Natalie not going to college: reality, or a bad example?

['80sSitcoms]

So Natalie graduated high school, and decided not to go to college*.

*(until later)

Was "The Facts of Life" being refreshing in showing the reality that not all high school graduates go on to college, but jump right into "life"?

Or was "The Facts of Life" showing a bad example to kids watching the show that you don't have to go to college?

And what do you think of Natalie's decision not to go after graduation?

I'm sure there will be varying opinions on this.

[Lorimar Television]

Originally Posted by '80sSitcoms

So Natalie graduated high school, and never went to college (despite her promises she would go in a year or two).

Was "The Facts of Life" being refreshing in showing the reality that not all high school graduates go on to college, but jump right into "life"?

Or was "The Facts of Life" showing a bad example to kids watching the show that you don't have to go to college?

And what do you think of Natalie's decision not to go?

I'm sure there will be varying opinions on this.

Well she does eventually go in season 9, but I thought it was interesting that she decided not to. Too bad her original plan of traveling to see the world didn't pan out very well.

['80sSitcoms]

Oops! Thanks for pointing that out Lorsie, I amended my original post (but I still don't remember her going; it must not have been very memorable for me, lol).

[Lorimar Television]

Originally Posted by '80sSitcoms

Oops! Thanks for pointing that out Lorsie, I amended my original post (but I still don't remember her going; it must not have been very memorable for me, lol).

Yeah she was a freshman but it was only referenced a few times

['80sSitcoms]

Originally Posted by Lorimar Television

Yeah she was a freshman but it was only referenced a few times

Man, they really did a bad job with college entrances after Blair and Jo. Tootie's is a total afterthought in season 8. It suddenly hits you along the way when she's pledging a sorority---"oh wait a minute, I guess she goes to Langley!" lol

[Christopher]

Originally Posted by '80sSitcoms

Man, they really did a bad job with college entrances after Blair and Jo. Tootie's is a total afterthought in season 8. It suddenly hits you along the way when she's pledging a sorority---"oh wait a minute, I guess she goes to Langley!" lol

That wasn't so bad. The worst was season 7 when Tootie is a senior and there's no reference until her graduation episode. She's never even in her uniform for Eastland. At least Natalie was a few times in season 6 during her senior year. Tootie season 7 was like she was never in school and just a worker for Over Our Heads.

As for Natalie, I thought it was very realistic she didn't want to go to college. She was a writer and there are some writers who want to venture out and see the world for experience. It's just a shame we only got one episode of her on her venture of seeing the world. It wasn't even an adventure episode; just her broken down at a diner waiting for a bus creating a story. I did like that they showed her working for all these places so it was realistic she wasn't just mooching off the girls. That helps build character and experience in the work field.

[RetroGuy2000]

Originally Posted by '80sSitcoms

So Natalie graduated high school, and decided not to go to college*.

*(until later)

Was "The Facts of Life" being refreshing in showing the reality that not all high school graduates go on to college, but jump right into "life"?

Or was "The Facts of Life" showing a bad example to kids watching the show that you don't have to go to college?

And what do you think of Natalie's decision not to go after graduation?

I'm sure there will be varying opinions on this.

I was glad they showed Natalie not going to school: not all prep school graduates are cut out for college, and it's good that they acknowledged that.

It's not like she didn't go at all: she had previously taken courses at Langley while still at Eastland, but she just chose to take some time off to "find herself". Lots of people need this time to adjust to the real world and decide what they eventually want to do, and who they want to become.

['80sSitcoms]

Originally Posted by Christopher

That wasn't so bad. The worst was season 7 when Tootie is a senior and there's no reference until her graduation episode. She's never even in her uniform for Eastland. At least Natalie was a few times in season 6 during her senior year. Tootie season 7 was like she was never in school and just a worker for Over Our Heads.

Yeah, poor Tootie. They were both pretty bad.

I appreciate that they showed the realism of not everyone going to college, but that did have to hurt Natalie's mom since they invested so much in her education to prepare her for a great college education. But the blow on that was softened by Natalie promising she was going to go to college, just not until after a year or so.

But, Jo had a great point about Natalie throwing away her chance for Princeton. Maybe she could have gone to Princeton and taken some of the best writing courses in the country, who knows.

I too though enjoy how they showed Natalie constantly changing jobs after high school, doing so many different things. That was a great mine for gags.

Originally Posted by Retro Guy 2000

she had previously taken courses at Langley while still at Eastland

She took a course. But Lorsie reminded me she actually went to college in season 9.

[Schmoopie]

I knew that Natalie's plan to travel instead of going to college wasn't going to work out at all. I don't really think the writers were trying to influence the viewers to go to college or not, but I'm glad that she eventually went to Langley.

[Impressions]

I always thought Natalie was college material, and it was shocking for her character to drop out because she was so focused on her studies and careers throughout the series. But I understand that realities change and sometimes so do choices do too. The reality is, Natalie didn't need college to pursue a writing career or be a journalist, and maybe the writers wanted to show audiences that every one can take a different path in life and still be successful.

Personally, I think it'd be interesting if the writers had made Tootie drop-out of school to pursue an acting career. Can you imagine if Tootie became a successful actress in season 9? I wonder how that would have changed the dynamic of the show.

['80sSitcoms]

Originally Posted by Impressions

The reality is, Natalie didn't need college to pursue a writing career or be a journalist

But she did end up needing it, as she realized she was missing out, and enrolled in Langley in season 9.

Originally Posted by Impressions

Personally, I think it'd be interesting if the writers had made Tootie drop-out of school to pursue an acting career. Can you imagine if Tootie became a successful actress in season 9? I wonder how that would have changed the dynamic of the show.

Yeah, that would have been interesting.

[TV Guy]

Originally Posted by Christopher

That wasn't so bad. The worst was season 7 when Tootie is a senior and there's no reference until her graduation episode. She's never even in her uniform for Eastland.

And her parents don’t seem to care that she’s living over the store without Mrs. Garrett there to supervise (during the last half of the season).

['80sSitcoms]

Originally Posted by TV Guy

And her parents don’t seem to care that she’s living over the store without Mrs. Garrett there to supervise (during the last half of the season).

I guess they figured the other girls were 18 and pretty responsible, so they trusted things would be fine.