How does the tuition cost of Grove City College compare to the other schools you looked at during your college selection?
I visited several other small, private schools while touring colleges. Grove City’s annual tuition was about half of those other schools. Even if I was given scholarships to go to the other schools that I visited, the cost would have likely been more than Grove City’s without any scholarship money.
How has your faith been strengthened and perhaps even challenged during your time here?
Grove City not only taught me core Christian doctrine, but also why we believe what we believe and how to hold onto these beliefs in an increasingly secular world. I loved that these beliefs are emphasized both in and out of the classroom. Although I did learn a substantial amount from my professors, I also learned a lot from my classmates, teammates, roommates, and friends from our conversations outside the classroom and from watching them live out their faith. The opportunity to be surrounded by such a steadfast group of believers continues to encourage my faith to this day.
How do the academics challenge students to think on a deeper level about the world and life in general?
Grove City does a phenomenal job at ensuring that students are not just prepared for their future careers but also shown how to pursue Christ in their given fields. As an Exercise Science major, I was not only given the knowledge and skills that I needed to succeed in the field but also shown the beauty of the human body and the necessity of teaching others how to steward that gift well. I believe that these clear applications of my studies provide me not only with vocational purpose but also allow me to further Christ’s kingdom through my day-to-day work.
What are some of the ways that professors ensure that students not only receive information but truly learn and understand how to apply that information?
The Exercise Science curriculum is largely focused on hands-on experiences, which reinforce what is learned in the classroom. Much of that experience involves lab work, including learning technical skills through required labs and conducting a research study as a part of the degree’s capstone project. These experiences allowed me to apply what I was learning in the classroom to real life scenarios.
Furthermore, the opportunity to pursue independent research every semester allowed me to explore a lot of different aspects of the field, all while continuing to build my technical skills and learning to become a rigorous producer and consumer of scientific research. In a field where the most up-to-date scientific literature is constantly changing, the ability to read and understand research was perhaps the most important skill that I gained during my time at Grove City.
Lastly, in addition to learning both knowledge and skills, a large emphasis is placed on soft skills, such communicating with athletes, patients, and/or clients. During my time at Grove City, we were asked to regularly give presentations in order to demonstrate that we could communicate information effectively, work in groups on projects to gain the skills necessary to work as part of a team, and were given the opportunity to work with others, through personal training classes or our internship experiences. Regardless of what career students pursue after graduation, soft skills are required to be successful!
What is your favorite aspect of Grove City College?
My favorite aspect of Grove City is the ability to participate in all aspects of life in Christian community. Whether it was professors praying before exams, participating in Bible study with my teammates, or worshiping with other students in the chapel during the evenings, it was such a blessing to pursue Christ in everything.
How would you describe the relationship that the students have with each other on campus?
Students at Grove City are incredibly friendly and truly want to see one another succeed. I was on the swim team during my time at the College, and I always had classmates who were willing to provide me with notes or help fill me in when I was traveling for meets. One of the advantages of a smaller college, as well, is that you often bump into people that you know just walking across campus. This really fosters a sense of community among students, regardless of year, major, or extracurricular involvement.