Cream of the Crop University-Christian or Non Christian
Written: Apr 13 '06 (Updated Apr 13 '06)
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Biola is Christlike, intentional, relevant, world-impacting and both academically and spiritually excellent.
Cons: Cost, Financial Aid Department Efficiency and Consistency
The Bottom Line: Without the slightest hesitation I would both enthusiastically recommend Biola and choose to enroll again, if I had it to do over again.
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| missjen's Full Review: Biola University |
I am delighted and privileged to be now 4 years post graduation and finding myself not only still fond of Biola, but growing increasingly more so as time goes on. How many people can say that about their University?
My major was Christian Education Ministries (a program for those wanting to go in to vocational church ministry such as children's or youth ministry). This program is one of the University's finest in terms of faculty. The CE professors (as I imagine most other Biola profs, though I don't have any first hand knowledge) are compassionate, experienced, knowledgeable, godly, professionals who bring a wealth of wisdom to their classrooms in both the academic and spiritual realms. The department itself functions as a family-4 years post graduation I am still receiving friendly, personal "hi, how are you?" emails from the department secretary. While on campus this past fall, all of my professors still knew me by name, remembered what I am now doing, and greeted me with warmth. I think that says a lot about the professors' commitment to their students as a whole person, not just a student of subject ______ in class ______. The curriculum of this particular major is not particularly academic in nature (then again, neither is the job), and I would like to see that improved, but in terms of practicality and relevance to the field, I couldn't speak more highly of it. One thing this particular program did very well was prepare me for leadership and team building. It taught the administrative and teaching parts of the job, but also the leading. Leadership skills are universal in their relevance, and I have been able to apply what I learned in the CE program to what I'm doing now, which is unconnected to my major. My husband is also a Biola graduate and speaks highly of his major (Business).
I am also an alumna of the Torrey Honors Institute. I could write for days about this program. Torrey was one of the single most influential factors in the development of who I am today as a child of God, as a student of life, as a wife, as a professional, as a person. The program is one of the most spiritually, mentally, academically and emotionally challenging things I've ever experienced. It pushes you to the depths of your knowledge and challenges your paradigms. The program gives historical and logical context to faith, ideas, knowledge, communication, history, philosophy and life. The mentors (Torrey word for professors) are among the most amazing people I have had the privilege to know. I am still in regular relationship with them (one even participated my wedding ceremony) and have had an opportunity to work with them in a professional setting, where their excellence carries over as much as I perceived when a student. My soul is better for knowing these people and for having experienced this community. The experience I had in the Torrey program is one of the greatest gifts I've ever been given. It's spiritually grueling, academically intense, and wholly life-changing.
The spiritual climate on campus is Biblical, thought provoking, challenging, intentional, and expansive, yet still safe and inviting of students to reason through their own faith and make their own conclusions.
The Student Missionary Union is large, organized, efficient and powerful. Through SMU students travel all over the world, reaching beyond themselves to change the world for Christ in short term missions trips. Additionally, they run the oldest Missions Conference in the country-and it's excellent.
Student Ministries provides students with ways to invest in the community in regular ministry, both church and para-church. It's well run and effective in both meeting students’ needs and helping the students meet the needs of others.
Chapels were Biblically based. I would have preferred more academically challenging material, more variety in worship styles, and more variety in speakers, but chapel schedules I've seen since my departure indicate to me that they are moving toward some of those changes. Also, it is largely dependent on chapel leadership, which is student elected and which changes each year.
Student life is great-it challenges students toward holiness and sanctification while still remembering that kids are kids and virtuous fun is appropriate. There is a variety of community building activities, and spiritually challenging opportunities. The student government takes aggressive, creative, challenging leadership of the campus and works closely with the administration so as to ensure consistency with the University's purpose.
Dorm life is, well, dorm life. I wouldn't call it great-when I was there it was overcrowded, and somewhat noisy, but I think that goes with the territory of dorm life. They've also built a new enormous dorm on campus since I left, purchased off-site apartments for student housing, and started construction on a second new dorm, so I am confident the problem is improving.
Parking is a beast, but again, this has also been improved with the addition of a new parking structure and re-configuration of existing property. I'm confident that current or new students would have an easier go of things in this regard than I did.
Biola is aggressive in meeting the needs that accompany its ever-growing population. In my tenure as a student, they opened a beautiful new library facility. Since my departure they've expanded the cafeteria, built a new dorm and parking structure, and expanded the gym and are currently working on a new home for the School of Business and the School of Psychology, as well as a new dorm.
Biola is culturally relevant. They invite the community on to the campus throughout the year, for "safe" things like swim lessons and lip sync contests, and also for challenging things like debates and discussions about middle eastern peace, creationism versus evolution, and world religion. Biola intentionally engages the world while refusing to conform to it. Though I now live 500 miles from the University, I increasingly encounter the results of its outreach and am continually impressed with the ways Biola is striving to be a light in this world.
My primary complaint was with Financial Aid, which has a high turnover rate in its counselors. I frequently was told conflicting things by different counselors and more than once a paperwork or negligence error on their part found me in an shaky situation with my financial aid. Once, they came close to jeopardizing a significant part of my aid and thereby my ability to remain at the University. I learned to document everything and with intervention by the Vice Provost, everything was eventually solved. I recommend that any student of any university document everything when dealing of something of this nature, but I do hope that Biola has significantly improved in this regard.
I am so blessed to have had the opportunity to study and grow at this University. I prayed and researched heavily before deciding on it and I am thankful that I did. I cannot imagine a more excellent program for students seeking to grow in both mind and character to impact the world for Christ. Biola is not only a powerhouse among its peers in the Christian University world, but is a serious competitor to many of the more traditionally lauded, secular Universities. A student would not be "settling" to go to this small Christian University--in fact, they would be doing quite the opposite.
Recommended:
Yes
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Epinions.com ID:
missjen
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Member: Jennifer
Location: Phoenix, AZ
Reviews written: 18
Trusted by: 1 member
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