<p>What are the best Christian colleges in the US</p>
<p>Depends what you means by "Christian colleges." Do you include Catholic? Mormon? "Mainstream" Protestant? Or are you thinking specifically Evangelical Protestant?</p>
<p>If you're thinking Catholic, I'd say Notre Dame, Georgetown, Boston College, Holy Cross, Fordham in that order.</p>
<p>Mormon: BYU, naturally</p>
<p>"Mainstream" Protestant: hmmm . . . not sure. Are there any left? Many private schools began with a religious affiliation of some kind, but most are now independent and secular. Though some still have Theology/Divinity schools.</p>
<p>Evangelical: Wheaton College (IL), Pepperdine</p>
<p>Not quite sure where a school like SMU fits into this picture.</p>
<p>bclintonk ...I think you've nailed it on many fronts. SMU is a fine place, but not at all inclined to think of that as a "Christian" college anymore. To a lesser degree, not dissimilar to Harvard, Princeton, Bucknell, and many more. </p>
<p>And the other question that needs asking is what does the asker mean by "best"? This is a purely subjective concept, especially when talking about colleges and universities.</p>
<p>Evangelical/Protestant: Liberty University...one of the few protestant churches who haven't wavered in their Christian beliefs to become secular.</p>
<p>Is BYU good in CS??</p>
<p>Nikkiil- I'm not trying to start anything, simply asking a question. Is it true that two students at Liberty are not allowed to hold hands? Assuming opposite sexes but maybe same sex as well, I was told that they could hold an object between themselves, like a scarf or stick. Is that true, do you know? Also, I have heard the code of conduct is called Liberty Way but I have not been able to find a copy of it online to check this out on my own. I know someone who wants to apply there.</p>
<p>Christian and other religious colleges... now that's a can of worms. And when you ask for "good" do you mean good academically? with religious fervor? good value for the money?</p>
<p>bclintonk mentions some colleges which have traditionally been known as Catholic universities. However, with their huge percentages of non-catholics in their student bodies (Bill Clinton was at Georgetown!), with the exception of maybe Notre Dame and maybe Fordham, which does hold some Catholic principals, I would rank Catholic schools as: Franciscan U of Steubenville, Ave Maria U., Christendom... These school represent a growing fervor in the Church and an embracing of the teaching of the Magisterium. </p>
<p>"Good" protestant based schools include Grove City College in PA, Wheaten, maybe Biola.</p>
<p>Christendom College
U of Dallas
Thomas Aquinas</p>
<p>If you want an actually Christian University with respected academics then your only two choices are:</p>
<p>Biola University
Wheaton College</p>
<p>Pepperdine, Georgetown, Boston College etc. are Christian Universities only in name, not in actuality.</p>
<p>Where does Bob Jones fit into all this, in terms of quality education? I ask as interested outsider who lives near Bob Jones. I'm guessing half of the younger public school teachers in our area are Bob Jones graduates.</p>
<p>There are many Christian colleges with "respected academics." Check out Calvin College in Grand Rapids, Michigan, which has traditionally had an outstanding philosophy department, ABET accredited programs in certain fields, and other notable strengths (note the numbers of students successfully applying for and accepted to PhD programs, example).</p>
<p>So do I interpret the silence regarding Bob Jones University to mean no one has an opinion or that the teaching standards are remarkably low? I can tell you the graduates of BJU think very highly of themselves.</p>
<p>Average ACT is 23 for BJU which is very low.</p>
<p>My D is a freshman this year at BJU. She was ACT 25, a B student, homeschooled. She is doing B/C work so far at BJ. They assign a lot of homework, they push them much harder than I recall being pushed (Penn State and U of Oklahoma). They have a competitive atmosphere for grades. Grades, grades, grades! The profs are always hammering them to make A's. Some grade 93 as A, others 90. They have strict rules for dropping classes - like, you CAN'T drop core courses, and you must make a C in them. These include English, Speech, Bible, History of Civ, and more - too many, I think. One prof in a one-credit course (she dropped) told them get ready to work as if it is a three credit class. She must retake that at some point, it is in her major, but she needed to decrease her load her first semester.</p>
<p>I think they are especially strong in all kinds of music, education, nursing, humanities and of course, Bible and Divinity. They have good relationships with local universities for post-grad programs, including medicine. Overall BJ kids have a very strong work ethic because it is drilled into them, and they are made to do a lot more than make grades (see below).</p>
<p>Our D is majoring in piano performance. She loves the social scene, and we feel like she is safe there - we are far, far away from SC. They make you do A LOT beyond studies! The calendar is too full of extra-curricular mandatory activities - way too full. Society, ministry, Days of Prayer, artist series, dorm devotions and prayer meetings. The rules are tough! Very strict on guy/girl behavior. Most guys get pretty tired of it by their senior year. The dress code is relaxing more all the time.</p>
