Scott L. Huck/Cedarville University
At My College Guide, we like to show you all of your options. We spoke with a few Christian colleges to get their take on why a Christian college could be the right college fit for some students.
See what Mark Weinstein, director of admissions at Cedarville University, Becky Peeling, Asst. Vice President for University Relations and Marketing from Palm Beach Atlantic University, and Mark Kahler, the Associate Vice President for University Communications representatives have to say about choosing a Christian college.
Outside shot of Palm Beach Atlantic College.
Why a Christian college? Why is this a viable option for today’s students?
Cedarville: Because Christ-centered colleges provide the complete education experience for students. At Cedarville University, you’ll be engaged in a rigorous academic program, benefit from a thriving campus life and be challenged to grow spiritually in a very intentional way. That just can’t happen at secular colleges–whether state supported or not.
Palm Beach Atlantic: Christian colleges are large enough to offer a wide range of majors and the accompanying support facilities such as laboratories, libraries, rehearsal halls, studios and theaters. Yet they are small enough to have faculty-to-student ratios where students are known by their professors and classmates. Students choose from a wide range of extracurricular activities including varsity sports, intramurals, fine arts programs and student media (radio, television, newspaper, yearbook). What you find at most Christian colleges and universities is what you would expect from any small to medium private college.
Ebbie Davis/Union University
Union University: At Union University, we talk a lot about the Christian Intellectual Tradition. Some of the nation’s finest universities were founded centuries ago on the premise that all discovered truth is God’s truth. Since then, much of the academy has tried to divide serious academic inquiry from faith. Currently, the effort is being made to purge Christian ideas from any serious intellectual discussion. The best reason for someone to attend a Christian college is to examine issues and academic subject matter from all perspectives—in an atmosphere where faith and intellect are not at war. No idea or subject is considered threatening to an education with a foundation in God’s truth. This well-rounded marketplace of ideas is essential to quality education.
How are you keeping up with the times?
Cedarville: Cedarville University’s programs, facilities, and faculty are on the cutting edge. You will be hard pressed to find a university that offers as much to its students, alumni and local community that is evident at Cedarville University. From a marketing and advertising perspective, we use all forms of methods to communicate with prospective students, donors, friends and community leaders. Social media and more traditional methods are part of our media mix–we mix and match depending upon the audience. We use Facebook, a parent blog, new student and prospective student blogs.
Scott L. Huck/Cedarville University
Palm Beach Atlantic: Palm Beach Atlantic University has several Facebook pages and you will find our students and faculty on LinkedIn and other social platforms. With an airport 10 minutes from campus and easy access to international travel, students focused on international business, missions and ministry, and foreign studies have got it made. Palm Beach Atlantic signature community service program, Workship, gets students active off campus. University students have volunteered more than 2 million hours since the University was founded in non-profit agencies, churches and schools. Unlike a stereotype of a religious school as sheltering its students, Palm Beach Atlantic exposes students to the needs in our community and communities across the nation. Students develop special connections to these neighborhoods and they benefit from the experiences in many ways.
Courtesy of Palm Beach Atlantic University.
Union University: Union University’s Facebook account has more than 4,800 friends. Students who are coming to Union use Facebook to form friendships before they ever arrive on campus. Union University’s main university Twitter account has more than 1,100 followers and is updated daily; Twitter allows us to send news releases to people who might not otherwise see them. In addition to the main account, there are also Twitter accounts for other Union entities such as our president, David S. Dockery (who has more than 2,000 followers).
What kind of student do you think should consider a Christian college? Why?
Cedarville: Any student who seeks to grow spiritually and academically should consider a Christian college–especially a university that is known for academic rigor and spiritual commitment. If a “Christian or church-related” university seems to be just going through the motions, then I would bypass those schools. Check out firsthand if a Christian college matches its talk.
