A resource for articles about going to college, choosing a university, and how to further education online and on campus Copyright https://www.crosswalk.com 2026, Crosswalk.com Thu, 08 Jan 2026 03:52:34 -0500 https://www.crosswalk.com/faith/prayer/prayers-for-college-graduates.html https://www.crosswalk.com/faith/prayer/prayers-for-college-graduates.html Vivian Bricker https://www.crosswalk.com/author/vivian-bricker/ Graduating from college is a huge achievement. I remember my sister and I graduating the same year and having nothing but hopes and dreams for the future. The diploma we had in our hands guaranteed us a chance to make a difference in the world. We were the first of our family to graduate with a four-year degree, and it made us feel accomplished. However, similar to many people, we have faced job issues after college, and this is something all graduates need to be aware of.Even though we took our classes, did well, and learned the course curriculum, sometimes our college degrees do not secure us a career. Careers center around connections, and it can be hard to get a job right out of college if you don't have the right connections. This is why so many college graduates are struggling at present. It is not because they opted out of college; rather, the college they attended didn't help them connect with a job after graduation.Graduates should not be discouraged by this information but be inspired to pray. God can do amazing things if we just allow Him to work. As Jesus Himself says, "Nothing is impossible for God" (Luke 1:37, Common English Bible). As graduates begin to navigate the world post-college, they need to take time to pray to the Lord and listen to His reply in His Word. This will help them cultivate a stronger relationship with God and have more confidence for the future.Photo credit: ©Unsplash/ Seyi Ariyo Mon, 02 Jun 2025 13:10:00 -0400 2026-01-08T03:52:34-05:00 https://www.crosswalk.com/slideshows/questions-you-and-your-teen-should-consider-when-visiting-colleges.html https://www.crosswalk.com/slideshows/questions-you-and-your-teen-should-consider-when-visiting-colleges.html Whitney Hopler https://www.crosswalk.com/author/whitney-hopler/ Choosing a college is one of the most significant decisions your teen will make, and as a Christian parent, you want to guide your future college student with love and wisdom. The college years can shape your child's future in all sorts of ways—academically, socially, and spiritually. That's why visiting colleges together is a wonderful opportunity to explore, ask important questions, and prayerfully consider what environment will help your son or daughter thrive. Remember, God has created your child uniquely. Every student has different needs, strengths, and goals. There is no one-size-fits-all answer when it comes to finding the right college. Your teen doesn't need to follow someone else's path; your teen needs to find the path God has prepared just for him or her. Here are seven essential questions you and your teen should ask or consider when visiting colleges.Photo credit: ©Dom Fou/Unsplash Mon, 02 Jun 2025 11:10:00 -0400 2026-01-08T03:52:34-05:00 https://www.crosswalk.com/slideshows/5-solid-reasons-college-freshman-need-to-be-part-of-a-local-church.html https://www.crosswalk.com/slideshows/5-solid-reasons-college-freshman-need-to-be-part-of-a-local-church.html Clarence L. Haynes Jr. https://www.crosswalk.com/author/clarence-l-haynes-jr/ The transition to college can be one of the most exciting and challenging times in a person’s life. This potentially escalates for those who go away to school. Usually, there are mixed emotions of tears and joy as parents drop their children off, allowing them to continue their journey into adulthood. For students living on campus, this marks a significant opportunity for change because, for many, it's the first time they're living away from home. There is no mom or dad around to make sure they get where they need to be on time, so this is the first actual test of independence for young freshman.Being away from home also means being away from their home church as well. Parents hope that the spiritual foundation that has been formed in their children over the years would be maintained and grow during these years. No parent wants their child to lose that connection to their faith.One of the best ways for college freshman to grow in their faith is by being part of a local church. Whether going away to college or staying home, here are five reasons getting involved in a local church is a good idea for your new college student.Photo credit: ©Getty Images/Vladimir Vladimirov Mon, 09 Sep 