Should You Consider “Religious” Colleges?

Hi guys! It’s Eric at Solution Prep, and today we’re discussing whether you should consider religiously affiliated colleges; even if it’s not your religion, or if you’re not religious at all.

Some colleges have their faith at the center of everything they do from education in the classroom to student life outside of it. Brigham Young University in Utah boasts that 99% of their students are Mormon, so if you’re not a Mormon it’s probably not the right college for you.

Other colleges have it right there in the name like: Texas Christian University, or Catholic University of America. Liberty University is an Evangelical college, and if you’re not an Evangelical it’s probably not a place where you’re going to feel like you fit in.

Then there are colleges that are a little more inclusive of students of other faiths, but you will still see their faith everywhere you look. Like Providence College in Rhode Island where their team is the Friars and some of their classes are taught by real life Friars wearing the traditional robes with the traditionally round haircut. Then there’s Pepperdine in Malibu, CA, — affiliated with the Church of Christ in Texas — though they consider themselves the kind of hippie, left-coast wing of that church and you can get a pretty secular education there. But when you’re surfing, they’re going to be reciting scripture to you, and when you’re doing yoga on the beach they’re going to be reciting scripture to you.

Then there are 28 Jesuit universities in America. The Jesuits are the teaching order of the Catholic church, and some of these are just world class colleges like Notre Dame, and Georgetown. And others are great places for a great education like Boston College, Fairfield, four different Loyolas, and more, where if you are a Catholic, you’re going to find a lot of catering to that Catholic faith, but if you’re not Catholic, you’re not going to feel like it’s being forced on you. Like at Sacred Heart, where the only religious requirements on campus are that you take a philosophy class or two, and a world religion class or two which are both just good classes for any college student to take to learn about the world around you.

Then there are schools that were founded as religious institutions that are no longer affiliated. Since 2003 the Catholic church considers Marist to be a secular college. Colgate is proud to have been founded by 13 Baptists to educate Baptists, but now they’ll tell you they have 13 different religious clergy on campus available to students of all faiths.

Heck, even half the ivys were founded by religions for religious reasons but are now completely secular education.
So it doesn’t matter how a college was founded. It matters how big a role that religion plays in day-to-day life, in and out of the classroom today. And that’s what you want to find out.

And if you are a religious person, and you want to make sure that your religion is going to be catered to while you’re at college. If you’re Jewish, you can check and see if they have a Hillel or Chabad on or near campus. If you’re Muslim, is there a mosque? If you’re Hindu, is there a temple? Whatever your faith is, are there going to be amenities for you?

These are the things you need to research, so don’t just cross a college off based on their initial founding. Do that research.

If you have questions, call us at 732-556-8220. We are here to help.