How to Look at Christian Colleges and Universities

Are you considering Christian colleges or universities for your athlete? Are they all the same? What should you be looking for?

Most US students attend a public school. According to the Fast Facts website, in 2021, 49 million students attended public schools. 5.5 million students attended private schools.

According to the Education Data Initiative in 2023, 73% of college students attended a public institution. When you do the math, about 5 million students attended a private college or university.

Millions of students each year attend a private college.

Private colleges are both religious and secular. It is easy to spot a secular college, but what about institutions with a religious affiliation? Are they all the same in practice? The short answer is no. (When speaking of Christian colleges I am including both Protestant and Catholic.) If you are considering a Christian college it is important to understand the distinctions so that you choose a school where you’ll feel comfortable.

The Christian College Spectrum

Don’t be mistaken. All Christian colleges are not the same. For the sake of simplicity, I have broken all schools into four types of Christian colleges and universities. In reality, it’s more of a spectrum and even varies from professor to professor at many schools.

The most conservative Christian Colleges and Universities require faculty, staff, and students to agree with their statement of faith.

Then there are many colleges with strong religious affiliations that require professors and staff to sign a statement of faith, but the student body is a mix of both Christian and non-Christian. Everyone is welcome, but the classroom teaching will be distinctively conservative Christian.

Thirdly, there are many schools that were founded by a particular denomination and now either the school or the denomination (or both) have shifted to be socially and religiously liberal. There may still be Bible classes, chapels, and references to Christianity but neither professors nor students are required to agree with a statement of faith, and some may be openly hostile to the school’s roots.

Finally, some schools were Christian schools when they were founded but there is now no connection to God or faith on campus.

So it’s Christian, What Does that Mean?

Your goal as a prospective student is to find a school where you will feel comfortable and have a great athletic and academic experience. There are enough educational options out there that everyone can find a good fit. Pinpoint what type of religious school your teen wants to attend, then take the time to find one they love.

Here are 10 telling questions:

1. Is the school asking you to sign a statement of faith or submit a written testimony? This seems like a no brainer, but seriously students lie about this all the time then later realize their mistake. Don’t sign your name to something you don’t believe.
2. Look at the website. Are there Bible verses or a motto that mentions Christ featured prominently? Is there a Statement of Faith or a Mission Statement? Are you comfortable with it?
3. Look at the mailings the school sends you. How often is faith mentioned?
4. How does the school handle sexual diversity?
5. Are students required to take Bible classes? Are the courses titled “New Testament Survey” and “Christian Thought”? Or are you finding “Comparative Religion” and “Christianity, Islam, and Judaism”? Do you want to sit through those Bible classes?
6. Many religious schools still require chapel attendance, both conservative and liberal. When you visit campus ask to sit in on chapel. Look at the chapel schedule for the year, what type of speakers and topics do you see?
7. Is there a moral code of conduct for students? Many universities, even state schools, will have a dry campus. But many conservative schools will ask you to sign a statement that you will not drink at any time, or use drugs.  Be a person of integrity. Find out what the code of conduct is and be sure you are willing to keep it.
8. Look at clubs on campus. On a campus visit, you can usually find a list of clubs in the Student Life office. Don’t just look at the clubs you might want to join, look at every club.
9. What denomination is the campus associated with? Does it matter to them? This will give you an indication of how involved the church and doctrine of the denomination are in campus life.
10. When you sit in on a college class what do you see? Do they pray? Does the professor discuss his or her faith while teaching?

Is the Athletic program Christian?

Athletic programs range in their Christianity. You will find some college teams where faith comes first in the lives of the players. Other teams, even on Christian campuses, will be Christians in name only. You will see no evidence of faith.

Five indicators will help you to determine the difference.

1. Does the team have devotions before or after practice?
2. Does the team pray with the other team after the game?
3. How do the players interact with each other?
4. Does the coach mention anything about faith during your campus meeting? If it is important to the coach and the life of the team, the coach will mention it in your meeting.
5. Do the players do service projects or mission trips?

Feel free to ask both players and coaches these questions.

Finding Where You Belong

This post is not just for Christians. No matter how important God is in your life, you can use these principles to find a college your teen loves. When looking at colleges, finding the right fit is important. At private Christian schools, you want to find a school that will fit your values and make your teen feel like they belong.

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Next, take a look at Interview With Indiana Wesleyan Softball Coach.