Dies bona, everyone. Hopefully, this year will be my last year of high school. I plan to matriculate into community college in order to clean up a math credit, two science credits, and possibly a history/social science credit and another science credit throughout this summer and fall. I’ll retake Algebra I and Geometry due to my dismal scores my first time around, which will help me prep for the ACT, the standardized test I plant to take. I hope to go into the ministry, pursuing a M.Div. program and then a PhD; however, I’m not sure exactly where I want to go. Wheaton is my primary goal, and I’ll be checking it out in April. The other schools I apply to will most likely end up being “fallback” colleges, though I don’t mean that in a disparaging way. From what I hear, Wheaton is, to quote Loren Pope, the “Harvard of Christian Colleges,” and if that is truly the case, it’s where I need to be. Despite a rough start during my time as a homeschooled sophomore, which is why I have to retake two math classes, I’ve done quite well throughout my high school years, and I can say that my GPA will most likely be in the 3.7 to 3.9 range. Through assiduity, I hope to get at least a 30 on the ACT, but I will try my best to get a 32 or more.
I used to want to go to secular colleges because I knew I could flaunt my intellectual prowess to those around me, but I realize now that it is not for my own glory but instead for His alone. I understand that to many this will come off as trite Christian jargon, but it is truly the conclusion that I have thankfully drawn about my education. So, with that, what advice do you have to offer me concerning these colleges? I’m mostly interested in Wheaton, Gordon, and Asbury. Calvin is alluring, but I’m not sure if I would flourish there, as I am not of the Reformed faith. Also, I’m not necessarily sold on Westmont and Messiah; I just know that some of my favorite scholars, such as Peter Enns, came from these schools.
Alas, I digress. Being the zealous scholar I am, choosing a the right school is very important to me, particularly choosing the one that He’s leading me towards. So, edify me and help me make the right choice, as it’s not as black and white as many say it is.
Your pride is really off-putting. That’s my first thought. “Flaunt your intellectual prowess?” You do realize that there are students at both Christian and secular colleges with stats far better than yours, right? Apply to the schools that interest you, wait for the replies, and then decide. As with spouses, there are no “soul mates” when it comes to colleges, only places where you will thrive if you commit to do so.
Salve, puer.
Wheaton, IL, and Calvin, are definitely a cut above. Westmont would be a safety and not as academically sound as the others. Messiah and Gordon are good, well located. Check out Hope, Moravian, Eastern, and if interested in the South, Wofford. Are you only interested in evangelical colleges or would you consider general/affiliated Christian colleges and Catholic colleges?
Vale.
And avoid speaking like a 19th century book, even if it’s what you’re immersing yourself in right now. 
I was trying to sound that way; if I was, I’m sorry.
I was trying to edit the above comment, but my time ran out before I could; here’s what I was going to say.
Massmomm, you took my words out of context. This is what I said in full: “I used to want to go to secular colleges because I knew I could flaunt my intellectual prowess to those around me, but I realize now that it is not for my own glory but instead for His alone.” I said that because I was completely selfish and wasn’t truly considering God when it came to my education.
MYOS, I’ve actually been working on my writing, as it used to be far worse than it is now. Back when I was first starting to write, I used so many big words that I came off as a snob. Thankfully, I’ve tried to tone down on that because if you inundate a page with words that many do not know, it simply will not engage a reader. However, not using any fancy words will not change up the cadence of your writing, and this will also not engage your reader. Therefore, the best way is to tactfully place them where it decorates a sentence and thus makes the reader keep on reading what you’ve written.
Anyways, back to my academics. At this point, I’m not sure where I’m going to go. I’m sorry to waver like this, but it just is what it is. My dad and I are going to check out Wheaton in April; Gordon and Calvin are also possibilities. However, I’m still planning to apply to some top tier secular institutions. Because of the nature of my education, I will push myself in anyway that I can to make myself stand out from the crowd. Nevertheless, as I said earlier, I will continue to seek God’s will for my life when it comes to my education and not rely on my will alone.
First of all, if you have to retake Algebra 1 and Geometry you aren’t going to be flaunting any “intellectual prowess.”
Second, Yes, Wheaton is an alright school, but look at any of the rankings…Wesleyan looks to be the best Christian college in the country.
@173340, you take my words out of context; I wasn’t saying what you think I was saying.
Anyways, Wheaton is simply one of the only two Christian colleges I’m interested in; the other is Calvin.
@173340 To which Wesleyan are you referring?
What are you interested in studying prior to getting the M.Div. degree?
I second Calvin and Hope as good schools. Just because they are affiliated with certain denominations doesn’t mean that such will be forced down your throat.
Wherever you go, a little more humility will help you in the long run. Try using fewer words and fewer references to yourself when you seek to engage others. Vale.
@gandalf78, I’m planning on studying some sort of blend of philosophy, theology, and English before I go to seminary.
Also, since I wrote that post, I have changed quite a bit. For a long time, I was quite arrogant, believing myself to be some sort of “ubermensch” because I was smarter and had better theology than everybody else. Thankfully, God didn’t let me stay in that state of mind. I have been humbled, as all of His followers must be. For we forget often that disciple, derived from the Latin word for student, means we must always be learning and changing.
What are your stats now? GPA, any SAT/ACT/PSAT scores? How much can you afford?
