Factors to Consider in Choosing a Christian College

As an active high school senior with good grades and high test scores, I was overwhelmed with the decision of choosing the right college.

I received three to five pieces of mail in my family's mailbox each day that year, from colleges that were practically in my backyard, to colleges across the country, from private colleges, public colleges, technical colleges, colleges for women, from gigantic universities, tiny colleges—you name it.

So terrified was I with this decision that I'd lie awake at night, staring at the ceiling, feeling sick to my stomach. On the worst nights, I'd pray, "God, either choose a college for me, or just let me die a happy high school senior."

Thankfully, neither prayer was answered.

For me, part of the process of choosing a college was becoming an independent thinker, growing up, and using my decision-making skills.

I was amazed at the thought that for some, the choice of what college to go to is easy. Some of my peers made their decisions based on where their parents went. Where they got a scholarship. The institution that had the best program for their intended career. Where all their friends were going. Who had the best price tag.

There's nothing wrong with those reasons, but I wanted something more.

For one, I knew that the next few years would shape the rest of my life.

I also expected a lot from college and, a lot from myself. I hoped that I would make incredible friends, figure out what it was that I wanted to do with my life, and have amazing new experiences. I wanted to travel, I wanted to explore, I wanted to grow, I wanted to be challenged to excel. In short, I wanted a life education.

My family didn't have a lot of money and was unable to help me financially, so I knew that I would have to rely on financial aid, scholarships, and a part-time job.

In spite of those circumstances, money (or lack thereof) was important, but it wasn't my top priority.

Finding the right fit for myself was.

Here are a couple of things I did that eventually helped me make a decision.

I made a priority list. These factors were all important for me:

• Faith. My faith had always been the most important thing in my life, so choosing a Christian college that would educate me in every area of my life was very important. Knowing that I wanted to attend a faith-based college helped me eliminate a lot of colleges, but still gave me hundreds to choose from.

• School size. In my campus visits, I went to one school that had only 64 students, and another one that had more than 30,000 students! My high school class had about 140 students, so choosing a college that had an enrollment of about 2,500 was a perfect change—much bigger than high school, but not so large that I felt like "just a number."

• Distance. This was an important factor for me. I chose a college close enough to drive home in a few hours, but far enough from my family to gain some independence.

• Activities offered. I knew I wanted to get involved with service organizations and a college newspaper, both of which were invaluable experiences that led to internships and, eventually, full-time jobs!

• Majors. Some of the smaller colleges I visited had limited majors, and while I knew I wanted to do something with writing, I had no idea what my options were. So I recommend choosing a college with several majors you're interested in, and perhaps taking a class in each field to help you make a decision.

• Fitting in. I had a lot in common with the student admissions rep at the college I eventually chose, and she introduced me to several of her friends. It meant a lot to me to receive such a warm welcome and feel immediately accepted.

I narrowed my choice to ten, then visited each. Campus visits can tell you so much more than brochures or even virtual tours via the web. My junior and senior years, I visited the top ten schools I was interested in (five were close by; three were out of state; and two were only a few hours away), which quickly helped me eliminate some and move others to the top of my list.

For me, that right fit was a liberal arts Christian college with structure, but not a lot of unnecessary rules. My college years far exceeded each of my expectations and are four (and a half) years that I will treasure for a lifetime.

Provided by Amber Balash from Malone College.