(Harding) Well I came into Harding thinking I would love it

How this student rated the school

Educational Quality	F	Faculty Accessibility	B
Useful Schoolwork	C	Excess Competition	C
Academic Success	B-	Creativity/ Innovation	F
Individual Value	F	University Resource Use	D-
Campus Aesthetics/ Beauty	D-	Friendliness	B+
Campus Maintenance	B-	Social Life	C
Surrounding City	F	Extra Curriculars	D+
Safety	A-

Describes the student body as: Friendly Describes the faculty as: Friendly

Male

Bright

Lowest Rating Educational Quality	F

Highest Rating Safety	A-

He cares more about Campus Aesthetics/ Beauty than the average student.

Date: May 01 2013
Major: Business - Management and Administration (This Major's Salary over time)
Well I came into Harding thinking I would love it. I visited a few times and had very good experiences. I had alot of friends here and this place seemed like a very inviting, warm, friendly environment. Then I get here. One of the first "events" that happened here that threw me off guard is a group of my friends here went to a movie. Apparently the movie had "cuss" words in it cause immediately after the movie finished one of the guys said "wow, the language in that movie was horrible. My father told me that in some parts of the world people actually talk like that." kinda funny if you ask me. Most of the students here are nice and friendly but something is a little off about them. A good portion of them were extremely sheltered growing up and it really shows..ill just leave it at that. There are a few hardcore bible thumpers that will drive you crazy. Most the students and the teachers share a very narrow minded, conservative view. There are a few normal people here and there. I can count them on one hand.. so the campus..lets talk about the campus. IT SUCKS. compared to a "real" university..its laughable to be quite honest. Its extremely small and is flat out hideous. Parking is a NIGHTMARE and the dorms are practically a jail cell, which is very ironic, and fitting… considering the time I spent as the school I felt like I was on 24 hour lock-down. Every other week the RA and dorm mom come in and check your room and bathrooms to make sure you dont have anything bad/inaprobriate in your room, as well as if its clean. They can fine you for pretty much anything. The rules here are absoutly RIDICULOUS! no shorts to class. Curfew At 12?! No girls in guys dorm, no guys in the girls dorm. The funniest rule to me is signing out. When you decide to go home for the weekend, or go somewhere for the weekend you have to sign out. Signing out consist of putting your name, where your going, who your going to see, why you are going to see them. how long your going to be there. Phone numbers, addresses. I got fined 25\( because I didn't put my friends full name and phone number. There are many other unbelievable rules at this place that would blow your mind. The main thing to do at this school is pledge to a social club. A social club is pretty much a pretend fraternity and sorority minus the fun part. They go to these things called functions that are "events" /dates, that of course don't consist of dancing or anything like that. That is apparently the thing to do here. To join one of these "social clubs" you sign up and go to their club meetings/hangouts. And then they give you a bid. There is no hazing involved. That would be a 75\) fine as well as having to go talk to the dean. My friend silly stringed someone joining his club and the victim of this "Silly Stringing" told the dorm mom and my friend got fined 75\( yep. Harding for you right there. The location of Harding is pretty much Hell on earth. Searcy Arkansas. There is absolutely, positively , 100%, NOTHING to do here. Its extremely isolated (for a reason) will drive you insane. The most entertaining thing to do here is go to Walmart and look at the locals. The weather here Is just miserable. It rains here close to 3 times a week, the sky is a hazy dusty muck, and it rains dirt too, your vehicle will never be clean. The campus floods everywhere. Its extremely frustrating walking to class in ankle deep puddles everywhere. It dosent even snow right here. It snows sand size pieces of ice. The food at Harding will come close to killing you. Its absolutly discusting on a good day and flat out \)h*t on a bad day. I Spent more time on the toliet than I did in the cafe. The classes at Harding are extremely limited and extremely easy. My high school was far more challenging than this school. The main class, and most important class you take here is bible. Which is everyday, which consist of a teacher cramming a narrow-minded, extremely conservative viewpoint of the bible down your throat. If thats not bad enough.. you have to go to chapel everyday which is forced "fake" worship where you get to listen to another Conservative bible thumper cram more things down your throat as adults pace the back walkway making sure your awake and not listening to music. Its very easy to lose your faith here when it gets old hearing people how to live your life. If you want to go to a school where you want to be in an isolated place to study the bible with very few distraction then this is the place for you! If you want to have fun, or be able to enjoy yourself then this is not the place for you! After one horrible year here im so relieved to transfer from this prison. Harding is really good at fooling and manipulating you to come here to pay for an overpriced education that wont help you in the "real world" which apparently no one from Harding dare venture out into. If your looking into attending Harding I strongly urge you not to come here. I beg you not to come here. I promise you wont regret it. Look into other colleges and take your time in the process. Don't waste a year of your life like I did. I hope this helped. Make sure you read the other reviews and good luck to you, I wish you a bright and incredible future!

