In the Spring of 1993, I made the decision to go to Lipscomb University. The other university I considered was Freed-Hardeman. It was my sister’s alma mater. Throughout this whole weekend I was confronted by asking myself whether or not I made the right decision.
Freed’s Good Points:

• Strong spirituality nearer toward my point of view. And nearer toward my church’s point of view. Whereas Lipscomb’s more liberal stance on issues worried me at times.
• High caliber of students. That’s not to say that Lipscomb had a lower quality of students. Its just that when I was there this weekend, the people I met seemed sincere about trying to be friendly. And everyone seemed to know each other. Its a 1400 student school. Lipscomb was friendly. But somehow I got the feeling that some were just doing it for lipservice at times.

The short list above is not meant to be a slam on Freed. I just don’t know the school that well.
Lipscomb’s Strong Points:

• Nearby. It was only 30 minutes from my home. This was familiar to me. Home was just a short drive away. Then again, that might have been a liability. Distance could have meant eventual independence. Freed’s remoteness might have been its downfall.
• I knew people who went there. There were about half a dozen people from my high school going there. Making friends wouldn’t be as difficult when you already knew them. Sadly the friends who I started out with at Lipscomb are distant, both geographically and socially to me right now.
• Good quality academic programs in my desired major. I entered Lipscomb desiring to major in Political Science, which later changed to Government when I discovered Poli Sci was heavy on the nondescript philosophical point of view. Lipscomb was better geared toward Government majors being in the state capitol.
• And along the same point above. Good computer programs. Good computer equipment. Computer labs in every dorm (this was 1993 when the internet was just getting big). Email addresses for students. Freed had none of that. Freed might have had a few computer labs in the libary. Freed didn’t have its own webpage until 1997. Had I gone to Freed, I might not have discovered the internet until my senior year (1997). Had I gone to Freed, I might have chosen a totally different field of study, and I might have gone into a different job market. History teacher? Lobbyist?
• Diversity to some extent. Of course you’re comparing apples to oranges. Lipscomb had somewhat of a more diverse student body compared to Freed. However both schools have somewhat of a carbon copied student body compared to Vanderbilt. College is meant to be a place where you can experience different views. Some places are more difficult to experience diversity.

I’m not here to try to rethink or regret decisions made 11 years ago. I am merely contemplating how life might have been if I had chosen a different road.