Make your own college decision!

   In your search for a college to attend, make your own decisions.  And the final decision needs to be 100% yours!

   If you are a student considering college right now, it is wise to get advice from various sources, including your parents and your guidance counselor.  And it is wise to ponder such advice.  And there are always financial issues to take into consideration.  Yet then make your own decision!

   You are the one who is going to study at that university.  You are the one who must live it.

   You might get pressure from parents or friends.  Please know that pressure or no pressure, the decision is yours.

   There is only one Person who fully knows what the best choice is for you: God.  Pray with all your heart for help from God the Father, the One who wants the best for you.  If the Holy Spirit dwells in your heart and you have peace in your heart about your decision, you are on the correct path.

   And no human being knows you better than you.  So make a decision with the best of your ability, and then stand by your decision.

   On the slim chance your experience at that college ends up being different than you expected, or if the university is not a fit even though you did research galore, you can always transfer after a year.

   In my opinion, it is a rough time to be a student.  University admission has become ridiculously competitive!  Also, there has been a polarization between in-class and online education.  And the cost is outrageous.

   However, there has never been a better time to research details about a university because of all of the information on the Internet.

   Give your college search a complete effort.  And in the midst of the challenging endeavor, know you are loved by the Lord God Almighty!

Hunter Irvine

Write a great college admission essay

1) PASSION

If you have a passion, express your passion in your essay.  Then your enthusiasm will naturally shine through.

If you have interests which could grow into a passion and career, express those interests.

2) PLAN

Have a single theme:

Twice I attended a Christian writer’s conference in the early 2000’s in Colorado.  My core seminar speaker stated that an author should be able to state the theme of his or her book in one sentence, or even one word.

That is wise for an essay.

Years ago, one Friday night when I was in the mood, I wrote an application essay.  My theme: “Home.”

I add my thesis was: “I am on a journey to my eternal home.”

Before you start writing, determine your theme!

Do stay within the boundaries of the question:

Shifting for a moment to a test, when answering an essay question on a test, it is a must to specifically answer the question.  So called “essay” questions on tests are usually only “long answer” questions.

Now for college admission essays, questions are often more broad in order to encourage a real essay.  This gives you the opportunity to get personal and to get creative.  However, make sure the core of your essay covers their broad question.

Start with an outline:

Writing an outline is my weakness.  When I am in the mood to write, I have a thought, and I get excited, and I like to start rolling.  Yet then I have more editing in order to give needed structure to my piece.  It is best to have at least a scant outline at the start.

And hit the following two points if they fit the essay question or questions:

- The reason studying a particular subject or subjects would foster future opportunities to carry out your passion.

- The reason that particular university has potential to be a fit for you.

3) POUR IT OUT!

Be yourself!

This is the most important point.  Write as though you were talking to your reader.  Use vocabulary you would use if you were talking to an enrollment counselor in her or his office.  The common expression is: “Use your own voice.”  In your own words, convey from your heart why you want to study a certain subject for the next four years.

Give an illustration:

If you can stay within the word count, close with a story if it clearly illustrates your point.  For example, if you want to study “Communication,” and you tell about a time you had fun making a video for a class project, this will serve as an illustration.  In most cases, you probably want to give the shortest version of the story, rather than getting into all the details.  And whatever the word limit is for the essay, do not go a single word over!

Yet in telling a story, you “show” by offering important descriptive details.

Edit big time!

The key to all good writing is to edit much.  Right here on Scripture Love Blog, I have written more than 300 pieces over the past fifteen years.  For almost all of those pieces, I did much editing, often waiting until at least the next day to do a final edit.  When you put the writing away for a period of time, you are able to freshly edit so the piece is truly polished.

Read it out loud:

One of the best classes I took at Colorado Christian University was “Research Writing.”  Dr. Windy Petrie, who now serves at a Christian university in California, is an incredible professor.  I learned some of these good writing principles from her.  And she taught me a lesson, which I had not practiced previously, which has greatly improved the quality of my editing: When editing, read it out loud!

When you hear yourself read, you recognize whether a sentence flows or does not flow.  You also catch little errors.

4) CELEBRATE

Be proud of your piece:

Your objective in writing a college admission essay is to be accepted into a specific university.  However, in the current overly competitive university application process, a wonderful essay is not a guarantee of being accepted.  The best you can do in the moment is to work hard to write a quality essay which genuinely expresses your heart.  If you have done that, celebrate your writing.  (I like to celebrate by taking a special scenic walk, which is an occasion to take a few precious minutes to relish in my accomplishment.  You might want to get a milk shake.)

Be encouraged:

The other day I was looking at the acceptance rates of some random universities, and I was astonished at how low their acceptance percentage was.  Even if you apply to such a school with a realistic expectation that the odds are against you, it still hurts to get rejected.