<p>I listen to chapel messages every week online. They are excellent. There are very godly, kind and student oriented teachers there whose heart is to serve. Most staff work there all their professional lives. Her piano teacher will take my D to massage when she needs it, she has a campus parent there who is in the Theology dept. and their whole family has been very kind to our D. We are pleased with the intentional effort they make to develop the whole student.</p>
<p>Dorms are awful. If we could change that we would. But they really work with them to practice Chrisitian humility and courtesy. Still, they are too crowded.</p>
<p>HTH,</p>
<p>Sandra</p>
<p>zoey,</p>
<p>The Code of Conduct (The Liberty Way) is in an area of their website that requires log-in. </p>
<p>According to the Code of Conduct
"Improper personal contact (anything beyond hand-holding) / Improper social behavior" received 4 reprimands and a $10 fine.</p>
<p>Same sex would not be allowed and most likely deemed as immorality which is 30 reprimands, $500 fine, 30 hours disciplinary community service and possible administrative withdrawl.</p>
<p>Liberty does hold very tightly to Biblical values and therefore, many of their rules are quite strict by most college standards...horrible if you are the student, quite nice as the parent of a student attending there. </p>
<p>If you PM me your email addy, I can send you a pdf copy of the Code of Conduct.</p>
<p>I really don't get this forum at all. There are dozens of Christian organizations on any campus. Why would you limit yourself to a college like liberty? Part of college is beeing exposed to new things.</p>
<p>I'm sure there are a great many who'd share your perception that attending a Christian college would somehow "limit yourself." Many would see college as pursuing truth, and for many that means being instructed from a Christian perspective by believers. And that it's not about experiencing the Whitman Sampler of worldviews. That's fine for some who may be searching. For those who've found the answer, well no sense dabbling with mythological messages ... </p>
<p>The point is that how one views this depends upon where one stands. If one doesn't know, just about anyplace and many messages might be fine. And the really sad part is that at a great many places diversity of opinion meanse exclusiveness of intellectualism and consequent exclusion of Christian teaching in the classrooms. So in love, war, and the secular classroom, all is not fair. And for many that exposure to new things is not at all welcomed, enlightening, or educational.</p>
<p>dvr, without beating a dead horse, one really isn't limiting themselves by chosing a college like Liberty. With such a HUGE student population, there is a large amount of diversity. Not all Liberty students are Christians...and even among those who are, many have opposing viewpoints. When I was completing my Associates Degree there, many of my classmates and I had opposing viewpoints on Christian ideals, and we each learned from each other. We learned acceptance of differing views. There is also a lot of variety within the classroom, as Christian colleges have the some of the same requirements that non-Christians schools have: English, History, Science. In Biology, we studied many of the secular theories...but since Liberty is Christian, we were open to discuss the Christian theory as well.</p>
<p>Are Christian schools for everyone? Nope...but secular schools aren't for everyone either. If I need to study science, then I need to study EVERY facet that is available, whether it is big bang, creationism, evolution, etc...not just what someone in the Supreme Court thinks is politically correct. If I am studying history, I want to learn ALL of history...including the religious undertones that led to the destruction of some countries and the creation of others. I want to know the real history of Israel and Palestine...not the doctored version.</p>
<p>There are also Quaker schools, which are Christian, by definition (Guilford, Haverford, Earlham, Swarthmore, and Bryn Mawr used to be, probably more). However, the Quaker schools are probably a good deal more liberal than some of the schools that are mentioned above. Nonetheless, Quakerism is a Christian religion.</p>
<p>A great many Christians and scholars would disagree, debate your last point. The Friends can be friendly though. :rolleyes:</p>
<p>But are Quakers by definition, theology, or creed Christian? No.</p>
<p>Are some Quakers Christian? Undoubtedly, but NOT as functions or definition of being Quakers. They are different circles that can overlap, but one is not concentric to the other. The same might hold true for Mormons, Unitarians, Christian Scientists, etc. None of these religions are Christian by definition, altho they all claim Jesus in some manner or form. </p>
<p>Interestingly, while many Christian Scientists or Mormons would proclaim themselves to be "Christian", virtually none of these will allow that non-Christian Scientists or non-LDSers are Christians. Which is a left-handed way of answering the question, it seems. :confused:</p>
<p>So are Quaker colleges such as Swarthmore, Bryn Mawr, Haverford defined as or define themselves as "Christian"? No way. In either instance. That notion is laughable, literally, and especially within the context of inquiring minds seeking to identify what are generally and specifically considered "Christian colleges." Are they fine schools? In many respects they are highly regarded.</p>