Is it not a good idea to evaluate one's own motives and the long-term ramifications of the decisions that affect years of your life (and the lives of your family)? Are you threatened by the possibility that some women may conclude, after honest consideration, that spending money and years on a degree will not help them achieve their greatest priorities in life? The truth is, not everyone needs to go through the same cookie-cutter of going to college right out of high school. For some, the negative effects may outweigh the benefits. It is good to challenge the status-quo assumption that education (especially certain types) is the "savior" of society. Additionally, there is a vast array of options besides the classroom for becoming more educated in life skills. It's interesting to me how many people are missing the point of Mrs. Crum's article. She is not looking down on women who are educated. In fact, she says that a higher kind of education is needed. It comes across that those readers who are so defensive about their own education and experience are in fact looking down on those who do NOT have standard higher education/degrees/careers. I know many happy and fulfilled young mothers/wives who willingly chose to prioritize a family, whether or not college played any role in their lives. And they don't disrepect me for being almost a decade older than they were at the age of first pregnancy. They are not anxious and worried about all the what-ifs, because they trust their husbands and more importantly, God. Even women who are temporarily, possibly-in-the-future, or permanently single can benefit from the honest consideration of the questions proposed in the article.
I do not regret all the life experiences I have had through 7 years of college, 2 degrees, and 3+ years in the corporate world. However, these things did not prepare me to be a better wife and mother. Sure, I can teach interesting things to my own children or use my skills to benefit society, but ... late nights of studying at school did not incline me towards maintaining a good home; classes did not teach me how to raise a family; taking on student loan debt did not contribute to the financial stability of my family; working in a career or two did not help me to respect my husband who has a different level of education and experience; gaining knowledge did not increase the humility necessary for acknowledging that my ideas are not always superior to those of my husband; cultivating independence did not prepare me for laying down my life for sake of those I love; pursuing personal fulfillment does not leave much room for loving God with my whole heart, soul, mind and strength and loving my neighbor as myself.
The things that are eternal and most beautiful are rarely the same things that changing culture applauds.