From Sutures To Sweet Tea: How An Education From The Best Christian Colleges In America Can Change Your Life
High-achieving, ambitious students are routinely encouraged to map out their lives in advance to create the perfect plan. But even the best five-year plans have a way of going sideways as life hurls its barrage of unknowns and surprises. When asked for his take on the moments when things dont quite go as planned, Philip Everett gives a knowing laugh.
I think thats all of life, he said.
His consistently positive attitude and ability to roll with the punches allowed Everett to recognize the fact that when God closes off the path weve planned, He always has a new direction in store, and sometimes that direction leads to one of the best Christian colleges in America.
Top 10 Most Prestigious Bible Colleges In The Us
If you want to take your higher education to the next level, obtaining a deeper understanding of the scriptures, and growing closer to God, a Bible college might be just the thing for you. Bible colleges are renowned for providing a Christian education, and equipping the next generation of ministerial leaders for the rigors of defending the faith.
There are many Bible colleges in the U.S., though. Some of them are among the most prestigious and well-known liberal arts universities in the U.S. Others have a decidedly conservative bent, while still providing a solid education. Bible colleges also have a range of tuition costs, although some provide automatic scholarships for students. As you look at your options, consider what environment would best suit you and which college you think is likely to help you accomplish your faith and ministry goals. Here are 10 prestigious Bible colleges to consider:
Top 25 Christian Colleges: The Essential Questions On Religion And Education
In the beginning, most universities in the U.S. were established as institutions of faith: the colonial colleges such as Harvard, Yale and Dartmouth , College of William and Mary , Princeton and Rutgers University were Christian schools in mission or affiliation.
For almost all of these and similar elite schools, the answer to grow with the times and the country was to leave their religious legacy in the microfiche files. But hundreds of other colleges and universities have not left the bible behind, often to great success. Take the case of Notre Dame, Georgetown University, Boston College and Davidson College, all of which appear in the top 25 of the FORBES Top College 2016 ranking .
Theyre far from alone. As it turns out, of the best-ranked 130 schools in the U.S., 25 are Christian. As the country grows ever-more secular just above half of Americans say religion is very important in their lives the percentage of Christians who report the same stands at 68%. And along with that, enrollment is up at the top faith-based schools over 8% in the last 20 years, from an average 4,800 in 1994 to 5,200 in 2014.
The X-Factor
The X-factor shared by these schools is their most fundamental quality: their brand of Christian culture.
Money And Professional Connections
Once the schools religious elements strict or lenient are embraced, the top 25 Christian colleges pose a blend of short-term financial sacrifices and long-term professional benefits.
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The Best Christian Colleges In New York
Location: Bronxville, NY
From the institution: Concordia College is located in Bronxville, NY, a picturesque suburban village in Westchester County, just 20 miles north of New York City. Concordia College New York is a Christian higher education community of learning where mutual respect flourishes, responsibility is developed and reverence for God is cultivated so that students can pursue lives of passion, purpose and service. We are anchored in a living Lutheran heritage as we strive to follow Jesus Christ. We express this identity with an ethics-infused curriculum and a faith-informed community life.
Location: Houghton, NY
From the institution: Houghton College is a nationally ranked Christian college of the liberal arts and sciences and the best priced Christian college in the nation. Here, you will be equipped for lifelong success as a courageous servant leader through customizable programs offered in Houghton, NY, Buffalo, Utica, and online. Take the next step to discover how this close-knit Christian community will help you accelerate your path to your God-given potential.
Location: New York City, NY
Location: Rochester, NY
Location: Brooklyn Heights, NY
Location: New York, NY
Location: Brooklyn, NY
Location: New York, NY
The Best Christian Colleges In Virginia
Location: Gainesville, VA
From the institution: With a student-first philosophy, Ascent College exists to cultivate the ministry call of Christian men and women to fulfill their destiny through sound Biblical education and leadership development. It is the desire of Ascent College for each student to experience both the spirit of the local church and the academic training of the school. Ascent College and the local church, together, are able to prepare students with both correct theology and ministry experience to impact the entire world.
Location: Bluefield, VA
From the institution: We offer a challenging academic and co-curricular experience within a climate of diverse Christian traditions. In covenant with the Baptist General Association of Virginia, the University is committed to developing students potential through academic excellence and the integration of faith, the liberal arts, career-oriented programs, and service to God and the global community. Located in the beautiful Appalachian Mountains in southwestern Virginia and accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, Bluefield University boasts 40+ academic offerings, including business, forensic science, graphic communication, criminal justice, teacher education, and Christian studies.
Location: Bridgewater, VA
Location: Fairfax, VA
Location: Lynchburg, VA
Location: Virginia Beach, VA
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Archbishop Carroll High School
Washington, DC
Founded in 1951, ACHS combines faith and duty in a college preparation program that prepares students for life as a Christian professional. ACHS has always been an integrated school, accepting students of all races and religions. At its founding, ACHS was four years ahead of the Supreme Court who did not declare segregated public schools to be unconstitutional until 1955.
