Bob Jones University

Negatives: 1) Lack of accreditation and low academic level for majority of classes. BEWARE if you plan to go to grad school. While BJ likes to focus on the handful of grads who have successfully entered top grad schools, the shared experience of myself and my friends has been one of multiple rejections based on our undergrad - not our scores or grades. While I did finally make into a top grad school, I was told by my advisor that I was nearly rejected due to "concerns about my undergrad" and that I was only admitted due to exceptionally high test scores and courses I took outside of BJ. While a few majors seem to have very successful programs (for example accounting, and nursing), be careful in majors that demand critical thinking - most classes will teach you more "what to think" than "how to think.

2) The "racism" legacy. If you plan on getting a professional job outside of the South, take into account that many people will assume that you are a "racist" due to your undergrad choice of schools. After a year of trying to find education positions and being unrelentingly questioned about my attitudes towards those from other races, I learned that my BJ undergrad was an obstacle most secular employers could not see beyond. Unfortunately there is enough truth (though often exaggerated) in the accusations that they continue to stick.

3) Weak theological program and potentially dangerous spiritual atmosphere. If you are firmly rooted in a biblical faith you should survive here - make sure you find a supportive community of friends! However, there is a very prevalent legalism, culture of guilt and condemnation, arrogance or lack of brokeness, and a lack of emphasis on growing in the fruits of the Spirit and a Spirit-empowered (v. rule-abiding) life. I am still struggling to unlearn some very bad spiritual thinking that I absorbed in my years at BJ. Unfortunately many of my acquaintances from BJ - even "PCs" and other "spiritual leaders" crashed and burned spiritually after emerging from the sheltered BJ bubble. You will find a lot of "religion" at BJ - but you'll have to work hard to retain the "life" of following Christ. Much of this comes from the leadership of BJ - you'll do better if you tune out most of what you hear from the President in chapel pulpit (which focuses on angrily denouncing all who do not follow a very specific cultural interpretation of Christianity), and listen more to those professors who encourage you to dig into the scriptures and learn. What redeemed my BJ experience was 1) a couple good profs who encouraged me, 2) staying rooted in the Word and not being afraid of being condemned by my fellow students for not following the party line, 3) wide reading outside of what I could find in the library, 4) great friends who encouraged me to think critically, and 5) God's most amazing grace! True, there is no perfect school, but I would not send my kids here - I know of far too many "shipwrecks" who attended there, and I think that there are other schools out there that do a much better job of training students in the true "fundamentals" of following Christ.

Bob Jones has decided to seek accreditation. This is a step that has been long needed. Graduates have helped to bring this change.

Students living on campus have more freedoms and later "lights out" today than in the late sixties. It is nice to have the dorm quiet after a certain time. My daugher-in-law is a housing director at a state university. The dorms are quite noisy at night sometimes.

The professors do care about the students but do expect them to complete work on time and do the work in a correct format. They will hold you to deadlines.

The school does encourage its faculty to seek degrees from other schools.
I had a unique experience at BJU in that I was raised on the campus. I knew Bob Sr and Jr. Although I left in 1971, I have visited regularly.

Students who wish to attend BJ need to talk with others who have attended. You need to know what to expect and be willing to live with the rules.My educational background from BJU was strong. I had no trouble in graduate school.