Benefits of Going to a Christian University

Determining where to go for college is a difficult task that many high school seniors, and some older, struggle with. Life is often the most challenging, not when we only have one or two options, but when there are literally thousands of possibilities. While a college experience is mostly what you make it, the school you decide to attend can have a big influence on your future relationships, job opportunities, and the part of the world you end up living in.

For Christians there is an extra determining factor: should I attend a Christian university or go to a public college? This is a challenging question that takes a bit of thought. Here are some concepts to ponder when making up your mind.

Here are some valuable reasons to consider attending a university that focuses on building a relationship with God.

Fellowship

One of the greatest aspects of a Christian university is the opportunity to worship and interact with other people who are passionate about God. Knowing that you have people whom you can talk with, pray with, and come to when you are having a challenging day is a true blessing.

Personal Relationship with God

College is an incredibly difficult time to remain strong in one's Christian faith. Pulling all-nighters to study, having the excitement of being in a dorm, the challenges with dating relationships, and the constant overload of knowledge, entertainment, and activity can eat away at ones personal devotion times quickly.

Although Christian colleges are not easier, they often provide opportunities for one to refresh their walk with God - through worships, church services, and other devotional programs. Sometimes a week may get so busy that you completely forget about God until someone asks you if you are going to chapel today. This reminder can help get you back on track.

Dating

There are many awesome people to meet at college. Countless people to date, have fun with, and get to know better. Sadly, there are a lot of people who are less interested in getting to truly know someone and more interested in what will happen tonight. A Christian university will not eliminate this, but the odds are higher that there will be more people interested in developing respectful relationships.

More Student/Professor Interaction

Often times Christian campuses are much smaller. This provides students with the ability to talk and discuss issues with teachers outside of class. In fact, sometimes professors will even have students over to their houses for worship services or meals. This is a great blessing that arises from attending a Christian campus.

Opportunities to Travel

Because Christianity is all about sharing the love of Jesus with the world, Christian campuses often attempt to give students an opportunity to taste mission work in other parts of the globe. Many campuses have short-term (1-3 week) and long-term (up to a year) trips that students can go on - doing everything from building and vacation Bible schools, to teaching and medical work.

An Awesome Network

A persons network has a huge impact on who they become and what kind of success they have in their lives. Anyone interested in having an amazing network of good Christian leaders, professionals, and servants, will find a Christian campus a great place to attend.

A Christian campus has some draw backs and may not be for everyone. Although the experience can be amazing, it can also be miserable for the wrong person. Consider these ideas before attending a college.

Price of Tuition

Often times, because they are not supported by the government, Christian campuses must charge a higher price for tuition. This is unfortunate and can lead to large student loans.

Required Worship

Many colleges will expect students to attend a certain number of worship services every week or semester. While this is not a problem if you want to be growing in your relationship with God, some people find it frustrating to be required to worship and wish that they could make their own schedule (especially those forced to go to a Christian college by their parents).

Networking

While a Christian college will help you make some great, high quality friends, sometimes the network is not beneficial for certain career types. If you want to start your own business it will be fine, but if you want to work for Boeing or Microsoft, it may be better to attend a college where they frequently hire from.

I have attended multiple colleges and ended up graduating from a Christian campus. Currently I am getting my MBA from a Christian university as well. It has been a blessing for me because of the many great relationships I have built up, the opportunities that I have had to use my business skills to serve the communities I am a part of, and the amazing travel experiences I have been provided.

While each person must make their own decisions, I would certainly recommend a Christian education to those who believe God should be an intricate part of ones life.