Bob Jones University

Seriously, please don't go here. I was a student there for many years and worked on staff for several years. Yes, you can be blind for that long. You can think it's really you who is the problem and you should do God's will, when it's really who you're associated with that you should be running away from fast! Although there are some genuinely nice people there, the overall mentality and worldview taught is cultish, sheltered, and condescending. I will not even go into the many people I've interacted with there who are just nasty; their sweet, "spiritual" disposition is all surface; when they have to deal with pressure or people who are going through real-life problems, you wouldn't even guess they were "Christians." The only ones who will "grow there spiritually" are basically those who are already geared toward or part of the legalistic fundamental crowd. They go to the Bob Jones-approved churches and thrive and flourish there. At school they flourish some more then everyone goes back home to witness to the rest of the heathen families and world that don't think like them. Please, just go to a real school that will give you an accredited degree and if you're seeking a Christian school, go to one that teaches biblical Christianity.

Alumnus Male -- Class 2000

I attended Bob Jones University for three unfortunate semesters.
My parents attended this University and as my father was/is a Baptist fundamentalist pastor, they had every intention of sending me and my siblings there as well. As I was completely sheltered in the Bob Jones brand of fundamentalism, I had little opportunity to see the university as it really is.

I arrived on campus with every intention to be a success. I was a music major and secretly harbored hopes of going to a music conservatory after graduation. I was completely unprepared for the stifling, academic, spiritual and social environment that I was stepping into. I struggled immediately with juggling the demanding course work with my practice time. I had an on-campus job that was not at all sympathetic to my needs as a student. I was made fun of because I was working in a warehouse and was a music major.

The rules are overbearing and many good students are penalized for simply messing up or forgetting a rule. I was made APC (Assistant Prayer Captain) my last semester which means that I was the "leader" of my room as well as two other rooms. About three weeks before the end of the semester, I was going to turn in an English paper when my computer-to-printer connection malfunctioned. I couldn't even get the paper off my computer to print elsewhere. So, I decided to skip a couple classes in order to re-type the paper on another computer and print it off. Of course, I was recorded as "absent" and reported to the Discipline Committee (the DC is a place where you have to go confess your sins/beg for leniency when you are written up for an infraction). Now, I was aware that confessing to missing two classes on purpose would get you big demerits from the school, which could put your social life and freedom into jeopardy (you could get "socialed," which means no talking to the opposite sex, or "campused," which means you are under house arrest, no opportunity to go off campus. Now if you "accidentally" miss a class, however, the penalties were much less serious. I know many students would simply lie to get the lesser fine, but I resolved to tell the truth and ask for understanding. BIG MISTAKE! They not only gave me the demerits, but this put me over the limit and I was immediately "socialed."

I was later informed that I cannot remain an Assistant Prayer Captain while being socialed, so I would be told to move my belongings to another room. Remember, this occurred with around 3 weeks left in the semester! They moved me to a room on the very same floor, probably 9-10 doors from my current location! All this, for missing 2 classes in order to re-type a term paper that I couldn't get to print off my computer!!

That was my last semester at Bob Jones University. The folks that give this place a good review are essentially brainwashed. For a Christian university, this was the most uncaring, legalistic drones you will ever encounter. The amount of emotional abuse that goes on at this school is mind-blowing.

My sister graduated from BJU and still thinks it is great. BJU now has a sports program, however, I distinctly remember the school telling us that BJU would NEVER have a athletic program because it would detract from the spiritual leadership they wanted. The Preacher Boys were supposed to be the leaders on campus, so they didn't want it to be a bunch of jocks. Guess what? BJU has gone through some financial trouble and saw the light. They now have invested money in starting a sports program. Money Talks.

I cannot be clear enough.... BJU is a cult. No, I'm not just being dramatic. They make every effort to close their world off from outside eyes. They try to control information, when you get up, when you go to sleep, who you can talk to, the length of your sideburns, where you go to church, where you go when you go out with friends. They design the system to keep tabs on you at all time. When I was there, you had to sign a form stating where you were going and who you were going to be going with, and when you would be back . Please go somewhere else and let Bob Jones University fade slowly into oblivion.

2nd Year Male -- Class 2015

Campus Maintenance: A, Individual Value: F

As an alumnus of BJU let me state as emphatically as I can DO NOT GO TO THIS SCHOOL!!! I went there for 4 years and got my Bachelors degree, then I went to their seminary for 5 more years and earned two masters degrees. It took me that long to finally see through their smokescreen of spirituality. With the perspective that comes from being out of 'the bubble' I now realize that BJU does not teach or practice Biblical Christianity. It is instead a suppressive and degrading system of regulations imposed on students that they call 'Christianity'. I lived this, I was even forced to enforce it as a Prayer Captain and society president. My wife and I met there, worked there and earned masters degrees there and we are now embarrassed that BJU's name is on our resume. Our degrees are also not worth anything because BJU is not accredited. Their current so-called accreditation under TRACS is utterly useless and their current attempt at legitimate accreditation under SACS won't succeed - due to a long list of shortcomings. Alumni are not sending their children to BJU because of the spiritual and emotional abuse they suffered there as students and so enrollment is shrinking. Majors are being cut, faculty and staff are being downsized and there is also the little matter of the GRACE sexual abuse investigation(due out August 31st). The sexual abuse investigation against Bob Jones has made national headlines - just google it to learn more.

Also there are now numerous Facebook sites by Bob Jones University alumni dedicated to exposing what goes on there and warning potential students to NOT enroll there. Some of them are Truth Seeking Graduates of Bob Jones, Bojo.us, Do Right BJU, BJU News, etc. The problems of BJU are too numerous to encapsulate in a student review. But I hope that what I've shared here is enough to warn potential students to stay away from this place and to warn their friends to stay away also. If you attend you WILL regret it, just like my wife and I do.

Alumnus Male -- Class 2000