I was asked the following in an interview recently: “What does it mean to be educated?” After clarifying that the interviewer actually meant “well educated” I directed him to Psalm 119:97-100 and Proverbs 1:7:
“O how I love Your law! It is my meditation all the day.
Your commandments make me wiser than my enemies, For they are ever mine. I have more insight than all my teachers, For Your testimonies are my meditation. I understand more than the aged, because I have observed Your precepts.”
“The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge; Fools despise wisdom and instruction.”
His summary question caused me to think of all that might be needed to be “well educated”: “Is it possible to have a large amount of schooling but not be well educated?” I have made some small additions to what I responded to him but essentially here is the graph I came up with then to answer his question and explain what I considered “well educated” to mean:
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x-axis: study includes both depth (specialization) and breadth (number and variety of subjects); study may be acquired through schooling, tutoring, or self-study
y-axis: experience involves interaction with the surroundings and skills training and practice
z-axis: moral training begins with God’s Word and proceeds to thought application to all of life events
x and y axes begin a zero and may be positive however z-axis factors may either be positive or negative; factors are multiplied together.
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CreatorWorship 
When asked on Lily’s school admissions application, what is your definition of academic excellence, I responded: “…excellence cannot be achieved apart from God’s will in our lives and that’s why we desire that our children be fully trained in the Truth of God’s word.” No one can acheive excellence without God. Too often our first goal is to have educated children, when, in fact, our goal should be to raise a child who loves God and serves others.
Alas, many Christian parents strive to rear “good” children, but the Bible exhorts us to rear “godly” children. You are right, Emily, that education isolated from the Truth of God’s word is sorely deficient.
For that reason it becomes increasingly difficult, even nigh on to impossible, to have children in public school and train them in godliness. Thus far has our society come that a commited (in terms of personal calling) public school teacher advises that parents do not send their charges there. Even so, God’s grace is bigger than our intentions and does even now bring some through more godly than when they entered, in spite of the system and influences.
Where do you think critical thinking skills fall on this graph?
I would say critical thinking skill is the curve that results from the input of the three axes with it becoming more steep as the moral training input increases. In other words, study and experience can create a straight line that either has a greater slope in the x or y direction depending on which is depended upon the most. With the added factor of moral training, the curve becomes accelerated in the positive direction. Of course, the ultimate curve cannot be achieved without faith, without which no one can please God. The resulting curve is asymptotic at best, with the limit only realized when we die and go to heaven, or Jesus comes back again and takes us to be with Him.
:o)}
Interesting to view your graph through the eyes of Solomon:
“The words of the Preacher [Teacher]: I said in my heart, ‘I have acquired great WISDOM, surpassing all who were over Jerusalem before me, and my heart has had great EXPERIENCE of WISDOM and KNOWLEDGE.’ And I applied my heart to know wisdom and to know madness and folly. I perceived that this also is but a striving after wind. For in much wisdom in much vexation, and he who increases knowledge increases sorrow. … Besides being wise, the [Teacher] also taught the people KNOWLEDGE, weighing [critical thinking?] and STUDYING and arranging many proverbs with great care. … Of making many books there is no end, and much study is a weariness of the flesh. The end of the matter; all has been heard. Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man. For God will bring every deed into judgment, with every secret thing, whether good or evil.” [Ecclesiastes 1:1,16-18; 12:9,12-14]