Grove City College (GCC)

Located an hour north of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Grove City College provides a Christcentered, non-sectarian environment in which students and faculty "create a vibrant and uplifting community that encourages one another to live to the fullest in a Christ-like manner." The school desires to see students excel inside and outside the classroom, integrating Christ "into all aspects of education and a career for the future," and it "challenges...students to grow in all aspects-intellectually, spiritually, emotionally, and athletically." And, this philosophy works: "The majority of the students here apply their spiritual relationship with God to all activities on campus, whether it be academic or social." The low cost of tuition is just gravy, as is the strong alumni network and "really good reputation with employers."

The professors at Grove City "vary from department to department," but on the whole, they are "engaging, approachable, and very knowledgeable about the course material" and "willing to personally invest in the students." Many expect a lot from their students and assign a heavy workload, but people find the academics to be "challenging, but not suffocating." The "very intelligent, friendly, and available" faculty usually "have extensive office hours and are more than willing to help [students]." Current students say their instructors maintain "a very open dialogue about various beliefs," and "challenge [students] to ask hard questions" both in an area of study and on a more personal level.

As might be expected, those who come to Grove City are "largely Christian kids," who are "generally polite and law-abiding," and the student body tends to swing conservative or moderate politically. According to students, the college "avoids being...restrictive or closed-minded." "Grove City students know what they believe, but are open to discussion," a student explains. These students collectively provide "the most friendly atmosphere" many have ever been a part of. "Peers I've never even met smile at me as I pass them on the sidewalk," describes one happy student. The college as a whole "welcomes students with open arms," and it is very easy to find "a community that encourages and inspires one another." There are a fair number of type A personalities here: Grove City students are "hardworking and highly motivated to do well," and "many people overcommit themselves to the various on-campus groups."

Since Grove City College is located in a relatively remote area of Western Pennsylvania, most activities are done on-campus, but "for a small town, there's lots to do," including plenty of places to eat, a movie theater, and ice cream shops. Days at Grove City are pretty typical, spent "going to class, studying, catching up with friends over meals, movie and game nights on the weekends, dances, campus ministries, [and] club activities." Many are also on sports teams, especially "intramural sports teams like volleyball, basketball, Frisbee, [and] soccer," plus students also "like to hang out in our recreational room or go bowling." Forget about Footloose: there is actually "a great deal of dancing and singing here," and people like to "go for walks when the weather is nice, play games, watch movies, do sports, and simply talk together." Indeed, many lunches "devolve into an ideological, theological, or philosophical discussion." Grove City students are proud of their involvement in the world around them through "various academic lectures, Warriors (an hour-long worship service), and screenings of political debates"; these events, though not required, are "extremely well-attended." Likewise, there "are many great groups on campus that provide community service or benefit for a good cause." Intervisitation between male and female dorms is "limited," and this is in no way a party school.