There are a variety of reasons for choosing a Christian college. The most obvious reason for some would be the conservative moral values. It is refreshing to be in an environment where Christian principles are honored. Christian colleges provide an atmosphere where students can enjoy an education with a Christian worldview perspective. Professors are concerned with the spiritual as well as the academic welfare of the student. They choose to teach at a Christian college in order to share with students their faith and experience in addition to their scholarships. The focus of Christian colleges is to provide a holistic approach to education. Bible and theology courses are included in the curriculum, which assists students in their spiritual growth and church leadership. Chapel services enhance community on campus and further encourage students in their Christian walk.

Get an education! Be somebody! What are your plans for the future?

You've heard such phrases over and over. Have you made up your mind to listen? Family, friends, teachers, and ministers—all who have played an advisor's role regarding your future—know that without an education your opportunities for success are limited. Some of your advisors may have suggested vocational schools or apprenticeships. Such suggestions are good if they are right for you. But how do you determine what's right for you?

It's hard to decide where to go to school. Everywhere you look there are so many choices: trade and technical schools, community college, private or state universities and colleges, or colleges with a religious affiliation. As you go through the process of deciding, you will ask for opinions. You may ask parents, friends, and yourselves.

What are the benefits of attending a Christian college? Is it really worth it? While statistical analysis and reasoning are beneficial, sometimes it is just reassuring to hear why someone else chose a certain college. The students at one Christian college were recently asked that question. Maybe their responses will help you as you search for the college of your choice.

As an active high school senior with good grades and high test scores, I was overwhelmed with the decision of choosing the right college.

I received three to five pieces of mail in my family’s mailbox each day that year, from colleges that were practically in my backyard, to colleges across the country, from private colleges, public colleges, technical colleges, colleges for women, from gigantic universities, tiny colleges—you name it.

So terrified was I with this decision that I’d lie awake at night, staring at the ceiling, feeling sick to my stomach. On the worst nights, I’d pray, "God, either choose a college for me, or just let me die a happy high school senior.”

A Catholic college or university is an exciting, creative community of faculty and students who think deeply about modern society from a values-oriented perspective. Catholic colleges prepare students for rewarding careers while also courageously promoting justice, freedom, peace, ethical behavior, and spiritual growth. Catholic colleges and universities strive to make students "more intelligent, capable, active members of society," in the words of the famous educator, John Henry Cardinal Newman.

It used to be so easy—deciding to get a blue bike or a red one, taking piano or saxophone lessons. But then things got a little more complicated—do you take the risk of trying out for the school play or do the behind-the-scenes prompting? Try to balance school and a part-time job or wait until summer and work full-time?

The road to making your college decision is also not easy. Why attend college in the first place? Most would answer, “It’s the next stage of life.” Others might sense it is preparation for a career. Christian institutions offer a very different definition. We attempt to prepare people for LIFE!

These are indeed challenging times for high school students. With the vast number of college options available in American higher education, many students are simply overwhelmed. In the United States there are over 5000 institutions of higher learning to choose from! What criteria will you use to make your college choice? Two-year colleges vs. four-year colleges. Public vs. private. Religious vs. secular. Large or small. Colleges with sports programs and those without. Single-sex vs. co-ed. Expensive vs. “bargain” schools. Far away or just down the road. These are just a few of the factors high school students and their parents use to determine which college is the best “fit”. In my role as Dean of Admissions at a Catholic college, I work with students who have chosen to attend a Roman Catholic institution. What does that mean in the marketplace? What do such colleges and universities provide which distinguishes them? How are we different? Why do students choose to attend a Catholic college?

Thirty colleges in 30 years…
In preparing to write this article, I realized that was the number of Christian colleges and universities I had visited over the years. In most every case, I have had the opportunity to become acquainted with their presidents, and oftentimes their previous presidents as well. In the following paragraphs, I will summarize what I have observed on these campuses through the years.

You may think this article is simply an academic exercise for a college president to justify his vocation. And to a degree, that may be true. But for me, it is much more than that. You see, I have a nineteen-year-old daughter who just wrestled through her own decision about what college to attend last fall. My son is a senior in high school this year and contemplating the same decision. Neither one is clear about what they want to do for their life vocations.

Is high school the time to think about graduate school? Hey, you've got enough pressure on you just trying to get into undergrad, right? True, but now may be exactly the right time to be thinking about earning your master's degree.

Many colleges and universities offer five-year bachelor's/master's degree programs that you can apply for when you apply for freshman admission.

Financial aid packages for college are typically a mix of grants and scholarships, which you don't have to pay back; loans, which you do; and Federal Work-Study, money that you earn through campus or community service employment during the academic year to help cover living expenses. As with all need-based financial aid, the first step in determining Work-Study eligibility is to fill out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) as soon as possible after January 1 for entry that fall. Many colleges have specific deadlines for financial aid applications—often as early as February 15! So check with the financial aid offices at the schools you've selected to make sure you're on track. Remember, you will need to fill out the FAFSA every year!