In 1989, three diocesan high schools were closed and merged with ACHS, which today enrolls more than 600 students.
The school provides a Writing Center to assist students in improving their academic and creative writing. The Freedom Writers are a group of students who stay after school working to improve their academic writing through the use of portfolios that chart their progress. A Poetry Slam allows poets to read their work aloud. Carroll poets visit local grade schools and hold writing workshops with younger students in a program called Young Poets to Young Poets. The school also produces a literary magazine, So It Shall Be Written.
An International Baccalaureate Diploma program is available that is a two-year course of study in seven areas. The IB diploma program also requires 150 hours of Creativity, Action, and Service. Some colleges will grant college credit to IB diploma holders and others actively recruit those with an IB diploma.
The Best Christian Colleges In Hawaii
Location: Honolulu, HI
From the institution: Pacific Rim Christian University, an institution of higher education, exists to disciple emerging Christian leaders by developing their theology, ministry skills, & character in order to win souls, plant fruitful churches, & lead as exemplary ambassadors for Christ in the ministry & marketplace.
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New York City New York
Though Jesuit school Fordham University has three locations throughout New York City, its Rose Hill campus in the Bronx is arguably the most beautiful. Multiple gardens and greens grace the 85-acre campus, the most popular one for studying and socializing being the expansive Martyrs Lawn. Roses bloom for much of the year around most of the universitys buildings, including the campus crown jewel: Keating Hall. Sitting adjacent to the greenery of Edwards Parade, the neo-Gothic structure was designed by local architect Robert J. Reiley and constructed in 1936.
The Best Christian Colleges In Arkansas
Location: Little Rock, AR
From the institution: Arkansas Baptist College, originally named the Ministers Institute, was founded in 1884 by the Colored Baptists of Arkansas during their annual convention at Mount Zion Baptist Church in Little Rock. The primary objective of the institute was to raise the educational level within the Negro Ministry. The secondary objective was to aid the state in making higher education available to young Negro men and women. Most of the Colleges students were trained in the ministry. Today, Religious Studies continues to be one of major disciplines of matriculation into the College.
Location: Conway, AR
From the institution: The value of Christian higher education is the value that has always under girded Central Baptist Colleges mission statement. Since the institutions inception in 1952, its mission has focused on educating the whole person intellectually, physically, and spiritually. While many other colleges and universities subscribe to the notion of holistic education, it is the spiritual dimension of higher education that has made and continues to make Central Baptist College unique.
Location: Paragould, AR
Location: Springdale, AR
Location: Searcy, AR
Location: Conway, AR
Location: Siloam Springs, AR
Location: Batesville, AR
Location: Arkadelphia, AR
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The Best Christian Colleges In California
Location: Whitter, CA
From the institution: Azusa Pacific University is a comprehensive Christian university located 26 miles northeast of Los Angeles, California, that offers more than 150 degree options from bachelors to doctorate. A leader in the Council for Christian Colleges & Universities, APU is committed to excellence in higher education. Offering bachelors, masters, and doctoral programs on campus, online, and at seven regional locations across Southern California, APU continues to be recognized annually as one of Americas Best Colleges by U.S. News & World Report.
Location: La Mirada, CA
From the institution: Biola University is a nationally ranked Christian university in the heart of Southern California. Founded in 1908, Biola offers biblically centered education, intentional spiritual development and vocational preparation within a unique learning community where all faculty, staff and students are professing Christians. Biolas nine schools offer more than 150 academic programs at the bachelors, masters and doctoral levels, enrolling more than 6,000 students at the La Mirada campus, online and in distance programs throughout the world.
Location: Riverside, CA
Location: Fresno, CA
Location: Thousand Oaks, CA
Location: Orange, CA
Location: Redlands, CA
Location: Irvine, CA
The Catholic University Of America
The Catholic University of America has one of the best student-faculty ratios of all Catholic colleges, meaning that students here are guaranteed undivided, personalized attention from their professors, who currently have an A- grade on Niche.
CUA also has a fairly high 86% freshman retention rate and is ranked among the top 150 national universities by US News.
Students at CUA can choose from more than 60 undergraduate programs and 80 campus clubs and organizations. Through Campus Ministry, they can also take mission trips to Central America and volunteer to help the homeless and other disadvantaged groups. CUA offers spiritual retreats, Mass, sacred spaces, and spiritual guidance as well.
- Location: Washington, DC
University of San Diego
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Most Beautiful Christian Colleges In The Us 2021
Boasting ocean views, stained-glass windows, and enchanting cathedrals, Christian college campuses are some of the most beautiful in the country, This is good news for those college-bound students in search of a college experience that is beautiful both academically and aesthetically. Ranging from mountain-top retreats and beach-side hangouts, to urban jewels and rural havens, the 50 colleges and universities on this list are some of the most beautiful of their kind. Best of all, each school on this list is a highly-respected institution built upon the tenets of the Christian faith.
