My youth pastor says that if I'm sensitive to God's Spirit, I'll know which school I'm supposed to go to. Well, I read my Bible, pray a lot, and feel like I'm pretty close to God. But God seems pretty silent about the whole school thing. Does my youth pastor know what he's talking about? Will God somehow point me in the right direction?

Your youth pastor must be a pretty cool guy! It sounds like he knows what it's like to trust God for important decisions. And you are doing a lot of the right things. Walking close to the Lord during this time of choosing is essential. In addition, I would encourage you to take some steps to find out more about schools that interest you. Be sure to visit your top two or three choices. And visit some of those on your "B" list if you can. There's no substitute for a visit. You will gather more information than printed materials can convey and you will get a feel for how it would be to go to school there. Make a list of pros and cons you see for each college. Trust God to make your decision clear as you are faithful in doing whatever you can to gather information. I believe God will work in all the circumstances to move you toward one school over the others.

I'm afraid to go to a college that's too far from where I live. I'm scared of not being able to come home when I get homesick. At the same time, I don't want to be so close to home that I end up spending too much time there. I want to enjoy college life and really be involved on campus! How can I find a good balance?

You chose the right word: Balance will be the key. You will want to carefully balance time at home with time on campus. And this will be especially important if you end up at a school close to home.

If you do choose a school close to home, plan to spend most of your time at school, visiting home only occasionally. It is wise to wait about seven weeks before going home to visit your family, so you can bond with your school and the people there. When it comes to building friendships in college, there is no substitute for just hanging out with your new friends on the weekends and getting to know them. One student told me that she wouldn't have nearly as many friends if she had gone home every weekend.

It will be good for you to stick around and participate in a range of activities during your first year of college. Then you can choose what you really want to get involved in for the remainder of your college experience. You'll probably get caught up in all those weekend activities on campus, and you might not even want to go home.

I'd also advise you to leave your car at home—especially if you're only a few miles from campus. That way you'll be less tempted to go home too often. Don't worry if you're at a school a long way from home. Many schools have "ride boards" where you can post your need for a ride home. The system works pretty well and you should be able to get a ride when you need one. But you simply won't be able to hop in the car when you're feeling the least bit down or lonely. That will help you to really plug in to your new community.

Let's say you do plan to attend a school far from home but are still worried about homesickness. Plan ahead for the possibility that you may need to get home for a visit within the first semester. Set aside money and perhaps even set a possible time when you might go home. With this plan in place, you can relax a little and simply let your first semester unfold. You can say to yourself, "I can hang on because I know I'll be able to go home pretty soon." You may be surprised by your ability to stick it out past your planned trip. If not, then you have a plan in place for a trip back home.

When you begin college, just make sure you do what you can to adjust to your new life on campus. As you seek healthy ways to stay connected with your family, you'll also need to do what you can to establish solid friendships with your college peers. If you do, you will have found that good balance.

I've scheduled an interview at each of the colleges I'm going to visit this fall. I'm pretty nervous about it, though. I know interviews are important, and I really want to make a good impression. What is involved in an admissions interview, and how should I prepare? Is there a certain way I should dress, and are there general questions I should be ready to answer?

Not all colleges require a formal interview for admission to their institution. For those that do, it's fair to call the admissions office and ask your questions about the interview process. Colleges do have their own culture, and appropriate dress may vary from campus to campus. Questions will vary, too, but an admissions counselor will probably ask why you are interested in that particular school, what is important to you in a college, what you want to study, and what activities interest you.

An admissions interview is really a time for you to ask questions as well as answer them. During the conversation, you're trying to figure out if the school is right for you, and the admissions counselor is trying to figure out if you're a good fit for the school.

As for how you dress, again, that's not a bad question to ask an admissions counselor before you arrive. No matter what, try to wear something comfortable so you won't be self-conscious. You don't want to be constantly tugging at a tie that's too tight. On the other hand, you don't want to feel weird because you wore a T-shirt into an office where everybody else is dressed up. All in all, just be yourself, so the school gets to know you for who you really are. You don't want to have to pretend for four years of college! Before your interviews, pray that God will use the experience to guide you in your college choice.

I guess I'm what you'd call a religious seeker. I really want to find God, and I also have really good morals. I feel that being at a Christian college would help me a lot. I'd be in a good environment that could help keep me out of trouble. It might also help me sort out my religious beliefs. But will a Christian college even consider me if I can't sign their statement of faith, or if I let them know I'm not a Christian?

I encourage you to be honest with the admissions counselors and let them know you are sincerely seeking to know God, but you are still looking. Some schools may say "no" to you, but some schools may invite you to enroll and then offer you some extra support and conversation about becoming a believer.

Here's another consideration: Can you agree to the lifestyle expectations of the schools you're interested in? It will be important for you to know what is expected of you and to be willing to live that way.

Wherever you attend college, keep searching for God. Read the Bible, seek out Christians, join Christian groups, and ask God to reveal himself to you. He loves you and wants you to have a relationship with him. I hope and pray you will soon make the transition from seeker to believer.

Evangelism is important to me. Throughout high school, I've tried really hard to reach out to my non-Christian friends and I've seen several of them come to Christ. Now that I'm a senior and I'm looking into schools, part of me says I should go to a Christian college so I can get stronger in my faith. Another part of me says I should go to a state school so I can share my faith with the non-Christians I meet on campus and in the dorm. Which part of me should I listen to?