I’m assuming you’re a junior now. You’re homeschooled so you have to choose a place that is homeschool friendly. I definitely know Messiah is homeschool friendly. About two years ago, I saw them at a homeschool convention and talked to one of the reps. Messiah gets plenty of homeschoolers. It’s a little bit more broad when it comes to major choices so it won’t have as much of a narrow selection per se. For example, they have biochemistry and Chinese business and a pre-podiatry track. (Don’t worry, they definitely have the concentrations you are pursuing.)
Westmont isn’t homeschool friendly. They don’t even have a page for it. When I Googled “westmont college homeschool”, this came up: http://www.westmont.edu/_offices/financial_aid/home-school-information.html It may seem confusing but they are basically saying that in order to receive federal aid and California money (Not sure where you live but having this requirement for federal money is still a concern) you have to take an Ability to Benefit test.
That basically means you have to take the GED. That is a very controversial issue for homeschoolers and it’s not always in your best benefit. You can Google for more information on why taking the GED is such a big deal and not generally advised.
If you’re interested in Calvin, just keep this page in mind once your stats are official (http://www.calvin.edu/admissions/facts-standards/) so you know where you fall in their percentile ranges. That’s important no matter what. Calvin seems mildly homeschool friendly (http://www.calvin.edu/admissions/apply/homeschooled/) They have a page and a whole process but want that Common App teacher’s recommendation from someone outside the family. In most cases, I discovered that colleges want to see that you were taught outside the home by someone else (co-op, community college, whatever) Hopefully, that’s not an issue but for some people, this is because their parents are their only teachers. No matter what, make sure you secure recommendations from people outside the family whether they are teachers, pastors, supervisors or coaches.
Here’s Asbury’s admission requirements: http://www.asbury.edu/admissions/undergraduate/how-apply/freshman
Upon Googling, it seems like Asbury is very involved with the homeschool community and offers classes and even a special program for homeschoolers (http://www.asbury.edu/news-events/news/2009-05-asbury-announces-new-homeschool-honors-institute)
Gordon is good; they sent me mail through the Student Search Service on the PSAT. They’re homeschool friendly: http://www.gordon.edu/homeschool
With Wheaton, you’d have to submit extra forms. Check this link and the FAQ it leads to: (http://www.wheaton.edu/Admissions-and-Aid/Undergrad/Prospective-Students/Homeschooled) For homeschoolers, doing this type of research is imperative. It can mean the difference between attending or not. Going where you’re welcome and going where there are other homeschoolers is a very important factor.
Good luck!
Thanks, @TheDidactic! However, I will say that I’m only really interested in Wheaton and Calvin at this point; Gordon is only if I don’t get into either of those schools, which I doubt will happen.
Calvin and Wheaton are definitely the best academically, but don’t write Hope off, and look at Moravian as well as Gordon, especially since it’s quite homeschool-friendly.
@MYOS1634, I’m not sure why you think that Calvin and Wheaton are “the best academically,” since they both have acceptance rates north of 60%, while Gordon’s is 40%. While I realize that higher selectivity doesn’t necessarily mean better academics, it is something to consider. In any case, all good schools are homeschool-friendly, although they may depend more heavily on test scores and essays for admission.
Their acceptance rates aren’t the same because the applicant cohorts aren’t the same.
Gordon’s applicants aren’t as academically competitive, even though they’re certainly well-qualified for college, especially in comparison to Wheaton, since Calvin is only slightly better than Gordon and can thus be considered of similar quality.
Wheaton: average GPA 3.7, 54% above 3.75, 58% in top 10% of class, 2% 3 and below, 29 average ACT, threshold for bottom 25%: 27, about 30% score 700 or higher on any portion of the SAT.
Gordon: average GPA 3.5, 44% above 3.75, 34% top 10%, 19% 3 and below, average ACT 26, threshold for bottom 25% 22, 8-9% score 700+ on any portion of the SAT.
In other words, the average Wheaton student is equivalent to the top 25% students at Gordon, and there aren’t as many high-achievers but more average students at Gordon than at Wheaton. Note however that Gordon students are college-ready, so it’s just a matter of “best academically” vs. “good”.
Calvin is closer to Gordon:
At Calvin, average GPA is 3.6, 40% are above 3.75, 30% top 10%, 12% 3 and below, average ACT 26, threshold for bottom 25% 23, 11-13% score 700+ on any portion of the SAT,
If you can afford these schools, at least go visit them before deciding. We are looking at Calvin right now. Their price tag is not as high as some others, but they don’t give as much scholarship money.
“all good schools are homeschool-friendly, although they may depend more heavily on test scores and essays for admission.”
Not all good schools are homeschool-friendly. Just because they choose to accept homeschoolers doesn’t necessarily mean they are friendly. Any school that specifically asks a homeschooler for something MORE than they would ask from a regular-schooled student (GED, SAT Subject tests, specific AP’s, specific essays, portfolios etc.) aren’t exactly the most homeschool friendly. The most homeschool friendly school is a school that treats you normally and equally. Every school is different; I know from personal experience. There’s nothing wrong with a school that places more emphasis on your Common App essay to see how you are as a person (because schools do that anyways) but when they want to see extra papers–papers you wrote during the school year that were graded–that poses an issue UNLESS they commonly ask the same of regular students.
So the bottom line is: when you’re blatantly treated differently from other kids by the admissions committees, chances are they aren’t the most homeschool friendly.
^^^My point was that the “good” schools require things like subject tests and letters of recommendation from all applicants, but because a homeschooled student doesn’t have a GPA that can be compared with that of other students educated in the same institution, the college must rely more heavily on the SAT/ACT scores and essays.