Is That College Truly Christian?
Where can I find a list of Christian colleges in our region of the country? And how can I know if they are truly Christian?
This is a loaded question, but one that many homeschooling families share. Every family’s definition of “truly Christian” can vary drastically, based upon their individual beliefs and denomination. Because of this, I don’t know that there is a comprehensive guide that lists which colleges and universities meet these criteria.
As I have written about before, there are multiple resources available for families to determine which schools meet their selected needs. Additional resources to assist the Christian family can be found at Schools in the USA and College Bound.
One resource that many Roman Catholic families have found to be of the utmost value is the Newman Guide to Choosing a Catholic College. Every family I’ve spoken with who has purchased this book raves about it.
Although there are many books and websites available to students and parents to help narrow the search for a Christian college, I would always recommend calling up the select school’s admissions office, and inquiring of their institutional philosophy pertaining to both Christianity and education. After doing this, visit the school and ask students and teachers similar questions, specifically on how this philosophy is practically applied in daily activities and campus life. This can often give you the answers you’re looking for.
One final resource to ease the college search process can be found My College Calendar. They list several online search sites which can help make the process a bit simpler.
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The Jesuit universities are wonderful. The academics are excellent, the spiritual life is rich, and the gospel commitment to the pursuit of justice is cultivated in students. You’d have to read the varied mission statements, visit, attend services and speak with campus ministers to see if this is your brand of “Christian.”
Carolyn Johnson, Ed.D.
College Application Service, caj21@columbia.edu
Almost 20 yrs ago, I had this same question when looking for colleges for my twins. We ended up doing exactly what you suggest:
1. call the college or university & ask as many questions as I could think of
2. narrow the list to a select few
3. visit & question some more
It’s the same steps you would use to find a secular college, I think, but the questions would be different.
Please note that “Christian” in the name doesn’t always mean much. For instance, one of my first questions was “What do you do in chapel?” If the answer pertained to poetry & announcements, I moved on.
Linda Reed, Coordinator
Rutledge Falls Homeschool Fellowship
Heart & Hearth Home Education Support Group
http://tn-heart-and-hearth.com
mother of 10, including 2 graduates from public school, 1 from private, 4 from homeschool so far; homeschooling gr 10, 8, and 5