Responses

Harding University is a great school. Don't get me wrong, it is in a relatively small town; however, by federal standards (check it out) Searcy, AR is a metropolitan area. Furthermore, a large number of Harding Students are not as sheltered as you think. There are plenty of students who participate in the "normal" activities of a party college; however, these activities are against Harding's policy and can result in expulsion. The weather is typical of the land locked states of the Southeastern region of the U.S. Also, the campus is beautiful, wait until the leaves begin to change and see the beauty in God's creation. Furthermore, it does not rain three times a week. It is true that there can be a rainy week. Arkansas receives anywhere between 40 to 50 inches of rain a year. This is far less than Washington and Oregon. It is also less than Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, Florida, South Carolina, Tennessee and Kentucky. Furthermore, Harding is ranked 20th in the Best Colleges (of the Southern Region). In addition, the small size of Harding University is a blessing because it allows for students to be more connected with their professors.

Did you NOT do your homework before enrolling at Harding? Did you NOT KNOW that is is a conservative Christian college that, by the way, has a tremendous academic reputation? (My son was sought after by employers BEFORE he actually graduated and had a job waiting. Why? Because employers know that Harding grads are ethical and moral and will strive to do their best for the employers as if they are "working for their Lord, not for men", which they learn via the incredible Bible instruction they are taught there.) I'm curious as to what the critic means when he says Harding and Searcy, AR don't have anything FUN? Does he mean strip clubs, underaged drinking parties, corrupt boogie-parlors with drugs? If so, then he is correct. However, parents and students going to Harding usually know that those negative, worldly things aren't going to be available BEFORE they enroll. (But a student CAN, if they want, still be a party-animal in other nearby cities like Little Rock if they so choose. So…for a great Christian Worldview-based education in a loving, non-corrupting environment, please send your child to Harding. I did and it has been the best investment i have EVER made…one for the present and also for the eternal future. god Bless.

The campus is excellent. As you visit other University sites and get sick from garbage cans overflowing and the healing we do that is done to students around the globe and in America, Whatever for a Christian student and professional had to be sheltered. University life is more then a scholarship or roster spot.

You don't lose friendship and favor as a Christian, some expeiences or locations you weren't happy with carried over to other things. This is a media and forum that alumnae and supporters of secondary education can discuss how to make that experience work and better for all.

Sure going to that college near your high school That was " so much more challenging" helped you get that great job. Your review beeing all bullshit is way brutal and, allegory. >(

Someof our classmates have had a limited offering in entertainment and spiritual life. You and me have not, and you remain unknown and anonymous. I appreciate you're being able to tolerate the diiferences and liabilities of your classmate. Manty students tell us they have different beliefs then that of thsoe in Searcy congregations and that is fine. The one chucrch lied about graudtaes and persons' vocations for years. Obviously that was not the message of doing unto others and forsaking secular relationships in practice and prefernce of the fellowship and faithful. Hope to see you in the workplace and at the stadium. God bless you.

Thank you for your suggestions to make the campus a more welcoming, available place. For me , that seemed the gist and thing of all your complaints. Visiting vcampuses before attending helps evaluate if you'll be happy with the alma mater and campus perdormance after graduation. Maybe give the school and fellowe graduates that the school made your home and personal life happier and better. Good luck.

Im not speaking over you or asking you to edit your review. i love our alma mater and truthis, like every school of higher learning,it could have improvements that make it better and what we talk about. i wouid say, dont make the mistake of thinkiong teacgers will be Roger Hladky or Oliver, some of the rulkes on camppus would be more happy if they were changed.

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