Deann Santangelo/Union University
Palm Beach Atlantic: Students who want to further their education at a college that supports the values that they are taught at home should consider attending a Christian college. Also, students who want to mature in their faith or who are seeking a personal connection to Christianity beyond what they have been taught in Sunday school often find they fit in. Covenant schools require the faculty and often the administrative support staff to be professing Christians. That means that students will be encouraged by their teachers not only academically but in their faith walk. Christian faculty set a good example for students in their conduct, lifestyles and worship habits. In addition, a Christian community atmosphere supports campus safety in many ways, including students looking out for the personal safety of their classmates and roommates as well as respecting personal and college property. Christian colleges emphasize community service and service learning which means that you can have opportunities to learn about careers and attain work experience through volunteer positions as well as paid and unpaid internships. These experiences look great on a resume and set the student apart from college graduates who have no ‘real world’ experience.
Union University: Students who want a well-rounded education within their own faith tradition should give serious consideration to a Christian college. At the same time, just being “Christian” is not enough. Parents and students have a right to expect that graduates will be just as well prepared (if not more so) than those who complete programs at secular schools. So it’s important to see that there is a commitment to academic excellence as well as a faith-based worldview. As stated above, many secular schools exclude any worldview that has its roots in Christian principles. Such views are often ridiculed. The student who considers a Christian college wants nothing excluded from his or her education. They want to be free to explore the marketplace of ideas.
Scott L. Huck/Cedarville University
If a student chooses a Christian college – will they still have a fun college experience? (What are some activities or groups that students enjoy at your college that a student may not expect to find at a Christian college?)
Palm Beach Atlantic: There is a lot to do both on and off our campus. There are about 1,000 resident students who enjoy coffee houses, intramural sports, academic clubs and lectures, music and theater productions, and more. Student teams compete for the Sailfish Cup, an intramural competition, each spring. The residence halls run their own programs and there are campus-wide events such as the student-led praise and worship program called The Anchor. Homecoming each fall includes a variety of activities including a dinner dance. The beach is 10 minutes from campus and many students enjoy jogging along the Intracoastal Waterway or biking along the trails in Palm Beach.
Ebbie Davis/Union University
Union University: For those who define fun in terms of an active social life with close friends and a variety of events, Christian colleges are probably more fun than many secular campuses. Students at Union University, for example, are within a day’s drive of the Ozark or Smoky Mountains and the beaches of the Gulf Coast. They can take advantage of opportunities in nearby cities like Memphis, Nashville or St. Louis, each of which is less than a half-day’s drive from campus. On campus, we have champion varsity men’s and women’s sports and a multi-tiered intramural sports program that allows serious athletes and casual participants to find appropriate competition. Outdoor movies, “open mic” night at the campus coffee house, theatre productions and our challenging disc golf course are other examples of activities that are popular with students. Union University students frequently host dinners and parties in their spacious, apartment-style residences.
Any advice for a student considering a Christian college?
Palm Beach Atlantic: Like many private colleges, Christian colleges are more affordable that you might think. Many colleges, like Palm Beach Atlantic, participate in pre-paid college plans. Students who are eligible for federal aid, such as the GI bill, or state financial aid programs can use their benefits at the University. In addition need-based financial aid, Palm Beach Atlantic offers institutional aid for students who have demonstrated academic, athletic or leadership abilities. You won’t know how much financial aid you qualify for until you apply. Students also can check out opportunities to work on or nearby campus to contribute to their college expenses. Don’t let the listed costs stop you from applying to a private college that interests you.
Courtesy of Palm Beach Atlantic University.
Union University: First and foremost: Establish that the school has the academic strength that will prepare graduates to compete in the global marketplace. You’re not looking for a good Sunday School—you need serious academic preparation for the road ahead. Don’t look for a campus that is simply comfortable. Look for a place that will challenge you. Find a school with the faculty and resources necessary to take you either to a good job or a respected graduate program. Next: Is the Christian commitment limited to regular campus chapel services or some missions projects that are available? Is the word “Christian” a label earned because the school was founded by a church group, or does it describe a Christian worldview that is evident today in all fields of study?