Yet do not let potential rejection thwart your dream!

Engage in much web page research regarding each university you apply to.  Talk with someone at the university if you have questions.  Get extra assistance from your guidance counselor.  Work hard to write a good admissions essay!  And give the entire process your full effort!  Then you will have an opportunity to be accepted into a fitting university.

When I applied to colleges back in the last century, at some point in high school I got my heart set on one specific college, because I liked the campus and I liked the history involved with the university.  I applied early admission, but I was rejected.  I was upset.

Yet I did not let that rejection thwart my goal in any manner.  I continued to work to be accepted to a great university.  And I was.  Ironically, looking back these many years later, the university which I attended turned out to be much better for me!

Celebrate indeed:

After all of your hard work, every time a university accepts you, even if that number is simply one, celebrate.  (Treat yourself!  For example, you could treat yourself and a close friend to lunch.)

Then go by God’s guidance to choose the university or college which has the best potential to be a community where you can flourish.

Hunter Irvine

Scripture Love Blog

Thrive in college - DREAM ON!

                            Choose your own dreams!

   I happen to be one of those crazy Christians who is convicted that God wants good dreams to come true for us.  For a vision of good dreams you need God’s guidance and encouragement.  And for dreams to come true, the objective is to merge your passions with your dreams.  Fulfillment will result.

   In pursuit of a college education, align your major with your passion, or at least with your intense interests.  Then ponder whether your passion and/or interests fit your dreams, or can in some manner support your dreams.

   If you have yet to find your passion or passions, keep working to discover them.  Maybe you will find them in the midst of learning new subjects or embarking on new adventures during your early time in college.  Learning is a blessing.  Thus an opportunity to keep learning is a blessing.

   My junior year of high school was crummy.  Looking back, I realize four out of my six classes were not a fit for me.  Those four classes did not fit my gifts or interests!  From the start I was on a wrong track in high school because my mom wanted me to earn the “Governor’s Seal.”  She calculated that would look good on a college application.  Her intention was good, since mom sincerely wanted me to attend a good college.  Yet long term success from high school or college work does not come from highlighted accomplishments; rather it comes from a good education.

   Considering my ill-advised high school plan, in retrospect it makes sense that I became discouraged about future dreams.  In fact, as discouragement escalated in high school, attending college merely became a career goal.  (Yet it did become a strong goal during my freshman orientation, but I will spare you that story.)  Also, I did want to please my parents who were so supportive of a college education.

   Yet in the midst of my work at Virginia Tech, flourishing there became my dream!  And my education and degree from such a great university supported some future dreams.

   On a grand note, attending and graduating from Colorado Christian University was my dream!  I made a huge sacrifice to study there in my forties.  Goodness resulted, and again, future dreams were supported.

   To ultimately succeed, there is even a deeper foundation: Love.

   Whatever your pursuit, loving people is the best you can accomplish.  Loving people is what God wants us to do.  Radical!  Reflecting here on my years at Virginia Tech and my years at CCU, I realize my greatest accomplishment in college was loving people.

   And know today that Jesus loves you!!!

   In my college years I made many mistakes, yet I also made many great decisions.  This has been emotional reflecting back.  I hope this eight point series helps you to thrive in college, for real.

                            What is a dream you have?

+  Heavenly Father, in this world full of so much trouble, I pray for help for each of us to further gain opportunities to carry out our passions and to live our dreams.  And may we rely on You to love people all along.

It is through the loving name of You Lord Jesus I pray.  Amen.

Hunter Irvine

Thrive in college – PERSEVERE

                                                    Persevere by prayer!

   Reassessments are a part of persevering.  Sometimes adjustments are needed, such as changing a major.  Adjustments are a courageous part of persevering since they put you in a position to carry on.

   Reassessments are best when you are not under pressure.  Summers might be the most conducive time when in college.  That monumental career change I told of in my last piece was not finalized until weeks into my summer.  The pressure was less, and I had time to ponder.

   Praying is critical.  Once I talked with a minister in a café in Ithaca, New York.  Turns out we both shared the same Alma mater, though he studied four years earlier than myself.  Now I was not a Christian at Virginia Tech.  He was.  His major was Computer Science there at a time in history when the computer field was starting to swell from obscurity to being a standard part of society.

   Yet at some point during the spring quarter of his sophomore year, he was considering shifting to a career in Christian ministry.  What he did was wise.  One day when he had no commitments, he took the entire day off.  He went to some quiet area away from campus.  Then he prayed and pondered.  After doing so, he made his decision.  (He decided to enter the ministry, yet he also decided to complete his Computer Science degree at Virginia Tech over the next two years.)

   At some point in college, you should consider and pray whether you are on the correct track.  If you are, keep going!

   Be willing to pray for help, and not just when there is a crisis.

