Liberty University

First off I never found myself being homesick in my life, but after my first summer away from Liberty I feel home sick. Because in actuality Liberty is now my home. The student leadership and campus faculty really go out of their way to make you feel like you are part of a family. That being said there are rules guys, we are a christian college and we do have rules. If you want to have the "traditional" college experience complete with frat parties and late nights then I highly recommend you do not come to Liberty. It makes it easier on all of the people who want to be here for the right reasons.

The City of Lynchburg has lots to do, if you find yourself bored it is simply because of the limits of your own imagination not the shortage of worthwhile activities.

Academically I cannot say to much on because I have only completed my basic classes, which were about as hard as I expected. Like all schools classes vary widely depending on the prof.

The Best Part about Liberty is the Spiritual environment. There is mandatory convo three times a week and the speakers that liberty brings in are fantastic. Throughout the year I have been humbled, redeemed and re-energized, and feel closer in my walk with God then ever before.

1st Year Male -- Class 2011

Education Quality: A+, Collaboration/Competitive: B

I am an older student, with several graduate degrees in my field (Master's and Doctorate). I felt the need to earn a graduate degree in psychology and counseling. I researched the non-traditional options vigoriously, and Liberty came out way ahead for my needs.

Most of the work in my particular progam can be done online, with three one week residencies required over a 2-3 year period. These three residencies are those classes that really can't be adequately taught online. For example, developmental psych is taught online, whereas the class dealing with group therapy (group process) is a required residency class.

Since I have a few traditional degrees to compare the Liberty experience to, I feel that I have a very good perspective on the distance program. It is as academically challenging as my traditional classwork. I have found the Liberty counseling program to be very focused and "tight." You learn the things you need to know to fulfill the CARCEP requirements, and to be ready for the national and state exams.I would highly recommend the Master's in Professional Counseling program to anyone interested in this field.

2nd Year Male -- Class 2009

Education Quality: A+, Individual Value: B

LU first and foremost just to clarify and be real about the situation is a private and very conservative institution that prides itsself around a christian environment. This school has morals which means your not going to catch any parties with heavy drinking going on around campus which can be a good thing for those looking for a clean, secure, and serene campus life. This can be a hassle for those that see fun as drinking intensively, partying hard, and etc. There are rules such as a dress code (which honestly is changing like everyday because Ive wore sweat pants, tshirts, and everything to class), curfew(which is like 12:30 or 1:00....sounds bad but considering your in Virginia the only thing open at this time is a walmart and a Sheetz), and other minor rules. Parking is a hassle sometimes considering there are a lot of students and not parking spaces to put it plainly, so in knowing this do not park just anywhere because LUPD takes pride in giving you parking tickets. As far as academics is concerned this school accepts pretty much anyone from high school with a decent GPA and SAT score which means this is no Harvard but at the same time I have met many people that have chose this university over schools like Virginia Tech and George Mason just to name a few. The school still manages to rank nationally in many areas of academics even though they have a very high acceptance rank.

My experience at LU has been a one of personal growth. This school has helped me grow tremendously mentally and spiritually. I have met some of the greatest friends I could ever ask for my first year. When I look back on how the faculty and institution has helped me to this point, I feel special as a student. Yes, there are negatives at this school but the good defintely outweighs the bad. Reality is no school is perfect, a school cant possibly please every person on the planet. But if you are looking for a istitution that truly cares about you as a student, provides great memories, a diverse student body, and a place where you can truly grow as a person spirtitually and mentally then this is the place for you.

1st Year Male -- Class 2011

Perceived Campus Safety: A+, Faculty Accessibility: C+