Question:
What to do?
Secular college:
pros:
- $8,000-$10,000 per year tuition and room/board (with scholarships, ACT, MEAP, etc.),
- vibrant campus ministry (400+ Sunday service attendance, dorm small groups, monthly praise rallys, service projects, spring break missions trips, etc.)
- super-nice dorms (single-room apartment style dorms, off-campus apartments, etc.)
- near (15 mintues) one of the most Christian "big" cities in the U.S.
- only 2 1/2 hours from home
cons:
- secular ( = humanism, liberalism, "tolerance", pluarism, relativism, evolution, etc.)
- no Christian worldview in classroom
- obviously a "secular" dorm-life/atmosphere (co-ed floors , etc.)
or...
Christian college:
pros:
- Christian education/worldview (required Bible minor)
- larger Christian community
- daily chapel
cons:
- $20,000+ per year (no scholarship eligibility)
- Baptist (= extra-Biblical rules )
- middle of nowhere/4 hours from home/different state
- heard hypocracy is a problem (especially in dorms)
- crappy dorms (common bathroom, etc.)
- slight "holy-huddle" atmosphere
- 3 of 5 seniors I know from class of '03 and '04 who went/go there have left or are leaving (1 because of the hypocracy)
Right now I feel God is leading me to the secular college. That's where I'm leaning now. Mostly because of the money difference, location, vibrant campus ministry, and livelier atmosphere. Also, I can get a Bible minor in four years of night school at one of the many Christian colleges nearby.
But, I need some perspective on this to make sure I'm not making the biggest mistake of my life.
In His love,
Sean
Answer:
You forgot a pro for GVSU. Sarah will be there! Haha!
I think that Christian college isn't as great as it sounds because a lot of people only go there because parents pay for it. I guess I should say that differently. It'g great too, but you will find different kinds of people there too. I go to a Christian school and there are a lot of people there who are a bad name to Christianity. I should know, I was one of them. There are a lot of people who are great Christians also, they are just harder to find. But a Christians school is good to. I know someone who would like you to go to GVSU, though!!!
Answer:
Is your secular school a state college or a non-religion-affiliated private school?
That makes a difference because the quality of the education is generally (but definately not always) better at private schools. If the secular school is private too, that eliminates that concern though.
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Which one has the better program in your field??? College is for education, so choose which will prepare you the most for your future career. There is always a great mission field at college , both secular and Christian.
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i'd say go with whichever one is strongest in your intended area of study.
I'm currently a junior at a secular college. If you go this route, there will be rough patches from time to time. You will see things and hear things that you are totally not used to- foul language is abundant, as are stories of the party life. I get really really sick of hearing about "how drunk she was" or "how out of it he was" or whatever. On the other hand, campus ministries have an awesome following and there's a real closeness among those who attend- and there's a painfully obvious ministry opportunity everywhere you turn. Those are some pros and cons to secular.
I have a few friends in Christian colleges right now. They talk about how nice it is to be sheltered from all of that. They also talk about how sometimes they feel like they're out of touch with others in thier age group-(i personally tend to think of this as a good thing anymore).
Whatever you decide to do do it prayerfully. You're already grounded in your faith and because of that you will be able to withstand the storms of a secular school. It also depends alot on the school. My school is known as a party school, but has an excellent aerospace maintenance department with some fantastic guys in there (that's what i study). So wiegh your options. Ask questions around campus, or better yet go hang out there. Get a feel for the student populous and talk to students that go there. That's the best way to see what you're getting into. Best of luck.
Answer:
Originally Posted by Epaphras Right now I feel God is leading me to the secular college. That's where I'm leaning now. Mostly because of the money difference, location, vibrant campus ministry, and livelier atmosphere. Also, I can get a Bible minor in four years of night school at one of the many Christian colleges nearby.
Based on what you've said, I'd absolutely go with the "secular" school if I were you. Finding solid Christians there will, in many ways, be easier, because they'll stand out more; there won't be any reason for people who aren't really Christians to pretend that they are. And what you can learn about the Bible and about God through classes is nothing compared to what you'll learn in the Holy Spirit's School of Hard Knocks (which you enrolled in when you accepted Christ, whether or not you knew it at the time).
There's absolutely nothing more aggravating than being surrounded by people who are nominally Christian but who don't really practice their faith at all. Lukewarm is worse than both hot and cold. And at the secular school, you won't find so many people whose hearts are completely hardened against the Gospel because they're convinced they've heard it all before.
Answer:
I don't think you're making a mistake in choosing a secular school. Christian college is great, but not for everyone. And, depending on the school, it may not be any different than a secular campus (sadly).
I'd have to second whoever said to go to the place that has the strongest of your intended major...but take into consideration what major you are taking.
For instance, I'm going into Psychology, so I'm doing the Christian college thing only because I want a Christian world-view on the topic. If I were an education major, however, I would definitely go for the best program I could find regardless of the religious influence (or lack of )
But why do you want a Bible minor? You could take Bible classes through a non-accredited Bible institute for way less...unless you need it for the career path you're taking.
My two cents...
Latte
Answer:
I'm a freshman at a Christian-affiliated school that really is quite secular in pretty much every way. (We're only affiliated, we're not an actually religious college) I'm going to try to address everything in your post, one step at a time.