   I like to socialize.  Praying is simply talking with God, which includes listening to God, first and foremost through Scripture.  Then your heart will be prepared for you to make caring decisions, and your mind will be more focused to make wise decisions.

   Praying is not simply an action for huge decisions.  In order to persevere, sometimes you need to pray simply to make it through a rough week.  Seriously, I am long out of college, but last week I had a rough week.  I needed God to help me make it.  He did.

What is a challenging goal you accomplished which required perseverance?

Hunter Irvine

Thrive in college - DISCOVER

       Amidst all the learning, discover more about your passions and gifts.

   A life changing discovery at Virginia Tech came about in the midst of a period of being overloaded.  Spring quarter my junior year I needed to take 18 hours.  In working out my schedule months ahead, I had five intense classes all picked out.  There remained one elective to choose.  Looking at the academic catalog, I noticed a “Creative Writing” class.  That sounded enjoyable.  It also sounded easier, thus I could focus on my challenging law classes which supported my career track.

   Yet choosing that one elective class soon changed the course of my career plan.  The reasons: First, the professor, Ed Falco, was an excellent creative writing teacher who fostered an opportunity for students to discover their writing ability.  Second, I learned of my gift and passion for storytelling.

   As it turned out, Creative Writing gained my greatest attention that quarter.  I truly enjoyed it.

   My final semester of my senior year, I took “Advanced Creative Writing” with the same professor.  (Again, Virginia Tech switched to the semester system that year.)  Jumping to the end of that semester, I experienced one of the vital events on my journey in this world.  Late one afternoon near the end of the week just before finals, I happen to ‘run into’ Professor Falco in a stairwell of the English building.  Our conversation was brief, yet his sincere statement to me had a huge influence on my life.  Professor Falco told me I was the best writer he had ever had in any of his classes.

   What he said to me gave me the courage to change my career course that upcoming summer, a monumental change in my life for the best.

   In this complex world, there is an opportunity to learn every day.  Yet college is a unique opportunity to discover even more about your passions and gifts.  Maybe you will even discover a new passion or gift.  The only way to do so: Commit to learning and working.

       What is a gift you have?

Hunter Irvine

Thrive in college - PLAN, WORK, and ENJOY

                Plan to make it enjoyable.

   College is hard work!  Success in college for me involved countless hours of reading and reviewing.  Yet if you are diligent on planning, you can create some enjoyment!

Take the Best Classes

   Overall, I did not like high school.  In retrospect, though there were several reasons.  One key factor was the fact I was studying subjects which did not fit my interests or gifts!

   Carefully ponder all of your course options, and choose classes you want to take.

   “General education” classes are a negative issue for many college students, as they were for me.  The fewer general education classes the better in my opinion.  Then deal with what you must do.

   For example, when I was a student at Virginia Tech, you often had general education options.  For example, being in the College of Arts and Sciences, I had a choice as to whether to take either Statistics or Computer Science for one quarter to fulfill one general education requirement.  (Virginia Tech switched to the semester system my senior year.)  Statistics was not for me!  Computer Science was not for me, however, in reading the class description, I learned that class was simply learning how to use a few software programs.  That class turned out to be a practical class which helped me immensely for future classes and even for future work.

   If you are willing to learn some new things, you can even enjoy classes which are a bit out of your realm, as long as they do not venture way off into the distance in that particular field.

Get Good Professors

   Your determination is always important, yet in an environment where professors have so much power and control, a professor can make or break a class.

   The summer before my first year at Colorado Christian University, I was working on my course schedule at a computer in the library.  I needed to take a history class as a “general education” requirement, and I found a class which fit well with my school and work schedule.  Yet there were other history professors I could take at different times.  Since it would be my first semester in college in many years, I wanted to get off to a great start.

   No joke, there was only one other person in the computer lab there in the middle of summer.  I gently interrupted her at her computer and asked, “By any chance did you ever have Dr. Dyke as a professor?”  She had.  She told me about his style, and she recommended him.

   So I enrolled in the class with confidence.  And he turned out to be a great professor.  Why?  Because he was a superb “Socratic method” professor.  Since I am an interactive learner, I learned much from him.  Plus, he was a man who cared about the students!  I was blessed to have Dr. Dyke for two classes.

   Another example: At some point in high school, I developed an idea that taking a college astronomy course would be a quintessential college experience.  Not considering that elements of astronomy, such as math and physics, did not fit my gifts, I wanted to take astronomy.  And when the opportunity came at Virginia Tech, I went for it.

   I had the great fortune of getting a professor who was a great person.  Knowing the class consisted of students of a variety of majors, the professor was fantastic at explaining challenging scientific facts and concepts in a manner that a liberal arts minded person could understand.  The man was cheery.  The man was kind.  And it was obvious the man loved teaching astronomy.

