When people around Chicago heard I went to Wheaton College, they often gave the same dismissive response: "Oh, that's the school where you can't dance, isn't it?" Actually, now, students can dance at Wheaton, although they can't drink, smoke or have overnight guests of the opposite sex. To some people, moral codes and rules like this are a Very Big Deal.
After all, movies and TV shows routinely portray college as one beer-drenched party after another, interspersed with drug use and one-night hookups. Wheaton, by contrast, always ranks near the top of The Princeton Review's list of "Stone Cold Sober Schools." Who could have fun at a place like that?
Well, I had fun at a place like that. One night, some friends and I had so much crazy, silly, perfectly law-abiding fun that we were eyed suspiciously by a police officer at Denny's at 2 a.m. Long story. Anyway, my point is that "stone cold sober" doesn't have to mean "drop dead boring." Still, consider this: College costs a bit more than, say, a day at a theme park. So it's got to offer more than just fun. Fortunately, Christian colleges offer more than wholesome entertainment. So instead of thinking of them as places where you can't (fill in the blank), think of them as places where you can…
Get a great education. Christian colleges take education seriously and they attract serious students. Some of my college friends have gone on to law school, medical school, and Ph.D. programs. Some are teachers, journalists, chemists and members of many other interesting professions. I also have friends in full-time ministry and overseas mission work. All of them will tell you that their Christian education opened the doors to where they are today. Of course, different Christian colleges have different strengths.
Bible colleges stress the subjects that prepare students for ministry—biblical languages, theology, counseling, and so on. Likewise, Christian liberal arts colleges usually feature a few areas of strength. For example, one college might have an exceptional art department, while another features highly respected physics professors. Knowing things like this about the schools you're considering can help you make your decision about which places will help you get where you want to go.
In other words, choosing Christian higher education doesn't mean limiting your future occupation to "pastor" or "missionary," and it certainly doesn't mean settling for second-rate academics.
Get noticed. Christian colleges tend to be small. This could be a problem for students who have always dreamed of squinting at a lecturer from a sea of 500 faces, but for everyone else, small has some big advantages. For one thing, professors at small colleges almost always teach their own classes.
This is not true at large research universities, where professors often focus on their own studies while graduate students pick up the lecturing slack. Who would you rather listen to throughout the week: trained, experienced professionals, or harried, underpaid 24-year-olds with three or four of their own papers to write? For another thing, many professors at small colleges make incredible efforts to connect with their students.
One of my teachers invited our whole British literature class to her home and baked us cookies. It's always nice when an instructor knows your name (and feeds you cookies), but connecting with professors has even more important advantages. A professor who really knows you can offer sincere guidance as you face questions like, "How am I going to get through this semester?" or "What should I do with my life?" He or she can help you make job contacts or find a graduate school, writing kind recommendation letters to smooth your way.
In short, good profs are exactly the type of people you want in your corner as you prepare to head out into the world.
Speak your mind. It's a common misconception that Christian colleges don't teach students to think critically. After all, critics say, if they require students and faculty to sign a statement of faith, how open can they really be to a free exchange of ideas? How can people who believe ideas like the inspiration of the Bible have any good discussions? If all the answers are determined beforehand, then won't you be criticized or rejected for asking hard questions about what the Bible says?
It's been my experience that Christian professors are very open to discussion. And they understand that although there are some things all Christians agree on—the "essentials" of the faith—there are many denominations and many ways to interpret the "nonessentials." I've had some of my liveliest discussions in a Christian college classroom, or in late-night sessions with students in my dorm. And even when I disagreed with a prof or my fellow students, I was always treated with a great deal of respect.
Tackle tough issues. Some people figure Christian higher education is nothing more than glorified Sunday school. But Christian college professors don't use puppets and kiddie books. They do something much tougher: They help students ask grown-up questions without losing their childlike faith. College is all about asking questions, and not just the ones on exams.
Science majors have to deal with debates over the origins of the earth and ethical dilemmas like stem-cell research. Artists search for beauty in a desperately fallen world. Theology and philosophy majors eat, sleep and breathe conundrums. Wrestling with all of this stuff can be really unsettling, even at a Christian college. But it makes a big difference to be surrounded by people who share your beliefs as well as your uncertainties. A godly community is a great place to struggle.
Transform. It's a total cliché, but it's still true: people change a lot in college. They pick up new slang. They experiment with their hair. Some change denominations and political parties. Some even fall in love. I didn't find the perfect guy in chapel, but I did adopt the word "random," have a brief fling with the "layered look," and attend a church that was unlike any my parents had taken me to. More importantly, I was pushed out of my high-school shell by many loving hands—and a few unceremonious shoves.
For example, my junior year, I edited the school newspaper. A classmate stole another student's wallet and used his credit cards to call 900 numbers. I had to decide how to cover the story, balancing justice and mercy, and then I had to explain my decision to the newspaper staff. The experience definitely shaped my character. To give another example, one of my senior year roommates decided I was too worried about what guys thought of me. She ordered me to take a semester off of dating. It sounds silly, but she was right. I was lucky to have a Christian friend who cared so much about what was best for me.
And after graduation, when I met the guy I would eventually bring home as my fiancé, I was ready. Did I really miss out on a lot of fun by going to a Christian college? Some might say so. But the experiences I had there—socially, academically and spiritually—created the kind of great memories I will never forget. It would have been nice to go out line dancing or ask a crush to the spring formal. It was better, though, to know I was becoming the person God wanted me to be.
Written by Elesha Coffman