Originally Posted by Epaphras Secular college:
pros:
- $8,000-$10,000 per year tuition and room/board (with scholarships, ACT, MEAP, etc.),
- vibrant campus ministry (400+ Sunday service attendance, dorm small groups, monthly praise rallys, service projects, spring break missions trips, etc.)
- super-nice dorms (single-room apartment style dorms, off-campus apartments, etc.)
- near (15 mintues) one of the most Christian "big" cities in the U.S.
- only 2 1/2 hours from home
Cost means nothing. College is the biggest investment of your life, far more important than your house (and, if you're at my school, it's even more expensive than a house as well). Go to the best school you can get into that suits you personally. Don't let money get in the way or lead you to another school. I'm paying $26,000 a year to go here, but it's worth it. Heck, I'll probably be paying $30,000 for my senior year, but I don't regret it in the least. I would, however, have regretted going to a cheaper school where I might have A) recieved an inferior education or B) not had the same kind of environment

As far as the campus ministry goes - small is good, too. My campus has about 1,000 students and about 750-800 resident students. Around 60 attend our campus ministry services (myself NOT included, for extenuating circumstances), and even though I don't attend the services any more, I still talk to the leaders all the time because they're people I see all the time anyway (my roommate, my friend in poli. sci. class, my girlfriend's RA, etc.). Size is relative. Trust me.

The dorm room doesn't matter that much, imo. I have hard tile floors with no carpet, a very hard bed with a thin mattress, and a chair that makes my back hurt sometimes. But my room is still my home. I've been in much nicer (and much worse) dorms in the last few years for various reasons, and I've come to the conclusion that any of those places could be home. I have a relatively crummy room, compared to the ones that you described, but I love my room. It is my home and my escape. And I share it with a person I never knew before August 27 of this year. Is that wierd? Six months ago I would have said yes, but I know what home really is now. I even feel strange being in my parents' house.

Finally, as for being one near one of the most "Christian" big cities in the country... it sounds to me like you've been rather sheltered. I think this would be a negative for you. People need to experience the world and learn about different kinds of people. And I DO NOT mean that you just need to hang out with a black guy if you're a white guy from an all-white town. Yes, that's beneficial, but I mean STUDY ISLAM. I mean you need to study CHINESE POLITICS. You need to study people and cultures you don't understand simply because there are people like them all around the world. Chances are if you work in a big office or work with the public, you'll have a Muslim colleague or perhaps a Chinese supervisor. Or maybe a student who doesn't speak more than about 20 words of English.

There are LOTS of other people in the world. Go meet them. In my opinion, this is the greatest shortcoming of Christian colleges. They most often look at other religions from the view of "what is wrong with this one?" and break down why they don't fit into Christianity. No, you need to look at the WISDOM that is within each tradition. I've learned a lot about my Christian faith by studying Hinduism and Buddhism. Think about that. There's a lot you can learn from other people, if you're willing to try.

Yes, a Christian college can teach you about Christianity, but so can a secular school. And a secular school will much more likely teach you to be tolerant of others and teach you how to interact with people that are different from you. There's much more to diversity than color. Never forget that.

Finally, about the "secular" dorm environment. There's a drunken party in my building every weekend. I've never been drunk. I've never even taken a sip of alcohol and I still manage to live quietly and comfortably in my room. We don't have co-ed floors, but we can have anybody we want in our rooms on the weekend. You will NOT be forced to do something you don't want to do or that you view as immoral. A "do what you want" policy extends to everyone, not just the drunks and the junkies. It means "be religious and moral if you want, too."

