What others are saying about the College Transition Initiative, a resource of the Center for Parent/Youth Understanding and the Coalition for Christian Outreach.

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College classes weren’t quite what I thought they would be like. I’m not sure what fueled my imagination, but for some reason I pictured deep discussions, reading important books, drinking coffee with professors, and debating with classmates. Now, this could be found on my campus, to be sure, but it wasn’t the norm.

I can remember the first time I had to choose classes. I considered consulting my advisor, but he was hard of hearing and English was his second language. So, a group of friends met in the computer lab (laptops weren’t the norm yet either!) and we looked through the course selections. Here was the criterion: nothing before 10:00, nothing after 4:00, no major research papers, the more standardized tests the better, especially if they’d been “standardized” for over 10 years! One friend told me: “If you have Dr. so-and-so write ‘go Cubs!’ at the end of every test. He will give you an extra letter grade.” I tried it and I think it worked. Seriously.

But then something happened. A local youth pastor gave me a recorded lecture by Ravi Zacharias, speaking at Harvard. I sat in my car to listen to it and skipped class to finish it. I was fascinated not just by his main point, that the truth claims of Christ had a place in the academy, but by his underlying message: ideas matter. Ravi was serious about learning and his passion was contagious.

I still consider that day sitting in the car listening to Ravi as a milestone in my life of faith. For the first time I realized that being faithful to Christ included caring about learning. It would eventually take more than a taped lecture to push me to greater faithfulness, but it was a start. Ironically, I learned it while skipping class.

Go Cubs!

Learn more about Ravi Zacharias International Ministries

Sociologist Donna Freitas, in the conclusion of her groundbreaking book, Sex & the Soul: Juggling Sexuality, Spirituality, Romance, and Religion on America’s College Campuses, makes an important point about the contemporary landscape of higher education. She writes, “So parents are in a frenzy over trying to get their kids admitted, and college administrators are in a frenzy over admitting the kids they want to enroll. In this process, is anyone asking the right questions about the college experience itself? Is anyone helping teens to think about what really matters and what they really want once they arrive at campus? What happens when these young women and men actually go to college?”

Freitas’ comments have been an inspiration to me and my work as the director of the College Transition Initiative (CTI). “Asking the right questions about college” has been the mission of CTI since it began in 2005. The main component of CTI is a seminar that I have had the privilege of presenting across the country for college bound high school students and their parents. The vision has always been to be a catalyst for conversation, bringing families together to discuss the deeper questions behind life and learning. A Make College Count seminar is a success when a parent tells me that my presentation opened a door for a mom or dad to have a much needed conversation with a son and daughter, before one of the biggest transitions in life. Someone suggested to me that this “seminar raises the bar on the college preparation process,” and that participants “hear some things that they won’t hear anywhere else.” My favorite comment has been from a youth pastor in Kansas, “Derek’s presentation is like a Pixar movie. It’s intended for youth (high school students) and they are really into it, but the parents also see the importance of his message and love the sessions as well.”

This is all very flattering and I’m deeply grateful for the positive feedback the seminar has received. But the remarks by Freitas continue to push us. How do we talk about education in general and higher education in particular? Do students heading off to college have a clear vision of what higher education is for? Are we casting a bigger vision of how to make the most of the college years, beyond earning a degree in order to get a job? The college years are formative. The work of CTI is to help students (and parents) make college count. Please, take some time to explore the resources on the website, read an overview of the seminar, check to see if there are any upcoming events in your area, and contact me if you have any comments and questions. Thanks for stopping by!     

Also available as a .pdf handout.

I remember calling my future roommate the summer before my freshman year of college. As you can imagine, I was excited, but nervous. It’s hard to meet anyone over the phone, let alone the person you’ll be living with for the next year. We covered the basics: our names, high schools, majors, interests, yada, yada, and then we got down to business: Who has the bigger TV? Who has the most recent video game system? Who has the better stereo? Who has nicer furniture? The average dorm room size is 12’x19’ so this was an important conversation to have. Of course, there were many other important questions to ask (Do you tend to stay up late? Do you have early morning classes?), but they could wait until we met on campus.

