Pensacola Christian College

Date: Jan 22 2009
Major: Religion/Religious (This Major's Salary over time)
I was not a student at PCC. In fact, I never sought to attend. Rather, I am a teacher and associate pastor who attended PCC's (and Abeka Books') summer program and workshop for teachers that is held on-campus every year, so my observations come only from that perspective. I drove down from Georgia, and I stayed on campus for four days.

Although I was "visiting," I was made (I'm 30 years old, married with two children, mind you) to follow most of their rules during my stay, so it gave me a brief "taste" of college life there (and I know what college life is all about, being that I lived on campus and received a B.A. from a four-year Christian college in South Florida.)

Let me say that I knew a little bit about PCC before I attended and it's heritage and reputation (for good or ill), but I was looking forward to the program and workshop and to enjoy the campus without preconceived notions of what my stay would entail. Until I arrived.

The campus itself is dark and loathsome—the buildings are not appealing and the architecture does not speak to a heritage of scholarship. In fact, it's minimalist facades reflect a type of unimaginative modernity that is void of the usual columns, arches, or points of architecture that are common on most college campuses. The buildings are literally dark stone—a metaphor for the overall spiritual "tone" of the campus.

The rooms are small, and the windows are even smaller. Suffice it to say, natural light is something that students should not expect from their dorm rooms if they choose to attend PCC. In fact, the dorms are similar in size, shape, color, and structure to the state penitentary in Atlanta, Georgia. I am not exaggerating.

The professors were condescending to the participants of the program. In many of the workshops, they explained that the methods of education pedagogy that my wife (a 8-year veteran teacher)and I use in the public school system and my own classroom are downright "socialist". That was offensive, especially when I have seen first-hand that newer methods in teaching (in contrast to the "traditional methods" that PCC advocates) produces a more holistic learning environment for students. Also, the professors downplayed diversity in the classroom—we should all teach everyone how to be good, white Christians (basically).

The student body was aloof. When I walked throughout campus (and I did much walking on-campus to enjoy the welcome Florida sun), I found students were either (a) starring at me, or (b) avoiding me by walking on the far side of the sidewalks. This happened especially when I wore jeans. I am an associate pastor, and I know that Christ tells us to "love our neighbor," not avoid one's neighbor "like the plaque."

The student body also looked and acted immature, as if devoid of basic social skills such as smiling, laughing, and carrying on a critical and thoughtful conversation—especially with strangers. Many did not make eye-contact with me which revealed an overall lack of social confidence and stamina that is required in "the real world" when one graduates college. In addition, students almost seemed pre-pubescent in many respects; no wonder, many of the rules that they are forced to follow are more strict than those that I enforce on my four-year old daughter.

I am getting a doctoral degree in ministry with a concentration in Christian spirituality. I am a dedicated, life-long student and minister, and I know from both experience and studies that a Christian grows spiritually when he or she is allowed to blossom into the very person whom Christ wants him or her to be. Christianity is a way to freedom in Christ—to liberation. PCC is not an avenue to liberation, but of stifling paranoia.

One last anecdote: On my last day at the school, I visited the PCC library only to find that many of the scholarly and biblically-based books upon which Christian men and women have inspired my own faith were missing from the stacks. Some, including pietist author John Piper, are banned from the campus.

I encourage anyone looking to attend PCC to consider prayerfully their decision. Don't take my word for it: go visit the campus and stay a few days before enrolling. If they don't let you (most colleges do!), then that is your first red flag!

Blessings, and I wish you the very best in your education.

(By the way, why is it that many of the students who wrote comments either good or bad about PCC don't know how to write well? Is that a testimony of the lack of quality of PCC? Even those who praise the school have grammatical and construction errors that are so obvious that it's almost uncanny!)