Listen to the part of you that listens to the Lord. This is a big decision and you want to be sure you are inviting God to guide you in it.

There are many opportunities for evangelism if you attend a Christian college. There are ways to share your faith both on campus and off, even as you prepare yourself for future evangelism opportunities. You can spend four years participating in Bible study, volunteer ministries and service learning opportunities—all of which either bring Christ to non-Christians or deepen and strengthen your own faith.

College may be a good time for you to develop more skills for discipling other students. It also may allow you to spend time with Christian students, contributing to their spiritual formation. And your own faith development may be enhanced by the environment on the Christian college campus, where so many resources and role models are available.

Wherever you go, your desire to share your faith with others is wonderful! God must be so pleased that you want to see your friends come to know him.

My dad says the only reason to go to a Christian school is if you want to be a pastor. He says I'd be limiting my career opportunities if I go to a Christian college. I don't want to be a minister, but I do think I'd like to attend a Christian school. Is there anything I can say to Dad to convince him a Christian college would be the right place for me, even if I don't become a pastor?

What a great opportunity you have to include your father in your college choice! It's legitimate for him to be concerned about your future. But with a little research, you can help him see the possibilities of a Christian college education. Look at the catalogs and websites of the colleges you're interested in, and take note of the wide range of majors offered at the various institutions. Your dad will probably be surprised at the options available to you that have absolutely nothing to do with becoming a pastor. You also can find lists of faculty members and their credentials in their various fields of study. Ask the admissions offices for a list of alumni who have distinguished themselves in a variety of careers. Websites may even have profiles on alumni who have been honored for distinctive contributions in their fields.

Be sure to talk with your dad about what you'll gain by attending a Christian college. Tell him why you're drawn to that environment. Explain the rich opportunity you'll have to study everything through the lens of your faith and to become a stronger Christian. Once your dad understands the opportunities at Christian colleges and your reasons for wanting to attend, he'll likely be much more open to the idea.

I 'm a good athlete, and I'm not just bragging. State colleges have been checking me out throughout high school and I've already had some full-ride scholarship offers coming in. This really excites my parents because we're not rolling in cash. The thought of playing ball for a good state school really excites me, and who knows—it could even lead to a pro ball career. Even so, I kind of feel like I'd be better off at a Christian college. No big scholarship or athletic opportunities there, right? What should I do?

Those full-ride scholarships are really tempting, aren't they? And maybe you will decide to take advantage of one. But I'm glad you're feeling drawn to a Christian college. There are some Christian colleges that provide athletic scholarships. It depends on what national athletic organization they have joined (for example: NAIA or NCAA), and which division they are within that organization. And there are some Christian college graduates who have been good enough to get a tryout with a pro sports team—and in some cases have gone on to a successful career with a pro franchise. The opportunities might surprise you! Ask the coaches at Christian colleges about the careers of their alumni.

Before you decide to take the scholarship at the state college, Find out what the school will require of you. Many scholarship athletes are required to be so focused on their sport that they miss out on much of the rest of what is good and fun about college. At a Christian college, you can love playing a sport and know there is far more to life. You have more freedom to establish your own priorities.

Be sure you look for a college that fits you. Even if you have to seek non-athletic scholarships or get a part-time job, try to find a college where you can keep your perspective and enjoy playing the game.

I've been in Christian schools since church preschool and the thought of going off to a Christian college, with all the chapel services and all the "Christian rules" really bothers me. I don't want to become a party animal or anything, and I'm not planning to give up my faith. I just feel like I need more freedom than what a Christian school will give me. I'm just tired of being in a "God bubble." Is my thinking all messed up or do I have a point?

You have a great opportunity for increasing levels of freedom as you go away to school and make decisions on your own about how you will live. This will be a great time for you to live out your faith, trusting God to guide you, and to have your faith become so much more than religion and rules. It will be a time for you to develop a strong and vital relationship with the Lord.

Don't underestimate the freedom you'd have at a Christian college After all, you will be on your own. You will have opportunities to make a lot of choices. I'd also encourage you to try not to think that Christianity is all about the rules. It's about experiencing God's grace and forgiveness. It's about discovering your full potential. It's about taking risks.

If you've been in Christian schools all your life, you've no doubt read the Gospels. Maybe it's time to read them again. Look carefully at the life of Christ. Check out all the exciting adventures he and his disciples had. Chances are, it's time to just take a fresh look and rediscover the wonderful and surprising adventure that should be a part of your Christian experience.

Now what about Christian college? Well, don't give up on that option just yet. Maybe it would be the place that could take your faith to a new level. It's also important to understand that there are many different Christian colleges—and each one is unique from the other. Some do have rules you'd see as very strict. Others are not so strict. Read several schools' codes of conduct and also talk to some admissions counselors about your concerns and your desire for more freedom.

If you're open to the possibilities, I believe you'll find a Christian school that fits your personality and has the kind of guidelines you can live with and even grow through as a result of living them out.

These words from Jude 1:20-21, may help you: "Carefully build yourselves up in this most holy faith by praying in the Holy Spirit, staying right at the center of God's love, keeping your arms open and outstretched, ready for the mercy of our Master, Jesus Christ. This is the unending life, the real life" (The Message).

Unending life. Real life. I can't think of a better adventure!

Copyright 2003 by the author or Christianity Today International/Campus Life magazine.
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