Talking to your future roommate before heading off to college is an essential step to transitioning smoothly to college life. And, I’m sure you can come up with better questions to ask! Reminiscing about this phone call with my first college roommate (and now one of my closest friends) got me thinking about other important conversations that students should have before entering their freshman year of college. Here are 10 other topics students should consider:

Talk to your parents. I’m sure you have already had all kinds of conversations with your parents about your future, but it’s not a bad idea to have at least one more. Ask your parents about their own hopes and fears concerning your college years. Most importantly, be sure to discuss their expectations for when you come home on breaks. Transitioning back to “family life” after being away can be difficult and sometimes stressful. You will be going through many changes, meeting new friends and learning new ideas. Be open and honest about your own expectations and concerns when you are home on break: What will your family responsibilities be? Will you have a curfew? Is it okay to sleep in until the early afternoon? You will be on your own and developing new habits and ways of living. Make sure they don’t conflict too much with your home environment.

Try to have a conversation with yourself. This may seem a bit strange, but it’s a good idea to take an honest look in the mirror. You could actually stand in front of a mirror and talk to yourself, or you may find it easier to write some things down in a journal. However you do it, pay close attention to the kind of person you’re becoming. The years between 18-25 have been called the “critical years” because during this time you will be making decisions that will be formative for the rest of your life. College professor and author of How to Stay Christian in College, J. Budziszewski explains what’s at stake during this transition:

“You really are grown-up in one sense (you have full adult responsibilities) even though you really aren’t grown-up in another (you haven’t finished developing). What kind of person are you going to become? I’m not talking about the courses you want to take or the kind of job you want to get someday; I’m talking about the qualities you want to have. Do you desire to be wise, fair and honest—or foolish, unfair and crooked? Kind, loyal and reliable—or mean, backstabbing and unreliable? Brave, faithful and pure—or cowardly, weak and stained? Maybe you’ve thought about the kind of person you want to become but not about how to become that person. Every act, every decision, every thought will move you either a little closer to being that kind of person—or push you a little further away.”

Pursue counsel from a pastor or spiritual mentor. Hopefully you have someone in your life who has brought you along in the faith, someone you can talk to about issues of life and faith. This would be a good person to talk to about transitioning to college. What are your biggest concerns? How do you think your faith will be challenged in college? Ask them what they have observed in your life. What are their concerns for you? What do they think are your strengths and weaknesses? And, most importantly, set up a time to get together during one of your breaks to follow up this conversation.

Seek advice from someone 20 years removed from college. It would be best if this person isn’t one of your parents. Ask him or her a few questions: What did you value most and least about your college experience? What would you have done differently? What were the most important things you learned while in college? What were the biggest challenges you faced? Hearing from someone who has “gone before” will help you to make the most of your own college experience.

Take some time to listen to Solomon. This “conversation” will take some imagination. Solomon has been dead for quite some time. But he still speaks through two indispensable Old Testament texts that are very appropriate for this stage in your life: Proverbs and Ecclesiastes. Proverbs is about a young person leaving home in search of wisdom. Sound familiar? And Ecclesiastes, while admittedly difficult to follow at first (it takes time … read it again and again), will keep you honest as you learn “new” ideas. Solomon is a valuable conversation partner you don’t want to miss. He will do most of the “talking,” you just need to listen and take his advice to heart.

Have a discussion with a current college student. You may think you know everything there is to know about college, but you may be surprised. It’s always good to talk to someone who has recently gone through the transition so you know what’s ahead. Ask him or her about what to expect during your first semester. What surprises did he or she find? What mistakes were made? Talking to a current student should provide a clearer picture of what’s ahead.

Converse with a college professor. You could do this through e-mail, but it would be more effective if you were able to talk to a professor in person. Some students aren’t prepared for the differences between high school and college academics. Knowing what professors expect from students will be extremely helpful. Ask professors probing questions like: How can I prepare for the academic landscape of the college curriculum (to impress them, try to use big words like I did!)? What kind of study habits should I develop? What is the workload like? What do you hope to accomplish through your classes? Not only will this conversation prepare you for the academic pressures ahead, it will remind you to keep academics at the center of your college experience.

