As a young Christian trying to decide which college to attend for the first time, you may be wavering between a secular or Christian college. Both Christian colleges and non-christian colleges offer you a great education, but in order to make your decision, you may have to look a little deeper.
The truth is, choosing which college to attend is a huge decision. The college you choose affects your choice of major, the friends you will make, extracurricular activities that you partake in, and the location you are gaining experience. Your choice to attend one college or another may very well determine what you end up doing for work as a result of your time there. Possibly even who you marry.
When it comes down to it, your choice of which college to attend is also your decision about which campus you want to grow at over the next four years, and the community you want to help guide you to find your place in God’s Kingdom.
Here are five reasons students choose to attend a Christian college:
- Use College As A Chance To Grow Your Faith
Christian colleges provide you with an environment primed for building your faith. Whether it’s incorporating Christian values and lessons into classes, to weekly religious services and spiritual advisors, having an infrastructure that prioritizes your relationship with Christ is a huge benefit to your faith. Attending a secular college can sometimes be a jarring experience, especially if you are used to the comforts of a Christian environment at home. But Christian colleges give you the chance to be surrounded by reminders every day. Whether it’s prayer before class, or a morning bible study in your dorm room, these reminders can go a long way toward helping grow into a stronger faith in the next four years, leaving you better prepared for the working world, both mentally and spiritually.
- Learn With Your Values Integrated Into The Classroom
At a secular college, you may be confronted with opposing views that don’t align with God’s vision, and it can be a really difficult process to detangle, especially if you are surrounded by people who don’t share your faith. But your faith and your education shouldn’t have to be compartmentalized or separated. At a Christian college, faith-based values are integrated into every class. Whether it’s an art class, science or engineering class, you’ll get the benefit of seeing and hearing the influence of the Word on every subject. Professors and teachers bring you the benefit of their real life experiences as believers in their field, giving you a deeper understanding of the subject you are studying, and how it impacts the world in alignment with God’s plan.
- Surround Yourself With A Community Of Believers
The relationships you build while you are in college will follow you forward into the rest of your life. Some of these relationships may end up becoming life long friends, others may be coworkers or bosses, and one may even become your partner for life. So, it’s important to choose a community that gives you the best opportunity to meet people who ground you and encourage you in the right ways. Christian colleges attract strong young men and women from every walk of life, but having the common denominator of a shared faith can make the difference between falling into temptation during your college years and finding God’s calling. Your classmates will understand your values, and hopefully share them. Having that accountability and support can be a huge benefit to your time in school.
- Programs Built With Your Values In Mind
Aside from classroom experience, there’s a whole world of other activities and events that colleges can offer you, from studying abroad to internships and on-campus activities. As a student at a Christian college, you’ll also be provided with opportunities to get involved in spiritually-minded activities. Get credit for an internship or community involvement at a local church, sign up to attend a mission trip over spring break, or hear from foreign missionaries and pastors during on-campus speaking events. When you attend a Christian college, the whole campus and culture are organized around the same values, making it easier to prioritize your faith and put your time and energy to good use.
- Religious Services On Campus
It’s easy to let your good habits fall by the wayside when you start going to college. With new friends, classes, homework and a whole new set of distractions to pull your attention and time, things like attending a church regularly, joining a Bible study, or participating in a worship group often fall to the wayside. It’s hard to prioritize. All of these things take time and energy, which is something that comes at a bit of a premium when your homework starts piling up. Attending a Christian college makes it easy for you to prioritize your faith. With chapel services, Bible studies, and worship times all on campus, you don’t have to go far to find a good place to connect with God.
DMG