Education vs Intelligence

With my first child Alexa getting ready to start the college application process, higher education has been on my mind. Clearly, Steve and I are big proponents of education. Ironically, Steve never actually graduated traditionally from college because he went to medical school as a Junior, then found out years later he was valedictorian of his college class; his education culminated with a fellowship at the Mayo Clinic. Concurrently, I earned a Masters in Education, specializing in Higher Education Counseling & Human Development. Although I did not stay in the Education field, I have used my psychology studies every day of my life.

So, yes, I’m all about education...but I’m not about “indoctrination.” I have never subscribed to the notion that I have to adopt another’s ideology to get along in a classroom, relationship, or life. I have my own philosophical underpinnings that make me who I am and are based on my own unique circumstances and experiences, just as we all do. People ask me if I worry that my kids will go off to college and become “brainwashed.” I say, absolutely not, because I have taught them to be the architect of their own thoughts, ideas and opinions. However, I do hope that they learn to argue for the opposite side of their beliefs, however they develop, as well as they argue for their own. It’s only then that they will really know if what they believe are truly their own ORIGINAL and true convictions. I’ve never taught my children by shielding them from the whole reality of life. I teach them that, yes, education is important, but intelligence is what matters. Education is what you have learned, but Intelligence is how you are able to apply what you have learned.

You can be educated and not intelligent; you can be intelligent and not educated.

Or you can be both educated and intelligent. #YouDecide