Call or e-mail a campus minister. Being connected to a Christian community is essential. You can begin to make some of the needed college connections now, before you go to college. Check the college Web site to find contact information for campus ministers on your campus. Talk to him or her about how to get connected to the group when you arrive on campus.

Pray. Having a continual conversation with God through prayer is an important spiritual discipline to develop. So, God would be another crucial conversation partner before heading to college. The following prayer is from The Book of Common Prayer and gives you a good place to start:

“God our Father, you see your children growing up in an unsteady and confusing world: Show them that your ways give more life than the ways of the world, and that following you is better than chasing after selfish goals. Help them to take failure, not as a measure of their worth, but as a chance for a new start. Give them strength to hold their faith in you, and to keep alive their joy in your creation; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.”

Part of the difficulty in transitioning from high school to college is uncertainty. Students need a clear sense of what to expect in college before they get there. Conversations like these can begin to paint a clearer picture of what’s ahead and help to alleviate anxiety caused by this transition.

Download as a .pdf handout

Also available as a .pdf handout.

Over the past few months, I have had two big questions on my mind: What are the key issues facing students as they transition from high school to college? And, what is the relevancy of C.S. Lewis for college students and for college transition?

Okay, the first question is perhaps obvious. In September, 2005 I became the director of College Transition Initiative (CTI). My first order of business was researching transitional issues and getting a handle on the many challenges students face.

Admittedly, the second question wasn’t as pressing as the first. But C.S. Lewis has been on a lot of people’s minds lately, including mine. The release of Walt Disney’s The Chronicles of Narnia movies reminded us of Lewis’ legacy. And, because of the movies, many people were learning about Lewis’ work for the first time. I was significantly influenced by Lewis as a college student while coming to terms with one of the most important questions students need to ask when transitioning from high school to college: What do I believe?

I discovered the writings of the late Oxford professor and Christian apologist (Lewis died in 1963) at an important time in my college career. My dilemma? I wasn’t sure the Christian faith could survive the scrutiny of the “new knowledge” and ideas that bombard students on college campuses. In fact, I had a philosophy professor who asked to see the hands of all the professing Christians in the class. All semester he tried to make us look like fools. I needed some encouragement and someone suggested I read Lewis.

The first Lewis book I read was his autobiography Surprised by Joy. I was hooked. Here was a man who went through the academic “fire” of the “secular” university and came out the other side not only with his faith intact, but with a much stronger faith for going through it.

About two miles from my office sits a small, private liberal arts institution. A few years ago I was pleasantly surprised to discover that a renowned Lewis scholar was a professor in the English department. David C. Downing has written many notable books on the life of Lewis including, Into the Region of Awe: Mysticism in C.S. Lewis, and Into the Wardrobe: C.S. Lewis and the Narnia Chronicles. I was most interested in Dr. Downing’s book that deals with Lewis’ conversion, The Most Reluctant Convert: C.S. Lewis’ Journey to Faith. This book reveals how Lewis navigated and eventually answered many of the same questions I was being forced to ask in my philosophy course as an undergraduate.

I asked Dr. Downing if he would talk with me a bit about the book and about issues facing college students, especially as they make the transition from high school to college. He agreed and what follows are some highlights from our conversation.

Melleby: What do you think are some key issues facing Christians on secular campuses? And, as a professor, what do you see as the role of youth ministry in combating some of these issues?

Downing: A lot of students are used to going with the flow. Even in high school, their parents are Christian, their friends are Christian, they go to church, Christianity seems self-evident. It’s not until they go to college that they realize Christianity is a worldview choice a lot of people don’t share, which a lot of people directly attack.

At college, students realize their faith has been from the outside in, their external environment has encouraged their faith, nurtured their faith. Suddenly they get to college and all of the external supports are removed. They don’t have to go to church if they don’t want to, they certainly don’t have to go to fellowship groups.