2024 14:00:00 -0400 2026-01-08T03:52:34-05:00 https://www.crosswalk.com/faith/prayer/10-pocket-prayers-for-the-college-student.html https://www.crosswalk.com/faith/prayer/10-pocket-prayers-for-the-college-student.html Alicia Searl https://www.crosswalk.com/author/alicia-searl/ The college years are some of the most memorable and exciting years of your life! It truly is an honor and blessing to be able to expand your academic abilities, chase after your dreams and goals, and experience opportunities like never before! That said, the transition can also come with unexpected and emerging challenges. Navigating these years and experiencing the dynamic and diverse environment that a college campus’ brings is powerful and humbling. So, let’s temper your thoughts and put your heart at ease today as you head back to school. Whether this is your first year and you are venturing far from home, or you are heading back for your final chapter and eagerly seeing the finish line. The good news is that God is in the details and orchestrating this beautiful season of your life. Just turn to Him and trust He will lead you on the right path and give you perseverance and discernment. As a few wiser (and older) friends might say, some of the only ways they embraced and endured these precious years were to hold on to their faith and whisper up prayers on the whim. So, with that, I invite you to take a deep breath, pause, and pray. Below are ten pocket prayers and verses to lift up when you feel anxious, overwhelmed, discouraged, or defeated. The pressures can easily mount up and take their toll, but I hope these go-to verses and prayers give you peace and a place to lean into God’s promises. You can print them out and place them around your dorm room or simply whisper them up when the time arises. May they draw you close to the Father and remind you that He has big plans for your life, and this part of the journey is merely the beginning!Photo Credit: ©GettyImages/fizkes Thu, 22 Aug 2024 11:35:00 -0400 2026-01-08T03:52:34-05:00 https://www.crosswalk.com/family/parenting/10-things-to-do-with-your-children-before-they-graduate.html https://www.crosswalk.com/family/parenting/10-things-to-do-with-your-children-before-they-graduate.html Shannon DeGarmo https://www.crosswalk.com/author/shannon-degarmo/ High School Graduation: a culmination of hard work, emotional investment, sweat and tears. And I’m not even talking about the kids. Yes, the kids have done a lot of work to get to graduation, but we parents are clinging on by skin of our teeth getting through some of those years. A child graduating is as much of a parent’s success as a kiddo’s (insert teen eye roll, and parents’ head nod).  That senior year goes by at warp speed. It is full of senior pictures, proms, and college visits. As parents, we are nostalgic about the whole experience. This is it, the last crescendo of raising our child. Oh, my heart.  But just because our kids are becoming (gulp) adults and hopefully, productive citizens of the world doesn’t mean we can’t hold on to the last precious moments. There is still lots of fun to be had and many experiences to share.  I’ve got a daughter in college, and, yes, this year my middle son graduates high school. So, I’ve got all the feels happening right now. I'm involved in every last ditch effort while we share the same address permanently. It’s my “Hail Mary” pass. Here are 10 things every parent should do with their children before they graduate.  Photo courtesy: ©Thinkstock/digitalskillet Mon, 29 Apr 2024 15:35:00 -0400 2026-01-08T03:52:34-05:00 https://www.crosswalk.com/special-coverage/college-higher-education/ways-to-make-your-college-application-stand-out.html https://www.crosswalk.com/special-coverage/college-higher-education/ways-to-make-your-college-application-stand-out.html Trinity Van Gaasbeek https://www.crosswalk.com/author/trinity-van-gaasbeek/ Have a few others read your application over for mistakes—because we all make mistakes. And when it comes to professionalism, if you're still using that littlemermaid102@aol.com email account from the eighth grade, create a new one. Make sure you use the same email every time you contact the school, and check that account often. Wed, 26 Jul 2023 15:15:00 -0400 2026-01-08T03:52:34-05:00 https://www.crosswalk.com/family/homeschool/top-5-financial-principles-for-college-bound-students-2018.html https://www.crosswalk.com/family/homeschool/top-5-financial-principles-for-college-bound-students-2018.html Guy Hatcher https://www.crosswalk.com/author/guy-hatcher/ Navigating new financial waters will soon begin for your new graduate; let’s look at