The Facts
uc
Web site: www.ucollege.edu
Location: Lincoln, Nebraska
Environment: culturally rich university town
Enrollment: 952 total 43 percent male, 57 percent female
Annual cost for tuition, room, board, fees: $19,726
School year: two semesters late August to early May
Call for more information: 1-800-228-4600
Email: ucenroll@ucollege.edu
Nearest Taco Bell: three miles (but Taco Inn is right across the street--does that count?)
Squirrel population (rough estimate): prolific do not leave NutterButters unattended while studying on the lawn.
Local landmark: Nebraska state capitol, ranked as one of the 10 modern architectural wonders of the world.
Some people are tough customers.
You want a fat-free seven-layer burrito, but you don't want it to taste like gravel. You want new jeans that look lived-in but last forever. And you want a college that gives you hundreds of class choices but still has Christian friends, vegetarian food, and Friday night vespers.
But you can't have everything, right? And you know that if you choose a big university instead of an Adventist college, you're going to hear The Lecture from lots of old ladies after church potluck: "Young people these days just don't know the importance of sacrificing for a Christian education like we did when we worked 19 hours a day scrubbing floors so that we could study in a good environment--and don't forget about finding yourself a nice Adventist to marry, either."
College Guide
Compare & Constrast
Union College
Some people are tough customers.
You want a fat-free seven-layer burrito, but you don't want it to taste like gravel. You want new jeans that look lived-in but last forever. And you want a college that gives you hundreds of class choices but still has Christian friends, vegetarian food, and Friday night vespers.
But you can't have everything, right? And you know that if you choose a big university instead of an Adventist college, you're going to hear The Lecture from lots of old ladies after church potluck: "Young people these days just don't know the importance of sacrificing for a Christian education like we did when we worked 19 hours a day scrubbing floors so that we could study in a good environment--and don't forget about finding yourself a nice Adventist to marry, either."
And no matter what you say, nobody understands. You'd love to go to an Adventist college, but not one of them offers the major you've picked.
Until now. Union College has come up with a neat plan called The Best of Both Worlds. It works like this: you live at Union College, take a few classes, and enjoy the social life and spiritual atmosphere with Christian friends. At the same time, you take classes at one of the other major universities or colleges nearby.
Some of the majors available in this program are criminal justice, dental hygiene, international business, drama, agribusiness, geography, statistics, astronomy, and broadcast communication. And maybe you want to use your God-given talent for working with your hands. No problem. The Best of Both Worlds lets you study drafting, printing, fire protection technology, architectural technology, automotive technology, early childhood care, and more. Even professional truck driver training.
When I was a student at Union, I really wanted to learn Russian. That would have been impossible at most Adventist colleges, but I took the class at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, about five miles away. I also took photojournalism and advertising classes. It was simple--the credit transferred easily, and I didn't even need to pay extra because the classes counted toward my degree.
Of course, Union offers plenty of majors on its own campus. And here's a news flash: Union is one of the first Adventist colleges to offer a Master of Physician Assistant Studies. This graduate-level program equips you for one of today's hottest job markets. The international rescue and relief program is another unique option. The only known program of its kind in the United States, this high-energy major prepares students for lives of service, disaster response and mission work around the world.
No matter what major you choose, you'll probably start using it right at Union. Elementary education majors practice with young students in a one-room school on campus. The folks in the science department are engaging in cancer research.Most spiritual ministries and programs on campus are run by student leaders, creating a vibrant Christian atmosphere. And lots of students volunteer to paint houses, raise money for the homeless, clean up after floods and hurricanes, pull teeth in Brazil, or teach English in Bolivia.
The Union campus also offers you lots of varsity and intramural sports, a 25-meter swimming pool and Jacuzzi, traveling music groups, and a newly renovated student center and dining hall.
One of the school's biggest assets is its location. Now, that's just my opinion, and you might think I'm crazy for saying that about a college in Nebraska. But wait until you hear more about the city of Lincoln, often rated as one of the country's most livable places.
Basically, Lincoln has everything. It's the perfect city for finding jobs and internships. One in seven residents is a college student, which means you can enjoy lots of affordable restaurants, top-notch libraries, and quality concerts and plays. Browse a major American art museum, stroll the historic Haymarket district, or shop at factory outlets. The Lied Center, one of the top new performing arts centers in the country, offers everything from classical music to comedy routines. I went there to see Dickens' Christmas Carol, "Nutcracker on Ice," and the Warsaw Philharmonic Orchestra.
You probably won't find many other colleges where you can even live happily without having your own car. Lincoln has 57.3 miles of bike trails and efficient city buses that stop right at Union College.
Do you want to skip town for a weekend? Follow the Oregon Trail tracks across Nebraska. Visit Kansas City, St. Louis, or Minneapolis for pro sports, shopping, and entertainment. Or head west to the ski slopes of Colorado. (OK, so it's an eight-hour drive, but lots of students do it all the time.)
At Union College I did lots of things you might not expect to do in Nebraska, such as learning to boardsail, going to great concerts (like Jaci Velazquez, 10 Shekel Shirt, and Jennifer Knapp), and eating authentic Thai food. That's what college should be like--full of surprises.
Now, I admit that Union is special to me--after all, it's my school. But I don't want you to go there or anywhere else unless it's right for you. Keep looking (and keep reading the Insight college guide!) until you find a place that fits.