Because I have made a career out of being a college professor and administrator, I find myself feeling somewhat responsible for the mess many parents get in with their children when they send them off to college. Not that I'm at fault for their choices, but because I don't think those of us who know what's going on sound the alarm loud enough or often enough to parents who don't know what's going on.
What's going on, you ask? (There's no shame in not knowing...most of it has happened as quietly as possible...can't afford to offend donors and parents of future students.)
How about the complete secularization of many formerly Christian colleges, without any changes in the name, mission statement, or even the statements of belief (for those schools that still have them) to reflect the secular nature of the schools.
R. C. Sproul offers this short essay from Tabletalk Magazine about this very issue. If you are about to send your kids off to college, and want them to have an experience that is at the least friendly to the Christian worldview and orthodox Christianity, you need to read this article. (Also, at the Tabletalk link, you'll find a whole series of articles on Christian colleges and Christian education. I highly encourage you to subscribe to Tabletalk magazine...it is the real deal for serious believers.)
But more importantly, as you'll see in the article, you need to ask some direct questions of some faculty and administrators at those colleges you are considering. Don't assume that because you had a good spiritual experience there a generation ago, that your child will have the same opportunity. Things change, and usually not for the good. (That's an unfortunate consequence of the reality of the doctrine of total depravity.)
(I've mentioned a few scary and eye-opening articles in the past...this one on college professors in particular relates to the topic at hand.)
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