Academics
Harding University provides "a Christ-based, quality education" at "a quiet, beautiful school nestled in the foothills of the Ozarks!" Associated with Churches of Christ, Harding is known mostly for "its Christian background and including God [into] daily life." The emphasis on Christianity can't be overstated. "It's one of the top Christian Universities where Christ as your focal point is emphasized," and students here "prepare to succeed while growing closer to God." The school has a "close-knit campus life" and a "great Bible department." Students appreciate Harding's "dedication to God, the physical beauty of the campus, the many options made available to students." Even some Christian students feel the emphasis on the Churches of Christ beliefs can go too far: "The goal of Harding University is to impose the specific distinctions of our denomination under the pretense of higher education rather than promote learning with a Christian perspective," explains one student. "Some of the professors in the Bible department can be pretty harsh sometimes if a student is not a member of the Churches of Christ." Professors "care about their students and take an interest in their lives" and, unsurprisingly, "teach from a Christian perspective." Students wish the university was "less oppressive toward student opinion" and allowed for "dialogue between different ideologies." In short, "they could lighten up a bit."
Student Body
"About 90 percent of students are members of the Church of Christ" and "overly conservative." Students not a part of this specific mindset may encounter problems as students are "very closed to hearing ideas that differ from their own" and "somewhat judgmental toward those that don't have a conservative Church of Christ mindset." Students are "clean cut," "very normal," "spiritually upright, academically good, and friendly." "Everyone is extremely nice," and "the typical student comes from a small town or church of Christ background. And everyone is mainly looking for a spouse." Harding students fit in "through social clubs and academic clubs," although this can lead to "a lot of cliques." Some students wished the school was "more inclusive" and that students "respected and listened to those on campus who may not fit into the fundamentalist Christian mold."
Campus Life
Harding is in a small town so students must be creative in order to find extracurricular activities, and many students are trapped in "the Harding bubble." Students looking for a traditional college social life will want to look elsewhere, as Harding's religious views overwhelm the campus. "Since our school is in a dry county and it has religious affiliations, students find other ways than parties to have fun." The school imposes many different moral rules, often with harsh punishments, and "most students have some issue with either the existence of some of the rules or the severity of the punishments." "Most people spend a great deal of time in the ‘great outdoors,' since the Ozarks are not far from Searcy. Hiking and camping are two of Harding students' most common pastimes," and "some people get their kicks by going to Little Rock or Heber Springs." "There are many things to do on campus such as concerts, sports, games, festivals, and other events," and the student center on campus is "always lively, and it is easy to meet friends there." "Practically everyone around here is obsessed with getting married," and much of social life seems to involve looking for someone to settle down with.
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