Thinking about going to a christian university?

If you are receiving scholarship opportunities from these Christian schools then you shouldn't have any more of a problem receiving offers from other colleges. University is a four year experience at minimum. It will not be something you want to have to suffer through. Smaller state universities shouldn't be any more of a financial burden. Not to mention, the early offers that colleges send out are far from your own opportunity to receive aid, grants, or scholarships. The bulk of those aren't even considered until January through Spring.

 

It wouldn't be worth it to me. Just being in that environment itself would be depressing. Then you have to watch everything you do and say for fear of being kicked out at any given point in time. You'd pretty much be signing a contract(with yourself) of staying closeted for the next 4 years and lying, whether you decide what your sexuality is in that time or not and to come out if you wanted, which you wouldn't be able to do. I'd pick a more accepting college in a heart beat. What is the advantage of a Christian one?

 

College is supposed to be a time where you discover yourself. Why choose one that won't let you be who you are?

 

Go to a proper university and join a christian union. Go to church to be religious and go to college to learn, don't mix up the two.

 

Isn't it obvious? I mean, not to sound rude or anything, but this is not about the kind of shirt you are wearing on Tuesday. This is a HUGE deal, especially because it's college! Now, if this was a grad program where you were older and wouldn't be as involved in school...MAYBE we could talk.
But this...this is almost a no brainer. Don't do this - it won't turn out well.

 

Perhaps you could compromise and go to the less-strict school. Someone suggested you go to the state school and join the campus ministry organization, which isn't altogether a bad idea, though you should find out where they stand, as they may not be open, either.

When picking the school, what it comes down to is you have to decide whether your sexuality or your faith is more important. People around here will be quick to diss any religious institution, but as a Christian, you surely understand that it's not as simple as it seems to make a choice when faced with these two super important parts of your identity...

At this point in your life, which part of you do you feel is most important to develop? The Christian part, or the part which questions your sexuality?

 

I think you answered your own question, then. It seems to me that for the moment, you would benefit more from being in a place which fosters healthy living habits and spiritual growth, even if it means you can't explore the gay part of your sexuality (I guess it's a good thing that you consider yourself bi, that way you may still meet a nice girl to date). You have to weigh the pros and the cons. If the only con is the bi thing, maybe the pros are more important.

If you don't mind sharing, which Christian schools offered you admission?

 

Going to a dry college isn't going to help you with alcohol issues, once you contact one when you return home for holiday, out of town or whatever, you may or may not bounce back to it quickly.

Making something out of your life is a good goal. Personally if it were me, being offered scholarships and money to live a life that I am not myself is self-denying.

And being a frat isn't necessarily a bad thing. There are party frats and actually academic frats, or career frats. Those "better" frats tend to do volunteer activities with non0profit organization and participates in many campus events.

Also, jsut because the school prohibits drinking and drugs, doesn't mean that the bad sheep students found ways around them.

 

4 years is a long time. A lot longer than you think it is, especially when you're suffering through it.

^^ College, while about learning, does also have that added benefit of continuing the "social education" you received in high school; albeit with a lot less rules.

 

If you feel like you can handle staying in the closet for 4 years and hearing a lot of homophobic things, then sure, go to a Christian university. It's going to be good for you in the respect of having much less wild parties and alcohol/drug use. However, a question is whether or not you'll end up being depressed in such a hostile environment and whether you will seek out alcohol and drugs on your own. A large scholarship will mean having much more money left for all that than you'd have if you attended a state university. Perhaps you should stop thinking so much about how the environment will influence you and which influence will be the best (or the least bad in your case), and rather think of how to take your life in your own hands.

 

You could always look into going to a more liberal Christian school. I know that there are some more liberal Christian universities and colleges out there.

 

I disagree. If OP has issues with alcohol and whatnot, being in an environment that emphasizes things other than that is going to be much better than being in an environment where it is always a temptation. Especially if he is freshly sober, which it seems that he is. Of course, he'll be dealing with alcohol later, but that will happen when he is (hopefully) stronger and more able to deal with it.

And yes, there will always be people who will smuggle alcohol and drugs, but probably not the majority, and probably not the people OP will want to hang out with if he is really serious about turning his life around.

 

Not all Christian University are bad. Some are, I won't lie. Also just because it is Christian, does not mean that is super religious, some are very liberal, and are just because of their history and the support that the church may give them.

I went to a Christian college for four years and it was amazing and really accepting, and very liberal. We had a GSA and the College's chaplain was one of the Advisers. They even held their fund raisers at the church, since there were rules about selling food on campus. They had a LGBTQ-BBQ and sold Taco and Hot dogs (let that sink in for a moment), and the church ladies not only loved it but helped to prepare food, including baked goods.

I went to Bethany College in West Virginia, have to specify since there are more than one Bethany College. This is the one affiliated with the Disciples of Christ denomination, that the Lutheran one. It is not a dry campus, and there is Greek life. But there is only one bar in the entire town and it was not a big deal if someone was not Greek.

Harding is affiliated with the Church of Christ and they are on the more conserved side at least from my experience.