Get a Tutor

   A “general education” requirement for all students at Virginia Tech in the College of Arts and Sciences, back in the last century when I was there, was a quarter of Algebra, a quarter of Trigonometry, and a quarter of Calculus.  Crazy.  My Trigonometry teacher was a grad student.  Guess what?  She flunked out of Tech the next semester.  It is a weird story about that poor class, yet on the flip side, an inspiring story about my wonderful Calculus teacher the next quarter.  Rather than getting into those detailed stories, I simply say here that for Trigonometry, I needed a tutor!  (But I did not get one, and it was my lowest grade ever.)

   Tutors cost money.  Yet if you need one, and if you get someone good, it will likely make a difference.

Create Some Fun

   In this world, you have a number of options.  I advocate you should choose options which bring some fulfillment and enjoyment.  And yes, I think there should be some fun.  And fun often starts with you.

   At Virginia Tech, returning to the subject of that Astronomy class, that great professor made it fun!  So I keep rolling with that fun!

   Near the end of the quarter, to assist students who had a low grade, the professor offered a sole extra credit option.  That option was to visit the Virginia Tech observatory within the last few Fridays of the quarter, and look at stars and galaxies through their giant telescope.  The observatory was up on a mountain in beautiful southwest Virginia, and was operated by a graduate student on Friday nights.

   Getting a friend from the class and another mutual friend to attend one Friday night, I had a blast.  I will spare you the details and simply say looking through the telescope for me was interesting, however, the reason it was so much fun was because my two friends and I made it fun.  No alcohol.  No admission fee.  Plus extra credit.  It was one of my most memorable Friday nights of college.

Work before play!

   Closing likewise with that Astronomy class: I went one step further beyond simply enjoying his entertaining teaching.  I paid close attention to what he said.  Now I took great notes in all of my classes, yet there was a special focus by me in that class.

   I have a distinct memory of studying intently for his final exam.  The night before the exam, two friends came to my room wanting to play sponge basketball.  I said ‘no.’

   I kept studying intently for Astronomy, reviewing my textbook and notes.  I figured the exam would even involve a few physics equations, and I carefully went through the material.  The result: I got the highest grade in the class on the final exam.  (I know this because the professor told me, and he said I was the one who determined the “curve” on that challenging exam in the class of about seventy students.)

   I worked hard in that class, and enjoyment resulted.  And there was the incredible bonus for me, a “liberal arts guy,” of an “A” in a class within the Physics department at Virginia Tech.  I am proud of that to this day.

            When was an occasion when you were intent on working before play?

Hunter Irvine

Thrive in college - RECREATION and REST

   Both exercise and rest improve a mode of studying.

Regarding exercise:  When your body is getting more oxygen, your brain functions better.  Exercise fosters this.

   So what exercise should you do?

                                                Whatever you like to do!

   When I do a physical activity I like, it is not “exercising,” it is a fun activity.  For example, I will get out of bed early to play a game of golf.  Pick a physical activity you like, and then engage consistently.  And hopefully you like several physical activities.  Mix it up a bit.

   A college is a unique environment where you can find people to do one of numerous sports or recreations.

   And walking, running, swimming, lifting weights, etc., can all be done by you any time you want.

   Get creative!  At Virginia Tech, my friend and I use to throw a flying disc on the drill field in the afternoon sometimes.  That is still a fond memory.

   To keep active daily my senior year, I would walk up the stairs in my seven story dorm every day after classes and after eating.  What a great daily practice!

   And I learned Friday nights were my time to shine on the basketball court my senior year since all of the athletes were out socializing.

   Honestly, if I had Virginia Tech to do over again, I would spend less times watching sports, and much more time going on a Saturday hike in the beautiful mountains.

   Stay active!

Regarding rest:  Weekly you should take a day of rest from school work, or two half days if that is the way your schedule works out.

   You and I are human, and we humans need rest in order to refresh our souls, our minds, and our bodies.  Make this a top priority!

   Honestly, working various jobs through my life, I have always preferred the routine of the work world, because at 5:15pm or whatever time, I am off until the next day, and I have my weekends free.  Whereas in college, there is always another chapter you could be reading.  Having that load looming can cause stress.  And having a sporadic schedule can add stress.

   Develop your own schedule!  Build your own routine!

   There will be plenty of occasions when it will be best or necessary to call an audible, yet a consistent routine leads to success in college.

   And if you worship in a church, there will be a number of periods when it is “crunch time.”  At such a time, it may be best to take a morning off from “church,” and spend that time in intimate worship of God in your room.  Corporate worship can be spiritually enriching, yet sometimes you need minimal distractions in order to relish and rest in the true love of our loving God.

                    What is your favorite recreation activity?

Hunter Irvine