Therefore Having Gone

Therefore Having Gone

Monday, October 28, 2024

COLLEGE VISIT

A little after 9:00 this morning, I picked Sarah up from her high school and drove an hour west to Bloomington for her first college visit: Indiana University. 

Currently she is thinking of following in her big sister's footsteps, pursuing a degree in interior design. She's also very interested in keeping the door open to further experience in fine arts. (She has really enjoyed working with ceramics these past few years.) 

It took me back to a visit I made to Herron School of Art in Indianapolis with my parents a few decades ago. Herron was on my list of possible schools, but it dropped quickly from my parents' list when my dad asked the admissions office what percentage of graduates went on to find employment related to their major.

The Herron representative hemmed and hawed a bit and then gave a percentage that brought a pronounced "I thought so" look to my dad's eyes. 

As I remember it, that was the end of any consideration of Herron. 

I ended up at Wabash pursuing a teaching degree - a more pragmatic choice.

I don't want this to sound like a criticism of my parents - they meant well - but today as I sat by Sarah during a presentation of IU's art school division, I thought, "If these people told me only 20% of the graduates end up in anything close to their dream jobs, it wouldn't bother me one bit - because Sarah's the type who will rise to the top."

I don't need a whole lot of faith in any particular school when I have plenty of faith in my kids. 

(Something like 91% of IU's artistic types end up employed or accepted to graduate programs, by the way. So ... All the better.)



No comments:

Post a Comment