RankingMethodology
Though there are surely more than 50 beautiful Christian campuses in the United States, the following schools were chosen and ranked based upon the following methodology. To begin, we consulted a number of best of and most beautiful lists to identify those colleges and universities routinely considered to be amongst the most beautiful. Once we had a list of nearly 100 Christian schools, we researched each campus very carefully, relying on everything from social media hashtags to virtual tours. Finally, we narrowed down our list and determined our ranking using an holistic approach focusing on the following attributes:
Student Enjoyment While most of the features described in this article can be appreciated visually by both students and visitors, those campuses with features that can be physically enjoyed by the schools student body were given higher priority.
Rocky Bayou Christian Academy
Niceville, FL
Rocky Bayou Christian School has grown in enrollment from 22 students in 1973 to over 750 in grades K3 through 12. A campus in Destin, Florida currently serves grades K6. Buses provide service to Okaloosa, Walton, and south Santa Rosa counties.
The Academy serves as the upper school, and boasts almost 1000 alumni.Weekly chapel services afford students worship and fellowship, while God’s Word is taught in Bible classes and is integrated into the curriculum for each subject area. Leadership Trek trains young people as Christian servant-leaders and forms the basis for a prefect-based Student Government Association. Students, alumni and faculty participate annually in mission trips to third world countries for multiple ministry adventures, including school devotions, street evangelism and construction work, often for orphanages.
The Academy Fine Arts program offers symphonic, jazz and praise bands, choir, art, and drama. Students participate in Academic teams, Bible Quiz team, Spanish, Beta, Junior Classical League, Mu Alpha Theta and Lego Robotics, along with Thespians, Tri M, Art, Photography, Culinary, Missions and Chess clubs. Math, computer, debate, etymology, Latin, mythology, history, Spanish, spelling and writing competitions offer the chance to compete on local, state, and national platforms.
The Athletic program offers 23 varsity sports and 12 middle school sports, as well as elementary intramural sports.
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The Best Christian Colleges In Delaware
Location: Dover, DE
From the institution: Wesley College is an institution of higher education that seeks to be among the finest student-centered learning communities in the liberal arts tradition. Consistent with our historically United Methodist affiliation, the College affirms meaning and purpose in life through justice, compassion, inclusion and social responsibility that enhance community life and respect for the environment. Wesley College exists to liberate and empower its students with the knowledge, skills, ethical attitudes and capacity for critical thinking needed to achieve personal and professional goals and to contribute to the local and global society.
Do You Like The School As A Whole
First off, think about what draws you to this Catholic school, other than its Catholic affiliation . What kind of setting do you want? Do you like Greek life?
Here are more specific questions to ask yourself:
- Do you like the campus and surrounding area? Some Catholic colleges are based in cities, while others are more suburban or rural. The area around campus can affect your social life as well as your opportunities for internships and work experience. Try to visit the campus to get a feel for the student life and whether you can envision yourself living and thriving there.
- Do you plan to participate in any clubs or sports? If extracurriculars are important to you, you should pick a Catholic college that offers a range of organizations and sports you can do. The larger and more renowned Catholic colleges typically have more activities and groups to choose from. Consider, too, whether you would like to join a fraternity or sorority, as some Catholic colleges do not have a Greek system.
- Are you looking to develop yourself spiritually? If so, you should try to prioritize Catholic colleges that offer a large array of spiritually oriented activities and events, such as retreats, meditations, study groups, Masses, and so on.
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Do You Support The Catholic Intellectual Tradition And Principles
Regardless of whether your Catholic college of choice is more traditional or not, you need to check that youre OK with the overall Catholic intellectual tradition and principles of the school.
In other words, do you support its emphasis on getting a well-rounded education and volunteering in the community? How do you feel about single-sex residential buildings? Are you fine with having a church or chapel and clergymen/clergywomen on campus?
If you enthusiastically support all this, then a Catholic college sounds like itd be a great fit for you.
If you think you’ll have a problem with the Catholic undertones at a school, then perhaps a Catholic school isnt for you.
If youre looking for very conservative Catholic colleges, check out the Newman Guide to see which schools made the cut.
The Baptist College Of Florida
Score: 78.0
Graduation Rate: 44%Salary After Attending: $27,765
The Baptist College of Florida is a private, Christian school located on 250 acres in rural Graceville, Florida. With an acceptance rate of 62% and an enrollment of just 300 students, BCF is one of the smallest colleges in America. Its small student-to-faculty ratio ensures strong mentorship and provides students with lasting support networks. Tuition, fees, and housing cost an average of $17,000 annually, and with 97% of students receiving financial aid, it is affordable for students from all socio-economic backgrounds. BCFs priority is to foster interest in ministerial service, so some of the most popular degree programs are Theological and Ministerial Studies, Psychology, and Missionary Studies. BCF graduates 44% of its students on average, and alumni report employment rates of 88% just two years after graduation.
Graduation Rate: 55%Salary After Attending: $41,789
Founded in accordance with the South Carolina Baptist Convention, North Greenville Universitys mission is to provide students with an education grounded in faith and prepare them for a life of service and leadership. Building a strong spiritual character in a Christian community is at the core of North Greenville Universitys educational experience.
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