Some students just lose their faith. If they have only been going with the flow, they get into a different environment and suddenly, Christianity is not important to the people around them; it’s not cool. They just decide to drop out. Many people have to learn how to be Christians from the inside out, rather than from the outside in. They have to say, “How much of this do I believe? How much of this can I argue for intellectually? How comfortable am I with it emotionally?” So I would think a lot of youth ministry would be coming alongside of students who are having to learn what it means to be a Christian from the inside out rather than just going with the flow and being a Christian from the outside in.

Many students haven’t confronted intellectual issues until the professors bring them up. Like the problem of evil, church history, whether or not Christians have made that good of a showing with the Crusades, slave-owning Christians, and that sort of thing. And students honestly have not thought about those questions. Their faith needs to be more clearly articulated in intellectual terms. They need to have something to say about particular intellectual topics that they probably never thought of until they go to college. So I think part of youth ministry would be to give students the intellectual tools to be confident in their faith academically, cognitively, as well as emotionally. But beyond that, I’m not an expert on youth ministry!

Melleby: You mention Christianity as a worldview. This is very important for students to grasp. Christianity is not just about “going to heaven when you die” or the “religious part” of our life but it should be integrated into all areas of our lives. I think that was what was so good about Lewis’ story, as related in your book. He wasn’t looking for any kind of quick fix, or something to take care of one small aspect of his life. He was looking for a way he could coherently view the world.

Downing: And his journey was very intellectual. He wasn’t driven by emotional needs like, “I need a father figure,” or “I need some reassurance about when I die.” He was quite cognitive in his approach to developing a worldview. Of course, he approached everything intellectually.

But I think part of what’s interesting about his journey is that he would really sit down and look at idealism, and he would look at “New Age” philosophy or vitalism and think about the strengths and weaknesses. A lot of people, I think, end up with a worldview that just feels emotionally comfortable. Especially when I talk to people who are New Age. They just kind of generally like spirituality, they like the idea that there is some kind of benevolent force out there, but if you press them, “Well, how do you know that there is a benevolent force? If you don’t follow the authority of scripture, where do you get your information?” They might respond, “Well, I’m not that analytic, I don’t like to think about it.” Spirituality for them is sort of this emotional bubble bath. It’s not something that they can really talk about as a consistent worldview.

So yes, I do think Lewis was a model in that regard, searching and coming up with a worldview that was intellectually coherent as well as emotionally satisfying.

Melleby: Why do you think that Lewis is so well read and received today?

Downing: I think he was a pilgrim, but he was also a prophet. The worldviews he looked at most assiduously are ones still with us. A lot of what he was getting at with vitalism is very similar to new-age philosophy, like “may the force be with you” and so on. And he asked a really good question: “If there is this ‘life-force’ out there, does it have a mind, is it conscious, does it have intentions and a will? In which case you are coming very close to a personal God, and you need to interact and ask, does this god’s will impose itself on my will, or does it not have a mind; is it more like gravity or electro-magnetic radiation? In which case it’s not really something that you can worship or pray to or take comfort in.”

Lewis tended to ask those really perceptive questions about other worldviews. I think it does have a lot to do with his relevance. He spent so much time critiquing Christianity from the outside that, by the time he looked at the alternative worldviews of Christianity, he had a much deeper understanding of what the key issues were.

Melleby: What advice can you give college students who are on similar journeys?

Downing: I think some students feel more defensive than they need to be about a Christian worldview. I think that, by reading C.S. Lewis, they can realize that a lot of what sounds to them like new criticisms of Christianity are actually the same issues people have been arguing about for 2,000 years: the authority of scripture, the problem of evil, the nature of the incarnation, the atonement. All of those issues have been around, but sometimes students are confronted with them for the first time in college.

