A Message from the President

President Gaylen Byker

How much is a Christian college worth?

Students are certainly asking this question with increased intensity these days as they make the important decision about which college to attend. There is a decided difference in “sticker price” between public and private institutions. It is natural for students and their parents to ponder, “Does the additional price we will pay for a Christian college experience make a lifelong difference?”

In a March 2006 Christianity Today magazine article titled “A Question of Price Versus Cost,” author Steve Henderson examines research he did among college students in cooperation with the Higher Education Research Institute at UCLA.

Henderson concludes that attending a Christian college is a pivotal decision in the spiritual vitality of young adults for years to come — and perhaps a lifetime. Students who graduate from Christian colleges exhibit values, attitudes and behaviors much different from their public university peers. Henderson typically responds to students and parents asking the “Is it worth it?” question with another question: “Is the lower price tag worth the potential cost?”

I do not underestimate the financial challenge families face as they make college decisions. (In fact, Calvin works hard at providing scholarships and financial aid packages, in the process gaining the title of “Best Buy” by national college guides.) But the unique blend of a distinctively Christian and academically excellent college education is indeed worth the cost. Becky Weima’s story is just one example. At Calvin, we are educating for life.

Sincerely,

Gaylen J. Byker
President, Calvin College