When deciding what college you want to attend, it’s not just about where to go. It’s also about who you’ll become while you’re there. It’s about the people you meet, the community you build, and the foundational values you choose to stand on every day. We’ll take a closer look at what truly sets small a Christian University apart.
When you pick a college, you’re choosing more than a school. You’re choosing where to live, grow, and build a community. And while that choice can feel overwhelming, small Christian Universities offer a path for students who want to stay rooted in faith.
Here are ten experiences that make small Christian University life distinct.
1. Chapel That Anchors the Week
At Grace, chapel is three times a week and is so much more than a routine. It’s that space where you slow down, breathe, and listen. Worship, Scripture, speakers… they all speak into where we are. It’s easy to feel pulled in a thousand directions, but chapel reminds me who I am and who God is.
2. Professors Who Pause to Pray
When a professor stops class to pray for someone, a roommate’s surgery, your grandma’s cancer, or your nerves before a big presentation, it sticks with you. It reminds you that you’re a person they care about. And honestly, those moments made me feel seen in ways that I’ve never experienced before.
3. Dorm Life That Builds Spiritual Habits
Dorms can be chaotic. But also sacred. I remember impromptu Bible studies that turned into last night’s prayer times. We’d process life together, ask questions, and wrestle with Scripture. It was real, and those prayers, community, and honest conversations have stayed with me.
4. Bible-Centered
At Grace Christian University, the Bible is our foundation, shaping how we teach, think, and live. In every major, students learn to evaluate ideas through Scripture, not culture. Professors don’t avoid tough questions, they encourage them, guiding students to think critically from a biblical perspective. Our community is united by shared convictions, where discipleship, chapel, and mentoring support spiritual growth. While many institutions drift, Grace remains anchored. We won’t compromise the truth. We equip students to lead with courage, grounded in God’s Word. That’s how we graduate courageous ambassadors for Christ, ready to make an eternal impact wherever they’re called to serve.
5. Worship in Unexpected Places
You know those random moments where someone starts strumming a guitar in the commons, and suddenly everyone’s singing? It’s so powerful. Sometimes the most impactful worship doesn’t happen on a stage and in a chapel; it happens when nobody planned it.
6. Mentorship from Professors
I can name the professors and staff who have prayed over me, mentored me, and checked in long after finals week. At a Christian college, mentoring is walking with someone through life’s big questions. Those conversations changed how I see myself and what I’m called to do.
7. Church Visits
One Sunday I’d visit a small church with wooden pews. The next, a big congregation with full band worship. It was honestly kind of fun. But more than that, it helped me explore what church could look like and where I felt most at home. It shaped how I live out my faith.
8. Community Service Projects
Some of the most meaningful moments happened during local service projects throughout the semester. Neighborhood clean-up days gave us a chance to care for the city we live in, and over spring break, a group of us partnered with ICCF to help refurbish houses for families in need. While we were hauling brush, painting walls, or just listening to the stories of people we served, those experiences showed me that living out the Gospel doesn’t always require going far. Sometimes it means showing up right where you are, with love, humility, and a servant’s heart.
9. Faculty Who Live What They Teach
Many professors serve as pastors, missionaries, and ministry leaders. Their lessons come from real-life experience in ministry, leadership, and faith. Students often talk about the impact of learning from professors who don’t separate what they teach from how they live.
10. A Campus That Lives What It Believes
Students often talk about how deeply the community reflects its commitment to Christ. They feel supported, they feel seen, encouraged, and spiritually challenged. Many say it’s the most genuinely caring environment they’ve ever experienced. Friendships go beyond surface-level, with peers pointing each other toward Christ daily.
Not Just College
These ten things? They shaped my faith, friendships, and future. A Christian college helped me figure out who I was in Christ. And honestly, that’s what made all the difference.
At Grace Christian University, we talk a lot about being courageous ambassadors for Christ. It’s more than a tagline. It’s how we live. We leave with more than just a degree. We leave ready to make an eternal impact.
So yeah, picking a college is a big decision. But if you’re looking for a place where you can learn, grow, and stay grounded in your faith, this might be it.