five truths to help your college student make wise financial decisions. Wed, 26 Jul 2023 10:30:00 -0400 2026-01-08T03:52:34-05:00 https://www.crosswalk.com/special-coverage/college-higher-education/7-ways-to-help-your-child-plan-for-college.html https://www.crosswalk.com/special-coverage/college-higher-education/7-ways-to-help-your-child-plan-for-college.html Michelle S. Lazurek https://www.crosswalk.com/author/michelle-lazurek/ As your child prepares to embark on their college journey, it's essential to help them navigate the financial and academic landscape. By creating a plan together, you can empower them to make informed decisions about their education and set themselves up for success in an ever-changing job market. Thu, 20 Oct 2022 13:55:00 -0400 2026-01-08T03:52:34-05:00 https://www.crosswalk.com/faith/spiritual-life/foundations-for-entering-secular-college.html https://www.crosswalk.com/faith/spiritual-life/foundations-for-entering-secular-college.html Patricia Engler https://www.crosswalk.com/author/patricia-engler/ What in the world am I getting myself into? I’d wondered this other times before—like when I moved away from home, strapped on a backpack of science textbooks, and started secular college.Growing up homeschooling in a Christian family, I’d heard the stories of the spiritual battles that can rage behind college classroom doors. I’d read the statistics of students who leave the church after barrages of unbiblical teachings shatter their faith. I’d watched the movies of churchgoing kids being swallowed alive by professors. Would the same fate await me? Over the following years, I pleasantly didn’t wind up on any pedagogues’ dinner tables. But I did face a barrage of faith-challenging messages:“There is not a single piece of evidence against evolution.” “God did not create people—people created God.” “Jesus may not even have existed.”How did my faith survive such a setting? The answer, for me, lay in strengthening and maintaining three types of foundations I’d been building since my early teens. While these foundations helped me keep my faith, I couldn’t help wondering how other Christian students kept theirs. To find out, I strapped on another backpack. My mission? To travel 360° around the world in 180 days interviewing Christian students about their university experiences. Before the journey, I wondered again: What in the world am I getting myself into? Global problems, global solutions.As I traveled across cultures, I asked students, pastors, campus ministers, and university chaplains four questions: What are the challenges of being a Christian student here? What are the opportunities What’s your advice for a first-year Christian student? How can churches better support students? While answers to the first two questions varied by culture, the last two questions sounded remarkably similar. In other words, the problems Christians face at university look different in different cultures, but the solutions look virtually identical. So, focusing on these solutions could make a difference for the church’s future worldwide! They all come down to building the same three foundations I’d found essential in university.More exciting still, history and research confirm these foundations don’t only apply to helping university students. Examine studies of church-raised youth, and you’ll find that teens who excel in these foundations tend to exhibit the strongest faith as young adults. Read stories of persecuted Christians, and you’ll notice they survived by strengthening these foundations. Look at world-changing Christians like William Wilberforce, a spearhead of the abolitionist movement, and you’ll find they too excelled in the same foundations.The evidence is in: Three foundations can help any Christian keep a solid biblical worldview in tough environments—and apply that worldview to impact their surroundings. So what are those foundations, and how can students maintain them throughout university? Let’s take a look.Photo credit: ©Nathan Dumlao/Unsplash Wed, 15 Sep 2021 10:00:00 -0400 2026-01-08T03:52:34-05:00 https://www.crosswalk.com/special-coverage/college-higher-education/best-christian-colleges-universities.html https://www.crosswalk.com/special-coverage/college-higher-education/best-christian-colleges-universities.html Compiled & Edited by Crosswalk Editorial Staff https://www.crosswalk.com/author/compiled-and-edited-by-crosswalk-editorial-staff/ With juniors and seniors in high school already looking to college, many may be wondering “What’s the right school for me?” Many factors contribute to that answer. Fri, 27 Aug 2021 11:30:00 -0400 2026-01-08T03:52:34-05:00