Great Expectations

After a severe amount of procrastination, we finally set up Ellie's 529 college savings fund. This has been a plan for several months - who knows why it took us so long. As we have been considering it, though it has given me some time to ponder our expectations for Ellie and the rest of her siblings when it comes to education.

I guess the more I think about it the more I realize that we fully expect that Ellie, et. al (all of our kids) will not only earn their bachelor degrees, but a graduate degree as well. Perhaps this is extreme but if you look at their heritage, it's pretty much a given. Both Matt and I have graduate degrees (a JD for Matt, an MA for me). Each of our parents have graduate degrees (a PhD, two MAs and an MBA) Between us, Matt and I have 8 siblings - all of whom have graduate degrees except two - one (my sis) is a year shy of earning her MA and my baby brother is still working on his BA, so he still has time. (So that's 2 JDs, 1 MD, 1MAC, and 1 MA for the other six siblings).

Hence, there is just no reason in the world why Ellie et.al would ever consider not going to college in general or not getting a graduate degree as well. Am I being unreasonable? I don't think I am. But maybe I am setting too high a bar. I just feel that it's unrealistic in today's world to not have a graduate degree. Here comes my education snobbery rearing its ugly head, which I know exists, but I can't help it. At least I'm not as bad as Matt, he actually expects that Ellie et. al will earn full ride scholarships to college as well. Hopefully, we can keep these expectations in check so we don't have kids who feel they need to cheat to succeed. There's got to be a balance.

Oh well, just for the record Ellie - you're going to college and graduate school and if you're lucky we won't even force you to go to BYU. But really, why wouldn't you want to go to BYU? That's also in your heritage as everyone I've mentioned so far graduated from BYU with at least their undergrad with only a few exceptions.... Go Cougars!