Every college is different, but going to an evangelical Christian college is a very different experience than I think you would have at any non-religious school, in some really small ways and some really big ways. The rules are different, the culture is different, the parties are different. So what is going to school at a Christian college really like? Let's peek behind the curtain.
1. The Social Culture
I can't speak for all Christian colleges, but at Wheaton as long as you live in the dorms, you're only allowed to have people from other floors (i.e. members of the opposite sex) over to your room or your floor lounge on open floor nights, which for me and all the other residents of Fischer Hall, were Wednesdays, Fridays, and Saturdays. That's a foreign concept to most of my friends at state schools, whose dorm floors are coed. I moved into an on-campus apartment this year and it's taken me a while to get used to the fact I can have guy friends over whenever I feel like it.
Not to mention the no-drinking thing. The anti-alcohol policy at Wheaton is really strict, so any kind of organized social event has to have some kind of draw other than adult beverages. I know what you're thinking, but socially speaking there's actually a pretty big upside to that. Two words: theme parties.
2. Faith References Everywhere
At Wheaton our professors pray at the beginning of class, or at the end of class. We have mandatory chapel three times a week, and "How well did the professor integrate faith and learning?" is one of the questions on our course evaluations. Going home from college is always a culture shock no matter what school you go to, but leaving what we refer to as "the Wheaton bubble" and going home can be a jarring experience, when you remember that most schools wouldn't allow that kind of thing. On the plus side, you can ask any of your professors questions about faith issues or things you're wondering about and know they'll probably have thought about them too, and there are a lot of inside jokes among the students, like Veggie Tales references.
3. All the Acronyms
This isn't a Christian-school-specific thing, but it is a Wheaton-specific thing. We have acronyms for pretty much everything, and I do mean everything. Here is a (not at all comprehensive) list: RA, CLC, RDA, RDK, SRC, MSC, CPO, GC, TR, MWF, CFA, BGC, the list goes on. During orientation week, the committee gives out a list of acronyms to the freshman along with their orientation packets.
Christian colleges may be different than secular schools, but I imagine in some ways is pretty similar. We all study a lot, we all get up to our own particular brand of college shenanigans, we all wonder what the world will be like after graduation.
