BYU’s admission letters went out last Friday.  A girl was applying from our ward.  She made it.  The whole ward was thrilled.  Probably more thrilled than if she’d made it to Harvard.  We have another girl in our ward who is extremely accomplished and smarter, who is applying elsewhere.  We are proud of her, but not as excited.

Its been interesting to follow all the talk about BYU admissions on Cougarboard.com, which has some of the best discussion for Mormon men on non-football related topics around.

A few interesting facts:

The Church heavily subsidizes education at BYU, BYU-Idaho, and BYU-Hawaii.  Probably around 66%  of the cost for Mormon students.  Perhaps more.  Are there published figures anywhere?  The Mormon tuition costs is about half of the non-Mormon tuition cost, but even that higher non-Mormon figure is somewhat subsidized.

The Church has multiple studies done showing that going to BYU is a strong predictor for future church activity.  In combination with serving a mission, probably the strongest.  Since active Mormons tithe, there is probably an actual ROI on the subsidy.

BYU students tend to not accumulate a lot of debt.  They also tend to get married early and have kids early.  There are other reasons for that, but not having a lot of debt is a big part of it.

There is, of course, a selection effect.  The disaffected probably aren’t going to BYU anyway.  There is anecdotal evidence that it matters, though.  In a case known to me personally, the young man went to BYU reluctantly because it was cheap, and caught fire on the gospel while there.

All is not well at BYU.  There are too many emissaries of the Great and Spacious Building there.  Even so, it is a sign of real strength to have a school one would rather go to than HarvardPrincetonStanfordYale, which are the Vatican of Progressivism.  It is a sign of strength that students go there and come out prepared to live solid lives.

Having your own education system is the only Benedict Option.

Homeschooling is just a start.

Memetic sovereignty is the only sovereignty.

Memetic autarchy, or fold.


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