College Blues: Do I Have to Attend a Christian Institution?

There are religious academic institutions all over the world which are Christian, Islamic, Jewish, Buddhist, etc. Christian institutions are so varied and founded by Protestant, Catholic, Latter Day Saints (LDS), Pentecostal, Adventist, Scientology, etc, denominations. For students who have a strong faith and want to surround themselves with others with similar beliefs, a religious college might be good for them.

The decision to attend the tertiary level of education can be quite exciting and fearful for many teenagers. Nevertheless, every teenager must consider the choice of institution as seriously as the discipline of study. Why?  Some of that decision you may have to take has to be highly practical – location of the school, affordability, etc. In some cases, your decision could be on the academic reputation of the institution; while some may consider institutions that will support and encourage their faith-life and challenge them to apply their faith to their studies.

When you go to college/university, you join a community which spreads through the classroom, the cafeteria, the hostel, the laboratory, the sports field, the hang-out areas, etc. As a prospective student exploring a choice of Christian college/university, the community aspect may attract you a lot because it can help you learn more about yourself through worship, prayer, Bible study and fellowship with other Christians. Nevertheless, for many reasons, not all Christian teens will choose to attend a specifically Christian college/university unless it happens to be especially important that the college years will provide a forum for them to grow in their life of faith. A non-Christian college/university can still provide you with opportunities for growth in the Christian community.

Many secular universities have strong campus ministry programs or chapters of faith-based intercollegiate groups. However, you may prefer to immerse yourself more fully in the Christian community, experiencing all aspects of your college life. For such a student, a Christian college might be the best choice.

Attending a Christian institution will give you the opportunity to learn from older Christians and benefit from their explicit Christian teaching and mentoring. However, learning is best when challenged by divergent worldviews and there should be opportunities for your vigorous engagement which may inform the school’s commitments and strengths to missions, social deeds, the environment, etc.

A Christian institution provides a practical environment for you to engage your faith within the community especially, in active ministry in such activities as mission trips, internships, etc and sharpen your creativity and compassion in a godly way.

As a teenager preparing for tertiary education, you may need to ponder deeply about your choice of school. Try to speak with close family and friends to obtain much needed counsel to help you make this vital choice.

Proverbs 15:22, “Without consultation and wise advice, plans are frustrated,
But with many counselors they are established and succeed” (AMP).

Parents with teens facing this dilemma can do a lot to help them navigate the array of choices before them. In the article, “Helping Your Teen Choose a College”, Jeanne Gowen Dennis describes her effort thus;

“My daughter, Christine, didn't have a clear direction for choosing a college. Throughout her junior and senior years, she searched catalogs, discussed options with friends and admissions counselors, and attended college information days — but no school seemed right. She felt overwhelmed by the pressure of making a decision that would affect the rest of her life.

To help her make the right choice, my husband and I prayerfully guided her in three distinct ways: fostering an understanding of her gifts and personality, helping her match a college's focus to who she was, and assisting her in facing the realities of finances and other practical factors”.

Ultimately, as a Christian teenager, you need to seek the face of the Almighty God on that major decision of your life. He is the Omniscience God… He knows ALL things. He is your Creator and the best Navigator of your life. He put together your destiny and has gifted you with every resource and ability to accomplish it. Touching base with Him such as in times like this, not only reveals your vulnerability to Him but draws Him closer to you in your time of great need.

Jeremiah 33:3, “Call to Me and I will answer you, and tell you [and even show you] great and mighty things, [things which have been confined and hidden], which you do not know and understand and cannot distinguish” (AMP).