Bob Jones University

Date: Jan 29 2005
Major: History/Histories (art history/etc.) (This Major's Salary over time)
THIS IS MY UNIVERSITY. AND I AM VERY PROUD TO CALL IT THAT. I AM VERY PROUD FOR MANY REASONS. Before coming to Bob Jones University, I attended two other Universities, and visited many, many more, and I am still in shock over the SHEER CLASS that this whole place exudes. From the exterior: Sure, you may have visited far more impressive campuses somewhere else, but this is also a great and beautiful campus which is impeccably maintained. The landscape, with its huge ancient trees, green grass and colorful flowers everywhere just makes you feel that you are in an intelligently designed campus. You would be hard pressed to even find a dirty, un-kept, smelly or even slightly vandalized bathroom in the whole place. I AM PROUD OF THAT. I am proud of the people that attend there. Someone had said, or written somewhere, that

this is the happiest student body in the world

Oh, boy! EVERY single day I think about that statement, because every day I am witness of that very fact! I am surrounded by happy people everywhere! HAPPY GIRLS and HAPPY GUYS everywhere. Every day, wherever you go, you receive a healthy dose of joyful smiles and pleasant meaningful greetings from all these decent students that flood the hallways and walkways. I pinch myself. This place makes me smile, makes me happy, makes me sing, makes me praise my God and makes me very thankful to be here. I simply love the way that everyone dresses here. It's according to the student handbook. Oh, I wished that other colleges copied these guidelines! I have been in colleges where both guys and gals just take those four years as an excuse to dress real trashy and unprofessional. Not in BJ! No ragged, trendy, flashy and immodest looks here. Just plain smart and beautiful, unassuming good fashion, coupled with a down-to-earth, humble, friendly, happy and youthful attitude that makes this a place you can be PROUD TO BELONG TO. If you think that the guys here might look sharp, just imagine all those beautiful young ladies, full of joy, youth, femininity, good taste and good wit; always very approachable and full of class! Everyone here just seems like a great catch. Making friends with just about anyone is amazingly easy at BJU. In class, in the cafeteria along the walkways, and everywhere, you just know that you can strike up a real friendship with anyone. And that includes the faculty, the administration and all the staff. Hands down: This is the friendliest place to go to school for your degree. Every chapel service at 11:00 am is a source of strength in the middle of a hectic day. It feeds the souls, it makes you think and improve. And it always conveys the deep, sincere interest that everyone in the administration, starting with Dr. Bob Jones III, has for every member of the student body. It's like a family, a happy family.

The academics are SUPERIOR. Excellence radiates from each teacher's delivery before his/her class. While the spirit of the classes is light (lots of opportunities for comfortable participation and interaction with the teacher,) the expectations are very, very high. Almost every class starts with a quiz on every day. Not a big quiz, but just enough to keep you up to speed and not falling behind in your books (in fact, you'll be asked in each quiz whether you completed your reading assignment, or not.) And, YES, you are taught to think! Of course, I am sure glad that BJU is not confused about the inerrancy, power, and Authorship of the Bible. You’ll find a statement to that fact in every student catalog. It’s the one basic fact that defines BJU. The Bible is God’s word. It’s the basis of all that is good, and of any eternal value here on earth, and in the life to come. BUT STILL, in my Bible classes we are encouraged to question everything else you read, to do our own research in matters of faith and interpretation of the Bible. We are given the tools in order to reach our own convictions. In classes of Bible doctrine like BIBLICAL THEMES, or more practical courses like THE BIBLICAL MINISTER, and other junior and senior level classes, we are taught to be ready to put a question mark on every book that we hold. You are never told that you are wrong or that you are disrupting or sabotaging the lesson; instead, such interventions create interesting and lively discussions in class and aree encouraged. They point out that no author, and by the same token, no teacher can claim to have the final word on things. Believe me, true thoughtful questioning (non-childish, irreverent, or disruptive,) and looking at things from other original angles is not looked down upon in this college. These folks know that we must experience intellectual growth and they create the right environment for it. Did I mention that we start every class with prayer? I AM VERY PROUD OF THAT TOO.

As in every family, no matter how great it looks on the outside, and/or how godly in may be on the inside, there is sometimes trouble, sin, pain, unhappiness. Yes, having a bad day, or a bad habit, or a bad background, or a bad attitude HAPPENS. Because of those things, a few folks here at BJU, the vast minority, cannot cope with some of the guidelines. There is a demerit system here. It is reasonable, but it helps you to get to class on time, and to keep your life in focus with successful and wholesome academic, social and spiritual goals. What could possibly be wrong with that? PLUS, let’s not kid ourselves anyway, at 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, or 22 years of age, we are, YES, very i-m-m-a-t-u-r-e. These are very impressionable ages. We stray easily. Rules can only help. Are you a kid that wants NO rules in life? OK, that’s fine. You’ll pay the consequences whether outside of BJU, or inside of BJU. Demerits. Don't be intimidated by demerits. Every semester they erase any demerits that you may have accumulated so that you start over with a clean slate. They are not meant to bring you down, but to have you stop, slow down, and hopefully change the course of your actions, your thinking and/or your heart. You may just need to choose your better friends.

IN SHORT, this is a FIRST CLASS school like there is no other in the world. Come with confidence. Do not give accreditation a second thought. This schools reputation stands on its own among, and against, the giants. The media is totally warped. You should know that by now. If you experience Bob Jones University, you’ll be writing longer testimonies than mine one day, because your life will be forever shaped in the most wonderful and successful way because of it. God will help you here at BJ through all the friends and teachers that will encourage you, show interest in you, love you and pray for you. I am not a “fanatic,” it’s just that this place makes me smile and sing and be HAPPY. I INVITE YOU. Write to me- -IT’S A GREAT PLACE TO BE.