Christian college:
pros:
- Christian education/worldview (required Bible minor)
- larger Christian community
- daily chapel

cons:
- $20,000+ per year (no scholarship eligibility)
- Baptist (= extra-Biblical rules )
- middle of nowhere/4 hours from home/different state
- heard hypocracy is a problem (especially in dorms)
- crappy dorms (common bathroom, etc.)
- slight "holy-huddle" atmosphere
- 3 of 5 seniors I know from class of '03 and '04 who went/go there have left or are leaving (1 because of the hypocracy)
Bible minors will teach you great things about the Bible, yes. But a religious studies minor can also be just as beneficial. (I'm considering that particular minor myself.) Often, you can concentrate largely on one religion while still surveying world religions as well. For example, at my college the RS minor consists of: General world religions, New or Old testament Literature, and religions east or west. You get your Bible and your understanding as well.

I have a common bathroom. It's not so bad. As long as you get up early enough to get a shower.

Distance from home can be good. I wouldn't want to be any closer to my parents than I am. In fact, there are times I'd like to be farther away. But honestly, this is largely personal preference.

My campus is the world-leader in hypocrisy. So much, in fact, that my tour guide didn't mention the chapel when I took my first campus tour, even though we walked right in front of it. We're a Baptist-affiliated College, but our strict rules have been slowly stripped away. Now we're one of the biggest party schools in Indiana. People come from other campuses all around the state to party here. Franklin students RARELY leave this campus to party, though. You don't have to. It's crazy enough here as it is. Do I feel persecuted? Nope. Do I feel like I can't be a Christian here? Nope. I've NEVER been pressured to do something I don't want to do here. My own brother offered me a beer last week at home (I'm 19), but I've never had anything pushed on me here. And I've never taken a drink. Ever.

I'm sure I'll get ripped for my criticisms of Christian colleges. For some people, secular schools are too much of a culture shock and they wilt at secular schools. For others, Christian colleges are too sheltered and structured. It does still, in the end, come down to personal choice.

The final factor: go to the school that's not only best for your major, but best educationally all around. I chose my school over state schools because I knew I'd get a much more well-rounded education here. I believe I was right, and I believe I'll be a better man for it.

Answer:
Originally Posted by ThanksALatte But why do you want a Bible minor? You could take Bible classes through a non-accredited Bible institute for way less...unless you need it for the career path you're taking. I didn't know I could do that...thanks, I'll check that out.
Thanks guys for all the advice.
In His love,
Sean
Answer:
Originally Posted by BWyatt I'm a freshman at a Christian-affiliated school ... I believe I was right, and I believe I'll be a better man for it. Wow, thanks for all that.
I've been moderately sheltered. I live in one of the most diverse counties in the nation, and go to one of the most diverse schools in the county. For the past year (last semester last year and first semester this year), I've had a super-liberal history teacher, and I love it. He challenges my faith, and I thrive on it. I think I'd have an awesome time debating in class at a secular school.
Oh, and by "Christian" big city I meant that I think Grand Rapids, MI is has the most evangelical churches per square mile than any county/city in the Midwest. Look at the copyright page of any Christian book and 80% of them were published in Grand Rapids. The entire western half of Michigan is known as the Bible Belt. All this to say, it's probably the most ideal location to attend a secular school at. From what I've heard, the profs are fairly moderate, and if they are liberal, they respect others' opinions for the most part. But I'm not worried about that.
Thanks man.
In His love,
Sean
Answer:
Originally Posted by epaphras Wow, thanks for all that. No problem, brother. This was a decision I agonized over as well (and I didn't decide until my current school gave me a large sum of scholarship money to ease the decision... I'll still be in massive debt, though... and it's worth it). I just thought I'd throw in my two cents about what's really important in choosing a school. I didn't realize how much I'd written until after I hit send. That was one of my longest posts ever, and I think it was well worth it.

Good luck, man, keep me updated!

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To put it short and sweet: secular college.
Answer:
Originally Posted by exo To put it short and sweet: secular college. Why, specifically?
Answer:
Originally Posted by Epaphras Why, specifically?
Because.
Just kidding... to me it looks like you've nearly made the decision already. I looked at your reasoning and everything looks fine to me. So, I am here to confirm for you that going to the secular college is OK and I think you will be making a wise decision.
Answer:
KFBob's mom's right, go to the school that most suits the field of study that you'll be serving God in. God's not sitting up in heaven saying, "Oh, please pick the right school, please pick the right school..." I'm sure the two schools are both fine schools, so go where you think will do you the most good in the future.