Issue No. 422A of Your Weekly Staff Meeting features a book for your Christmas gift giving on choosing a college (And see Issue No. 422B for a second book for parents and grandparents on choosing a life—with 52 fun and serious fill-in-the-blank topics.) And this reminder: check out this website for recent book reviews.
Decision Matrix: Dreams, Desires, Details
According to the “Special Report: Strategies for Your Kids’ Cash,” Barron’s magazine, Dec. 2, 2019, college costs from high to low are:
• $50,000 per year (the average price for tuition, fees, room and board at a four-year private school; many prestigious schools exceed $70,000 per year)
• $3,730 per year (the average price for a community college)
One expert noted, “You shouldn’t rule out any school as being too expensive, based on the sticker price.” So what should students, parents, and grandparents do? Start by reading Dr. John Jackson’s highly readable (and short) book, The Right Choice: Choosing a College and Why It Matters.
I had the privilege of endorsing Jackson’s book and here’s what I said: "Honest. Practical. Immediately useful. The Right Choice is my choice for inspiring my college-bound triplet teenage grandchildren to think deeper and wider about their college options. The ‘Decision Matrix’ (Dreams, Desires, Details) is brilliant!”
But don’t take my word for it. I asked my granddaughter, Zuzu, a high school junior. As part of her homeschool coursework, Zuzu has already been taking college courses online and on-campus for two years. She and her siblings, Anders and Emelia (also juniors) just completed Dave Ramsey’s “Foundations in Personal Finance” course—so she was ready for my first question!
GRANDPA JOHN: Zuzu—college could be expensive. Do you have a plan?
ZUZU: No loans. If needed, I’ll take a break to earn more money, but I don’t plan to go into debt.
GRANDPA JOHN: Wow! Impressive. So what did you think of this book, The Right Choice?
ZUZU: I think you should judge a book by its cover—and this cover was perfect. It’s the summary of the book with three basic college options: faith-based, public, and private. I appreciated the double-spaced format—and it was easy and informative reading.
G. JOHN: Did Dr. Jackson’s book help you think through college questions and decisions?
ZUZU: Yes. I’ve thought a lot about college, and using his three filters (Dreams, Desires, and Details)—with a short chapter on each—was very helpful.
G. JOHN: Since you and your siblings just returned from being small group leaders at your church’s youth retreat (90 kids—wow!), I thought Jackson’s three points would make a great youth talk:
• “Dreams are what stir the heart.” He adds, “When you choose a college, having clarity about your dreams is a key asset…Your dreams and your college’s strengths should line up.”
• “Desires are what I long for.” I thought this was excellent: “Desires are close enough that you can ‘taste’ them, whereas dreams are typically far enough away so that you can only ‘feel’ them.”
• “Details matter.” This chapter, in my opinion, was very, very practical and necessary. He apologizes, “These details can seem mind-numbing,” but skillfully connects the dots back to your dreams and desires. He also urges students to not make these important decisions alone, citing Proverbs 15:22, “Plans fail for lack of counsel, but with many advisers they succeed.”
ZUZU: Using the “desires” filter, I’m would love to study in Asia or maybe Europe—maybe at a castle in Europe! I can taste that!
G. JOHN: I’m not surprised. You’ve been studying Mandarin since you were seven, so sooner or later—I’m guessing—you’ll be crossing an ocean! Any final thoughts about the book? Anything missing?
ZUZU: I think it would be helpful for high school sophomores to read this ASAP—so they start thinking about college sooner. (And it’s only 83 pages.) And...maybe add a parent’s guide. (Although, as you know, my Mom enjoys doing research. She could write the guide!) I also appreciated Dr. Jackson’s balance—giving credible arguments for why some students should pick a public college, why others should pick a private college, and why others might thrive more at a faith-based college.
G. JOHN: Thanks, Zuzu! And—impressive—you told me this is the 124th book you’ve read this year. Way to go!
ZUZU: Thanks! And, by the way, would you and Grammy Joanne consider a monthly recurring gift to the Zuzu College Fund?
To order from Amazon, click on the title for The Right Choice: Choosing a College and Why It Matters, by John J. Jackson, Ph.D.
Note: To read more 2019 reviews by the Zuzana Pearson and Grandpa John duo, click on the titles for two more Christmas gifts ideas for family, friends, and colleagues:
• The Four Gifts of the King: A Novel, by R. Scott Rodin
• StrategyMan vs. the Anti-Strategy Squad: Using Strategic Thinking to Defeat Bad Strategy and Save Your Plan, by Rich Horwath
YOUR WEEKLY STAFF MEETING QUESTIONS:
1) Dr. John Jackson’s Venn diagram of Dreams, Desires, and Details works both for making college decisions and also many other important life decisions. Share an example where all three Ds have combined to highlight a sweet spot in your life.
2) Count noses here in our organization. How many high school students are represented by parents, grandparents, and friends in our circle? Could this quick-reading book help us lean in and bless these influencers—as they challenge these students to make God-honoring decisions about college?
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JASON PEARSON: UNEXPECTED CREATIVE. Are you leveraging the extraordinary power of visual media to inspire your members, clients, or customers? Check out the innovative work from Jason Pearson at Pearpod Media (branding, digital, print, and video). And read John’s review (Issue No. 422B) of the new book by Doug Fields and Jason Pearson, This. Customizable Journal: 52 Ways to Share Your World With Those You Love.
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