I’ve recently been accepted to Belmont University and Texas Christian University! I’m really excited about their academic programming and their locations and whatnot but I’m apprehensive about attending a Christian college. I didn’t think either would be too bad but then I watched a video where someone talked about applying to Belmont and TCU as a backup to Liberty U. I attend a Catholic high school and it’s fine, but I know Christian colleges can get REALLY christian. I’m gay and Jewish and I fully intend to be open about both during college, so…will I fit in and be okay at these schools?
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Did you look at the Jesuit schools like Fordham or Loyola Chicago? We found those to be pretty accepting. Son was accepted at Belmont. He was very interested in their music business program. He ended-up elsewhere though so can’t really provide any guidance. Most campuses are liberal with diversity resources today, even some of the Christian schools.
@chmcnm thanks for the input. I’m applying to SLU and Seattle U as well, which are both Jesuit. I’m not worried about those at all. I’m just curious about TCU and Belmont because I can’t seem to gauge how they are from my various online research and such.
You may want to look up each college’s student conduct rules to see if there are any required or expected religious service attendance and what the college administration’s stance on LGB students and activity are.
However, the students and the local community may not necessarily have similar opinions on the matter as the college administration (i.e. they may be either more friendly or less friendly).
My neighbor is Catholic and her daughter graduated from a Catholic HS in California. The daughter attends TCU. She loves it! It must be a Texas thang because she does feel very welcomed and safe. There is a group of her HS classmates that also attend.
Edited: She is also in a sorority.
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From what my friends have said just about anyone can fit in at TCU! I have not heard that it is “too” Christian.
Belmont - we looked into it because of music business by decided against based on the vibe (D is queer and very liberal). Read stories about Belmot here or elsewhere on the web, how invasive they are in checking the rooms for visitors, how severe in punishing “code violations” (booze, etc.) Helicopter parents seems to like it, no surprise here 
Disclaimer: we have to personal experience, it’s all second-hand.
Belmont has became much more liberal in the past few years. It is no longer what I would call predominantly Christian.
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If you haven’t already, attend a virtual event. I’m pretty sure that “Christian” is just in the name at TCU. I do believe that there are a lot of actively Christian students but that the university itself no longer has a formal religious mission or component.
FWIW: I think that there is a noticeable difference between Baylor & TCU with respect to the influence of religion on the daily campus life & culture.
@Publisher can you elaborate? My daughter got in to Baylor and Belmont, waiting to hear from TCU.
TCU is politically conservative but while many students may be Christian, it is not a “Christian” college.
Belmont has a religious culture and behavior+ academic requirements.
Baylor is similar to Belmont but with a different creed.