What would you regard as the top 10 colleges to do Undergrad Biblical studies?

[onugent]

Hi everyone,

This is my first post to the Puritan Board and I am looking forward to hanging out here more in the future. You all seem like a great bunch!

My wife and I are currently considering my options for study in the future and I am thinking of moving to the US from Australia to do undergrad/seminary. What would be your top 10 colleges? So far my list is Covenant, Reformation Bible College and Wheaton. What else would you suggest? Also do you know of any colleges that do scholarships for international students?

Many Thanks,
Owen

 

[JML]

I guess it would depend on your doctrinal leanings and your desires after college. Are you desiring to be a pastor, professor, etc.?

 

[onugent]

I personally am a reformed Baptist however I would happily go to a Presbyterian college. I would like to keep my options open for an academic career but I would be entering into the pastorate to begin with.

 

[mjmacvey]

Welcome to the PB Owen. Based on my experience evaluating applications for graduate theological work and seeing how students perform academically at WSC, I would add the following to your list: Geneva College, Grove City College, Providence Christian College (a small campus in Pasadena CA, that is in the process of being merged with Covenant College).

I am sure most of these provide some support for international students, but I can't provide any specific help in this area.

 

[onugent]

Thanks heaps Mark that certainly gives me more to look at. You wouldn't happen to know any that do scholarships? It is going to be pretty big for the two of us to move over there for 7 years so any bit helps.....

 

[Damon Rambo]

Reformed Baptist? Criswell College in Texas, or Boyce College in Kentucky...

 

[mjmacvey]

Thanks heaps Mark that certainly gives me more to look at. You wouldn't happen to know any that do scholarships? It is going to be pretty big for the two of us to move over there for 7 years so any bit helps.....

Sorry, I don't know any specifics. I would imagine that Wheaten has the most resources (it is also the most broadly evangelical) out of the schools you mentioned, so you might start there. Out of the Presbyterian/Reformed schools, I would guess Covenant has more to offer in terms of aid, but I am sure they are partial to students connected to the PCA in some way.

Have you considered doing your undergraduate degree at a college or university there in Australia and then coming to the states for a seminary degree? Though it can be helpful in some cases, a degree from a Christian/Bible college is not necessary for admission to a seminary program here in the U.S.

 

[Jake]

As a student immediately graduating from high school and entering as a freshman, Covenant College was helpful with financial aid. As far as a bias toward PCA, I know on top of the larger scholarships I also got a small scholarship for being a Reformed Baptist.

I am not planning on studying just Biblical studies, but I can say that have some great professors in the program, including Kelly M. Kapic.

 

[he beholds]

Grove City is known for being comparably affordable, but I don't know how that works with international students.

 

[reaganmarsh]

I second Boyce College. If I had my undergrad to do again I'd have gone there...then again, I met my wife at William Carey University. She was the best part of college!

I entered WCU as a "religion" major and was also a "church-related vocations" student, so I had to take a fair number of Bible classes as well -- but I wouldn't recommend anything biblical or theological from WCU. Generic at best and heretical at worst. My first day in an OT class, the professor said "Gentlemen, the sooner you learn to do this, the better" as he dropped a Bible into the trash can. His class inspired me to change my major to English. I didn't want to spend the rest of my life trying to get over what he'd said.

 

[JML]

My first day in an OT class, the professor said "Gentlemen, the sooner you learn to do this, the better" as he dropped a Bible into the trash can.

That is truly sad. William Carey is a Southern Baptist school correct?

 

[Philip]

I would guess Covenant has more to offer in terms of aid, but I am sure they are partial to students connected to the PCA in some way.

Actually, there's a fair amount of support for international students here through the Diversity Program.

 

[BenjaminBurton]

As an almost alum of Boyce College, I can't recommend it highly enough. I will receive my BS in Biblical Counseling in just a few weeks. The school is a part of The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary and receives funding from the Cooperative Program of the Southern Baptist Convention. Students who are members of an SBC church receive a 50% tuition discount as a result (you can take care of that when you get here). Cost aside, the teaching is solid, well-rounded, Calvinistic, and challenging. Many professors are local pastors and bring necessary perspective to the classroom. I've benefited greatly from all my classes and with a new vision plan they've just adopted, Boyce will be receiving quite the overhaul in the next few years.

There are several international students at Boyce and at Southern. I don't know of any specific scholarships available but it would certainly be worth looking into.

Oh, and just so you know, there's a popular joke that Boyce ends up graduating more Presbyterians than Baptists haha

 

[Romans922]

I got a degree in Biblical Studies and I wouldn't give you a top ten because I think it is a waste of time. Of course, I say that not knowing what you would do with it.

What's your goal in getting a BS degree? And how old are you?

 

[onugent]

Thanks everyone for your comments. I have started study here in Australia externally but I am possibly looking to go full time in the near future. For various reasons I would find it difficult to go to any of the colleges here in Australia full time hence the US option. The reasons I am wanting to do it is so that I can do Masters afterwards. I have a large amount of pastoral experience having been involved in a church plant for the last 3 years but I would like to hone my academic skills further.