I think it’s also important to have the support of one other person to see things differently from the majority. You can sort of hold out and say, “I don’t know what’s wrong with the rest of these people, but you and I understand.” There is something about having even one other person who sees things the way you do that gives you confidence to stand with your convictions and not just go with the crowd. I think part of the role of campus ministry would be creating a body of peers who can share their problems and worldview, and feel that, even though a lot of people around here are attacking our worldview or are indifferent to our worldview, as long as there are a few of us who are willing to raise our hands together, we can have more confidence to go against the majority.

Do you run into students who feel attacked by professors in class?

Melleby: Certainly, and it was true in my experience as a student. I had a philosophy professor who made it clear you were not going to leave his class believing in God or thinking there was any validity to the Christian faith. And that’s why I was attracted to C.S. Lewis and his story. Especially in your book when you talk about a person “having to lose faith in order to find it.” That was true in my life.

Downing: I’ve gotten a lot of e-mails about this book from parents who said it was very encouraging, because they have adolescents who are kind of “out there” right now, struggling with issues and saying, “I don’t want to go to church,” or “I’m not a Christian.” They said it was encouraging to them to realize that their sons or daughters can be on a journey that eventually can bring them back to faith. And also, their very questioning and critical attitude toward their childhood faith could actually be deepening their adult faith. This doesn’t have to be considered a bad process.

I’ve been surprised that I have gotten six or eight e-mails telling me they have given a copy of the book to their 17-year-old or 19-year-old. They want their kids to know it is okay to ask a lot of these questions and it’s okay to feel like you are not a Christian for a while, because you are on a journey. They were also encouraged to find that Lewis didn’t come back to faith until in his early 30s.

Melleby: Why do you think college students should be reading C.S. Lewis?

Downing: In his spiritual and intellectual quest, Lewis was a pilgrim but also a pathfinder. He seriously considered atheism, the occult, various forms of pantheism and New Age philosophy. I think it is very relevant for contemporary Christians to see how he weighed each of these worldviews and found them wanting. Even though he called himself a “most reluctant convert,” Lewis looked long and hard at the alternative philosophies the world has to offer, but returned to re-embrace his childhood faith with all his heart and mind and soul.

Downing offers three valuable insights for parents, pastors and youth workers thinking about college transition.

First, we need to create space for students to wrestle with some of the intellectual challenges to the Christian faith before going to college. Students need to know how Christian beliefs will be challenged not only in the classroom, but by living in close proximity with other people who do not share the Christian worldview. Kara Powell, the director of the Fuller Youth Institute at Fuller Theological Seminary recently e-mailed me some very interesting discoveries from their research on college transition. Dr. Powell wrote, “The more students have the chance to express their doubts in high school, the higher their faith maturity and spiritual maturity. Thus the key is not to get kids to say the right things before they graduate to the ‘big bad world,’ but to help them think through the tough questions and verbalize some of their faith and personal struggles before they hit the ups and downs of the college transition.” (Learn more about this research here.) Creating space for students to articulate what they believe and why will help them to be Christians from the “inside out, rather from the outside in.”

Second, it is essential to find Christian community on campus. Parents and youth workers can begin to make some of the needed college connections now, before their kids go to college. Check the college’s Web site to find out what Christian clubs and organizations are available on campus. Many campus ministry organizations have a campus locator site. Call local churches. Start with your own denomination. Call or e-mail campus ministers. You are NOT bothering them. College ministers appreciate these e-mails and phone calls and are always looking for ways to meet new students.

Third, be patient with students who are struggling with their faith. Let them know it is okay to ask questions and to have doubts. But also help students understand that there is a difference between good, honest doubting, and not-so-good, dishonest doubting. The latter is usually an excuse for immoral behavior. You will probably know when students are really searching or when they are simply “going with the flow.”

If you are struggling with a child who appears to have walked away from the faith, learn to ask good, open-ended questions about his or her journey. And be genuinely curious. What have you been learning? How are you trying to “live out” the new things you believe? Most importantly, students need to know that they are loved and cared for, even when they are finding it difficult to embrace their childhood faith.

And, of course, pray. Pray that students who feel they aren’t Christians for a while, will, like C.S. Lewis, return to a deeper, strengthened, adult faith.

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Visit David C. Downing’s website