{"type":"rich","version":"1.0","provider_name":"Transistor","provider_url":"https://transistor.fm","author_name":"Orthodox Christian Parenting","title":"Why Harvard Isn’t the Goal: An Orthodox Christian Approach to Choosing a College With Christopher Chiakulas","html":"","width":"100%","height":180,"duration":2530,"description":"If you've got a teenager, you know how quickly the college search can take over: the rankings, the essays, the pressure to get into the \"right\" school. But what if this season is really a chance to help your child discern who God is calling them to be? In this episode, we talk with Christopher Chiakulas, a high school counselor and the founder of Orthodox Christian College Counseling, about walking through the college search with faith at the center. He shares the framework he created to guide Orthodox families, offers practical ways to keep your child connected to a parish while away at school, and reminds us that the goal is never a brag-worthy acceptance letter—it’s raising a child who stays rooted in Christ. Download this week's free Discussion Guide here.\n \n\n\nEpisode Recap:\nToday we're talking with Christopher Chiakulas about approaching the college search from a faith-first perspective. (0:00)\nWhen did you realize the college process looks a little different for Orthodox families? (2:02)\nWhat are the six P's you walk families through in your book? (3:33)\nHow do we keep from tying our child's worth to where they attend school? (8:00)\nWhy does being near a parish matter so much? (12:02)\nHow can families lean on organizations like OCF and Crossroad Institute to build support before their kids ever set foot on campus? (14:39)\nHow should families weigh a major against the cost of a school? (17:32)\nWhat does a genuine win actually look like at the end of the college search? (25:16)\nWhat can a family do if their child is already at a school with no nearby parish or OCF chapter? (29:45)\nWhat is one practical way to recalibrate when the whole process starts to feel overwhelming? (32:38)\nDaniel in Virginia asks: My son wants to attend a large secular school with no Orthodox parish or OCF chapter nearby. Am I wrong to push back? (34:00)\nNadia in Tulsa asks: Every acceptance letter on social media makes me panic that we're behind. How can I protect my son's peace and...","thumbnail_url":"https://img.transistorcdn.com/qGhed02bapVSbCchJUyXA50fsEL_jwDXVV8mNocKkTM/rs:fill:0:0:1/w:400/h:400/q:60/mb:500000/aHR0cHM6Ly9pbWct/dXBsb2FkLXByb2R1/Y3Rpb24udHJhbnNp/c3Rvci5mbS8zNTYz/ZjA3YTMyZDIyYmFj/OTBmMzhhYTQ3ZDNl/ZDkzZS5qcGc.webp","thumbnail_width":300,"thumbnail_height":300}