester, or less. Sadly, this is the case for the majority. I urge you to break that pattern. Learn slow, learn smart, work hard, and calculate every move for your own benefit. You are not going to college for Pinehaven, your parents, your friends, or even for your classmates. You do not need their approval, or even their support. You are there for you, so make the decisions that most greatly benefit your success, and you will do just fine.
The Cost of Education
So, you’re motivated to move onto college, put some posters on the wall of a smelly dorm room and hit the books, but wait, who’s paying for all this? Your parents don’t have the money, you didn’t have access to scholarships at Pinehaven School, and your part-time job isn’t even going to cover your books!
If after Federal Student Aid, small scholarships, summer full-time work, and any applicable gifts or scholarships, you have a school expense of $8,000 a year ($24,000 for four years), you will be looking at a monthly payment of approximately $220. This payment starts six months after your graduation date and will be paid for with a salary that (on average) is 43% higher than the wages you can expect to receive without a degree. Be careful, however, there are many private lenders that will try to snatch your business, charge you insane interest, and leave you in financial peril. The best way to avoid this is to work out your student loans with your college’s financial aid office.
In simple terms – don’t be afraid to invest yourself, but never let yourself down.
All of us in the Pinehaven Alumni Support Network wish you the greatest success and are available to assist you in any way we can as you take on the challenges of higher education. Going on to college after Pinehaven is tough, but you can do it. We can help.
