Bob Jones University Residence Hall Life

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Bob Jones's rules:Residence Hall LifeA student must live in one of the University residence halls unless he is living with parents or other close relatives (approved by the Dean of Men's or Dean of Women's office), is 23 years old or older, is married and over the age of 20, or is a graduate student.Freshmen may request a roommate. Other students are allowed one request for a friend to be in their prayer group, on their hall, or in their residence hall, but not in their room.For the sake of accountability, students must "check out" when they leave the campus. Students gradually acquire more freedom in this area as they become upperclassmen.Each night all students meet for prayer, either as a room or together with several other rooms.Students are required to be in their own rooms and quiet at 11 pm. All lights must be out by midnight.Students are required to keep their rooms clean and neat.Rooms are inspected daily.Facilities and furnishings:Laundry facilities are provided.All rooms are furnished with twin-sized beds, dressers, desks, closets, cupboards, sink, telephone, and blinds.Computer network and high-speed Internet access is available in each residence hall room.An email account is provided for each student. Due to the flood of objectionable content coming through outside email services, students may use only this filtered campus email system.All wireless access to the Internet is forbidden since all Internet use must go through the University's filtered access.What to BringList of what to bringStudents may bring automobiles to campus. However, underclassmen (freshmen and sophomores) who are under 21 years old may use their vehicles only to drive home and for extension.Cell phones are permitted. Students will be instructed in cell phone etiquette.What Not to BringPosters of movie and music stars and fashion models are not permitted. The subjects of personal photos should exhibit the modesty and appropriate physical contact we expect from our students.Music must be compatible with the University's music standards:New Age, jazz, rock, and country music is not permitted.Contemporary Christian music is not permitted (e.g., Michael W. Smith, Stephen Curtis Chapman, WOW Worship, and so forth).Televisions and DVD/videocassette players are not permitted in the residence halls; computer DVD players may not be used to view movies.You may not possess or play computer and video games rated T, M, or A or having elements of blood and gore, sensual or demonic themes, or featuring suggestive dress, bad language, or rock music.Due to space considerations, appliances such as mini-refrigerators and microwaves are not permitted in residence hall rooms. A refrigerator for medical-related needs and microwaves are provided in each residence hall.Residence hall students may not watch videos above a G rating when visiting homes in town and may not attend movie theaters.All weapons must be turned in for storage.Trigger locks are required for pistols. Fireworks are not permitted on campus. Dress Code for MenHair must be cut in a traditional, conservative style–not shaved, spiked, tangled, or shelved. It may not be colored or highlighted.Sideburns should not extend past the middle of the ear. Men are expected to remain clean-shaven.Abercrombie & Fitch and its subsidiary Hollister have shown an unusual degree of antagonism to the name of Christ and an unusual display of wickedness in their promotions. In protest, we will not allow articles displaying their logos to be worn, carried, or displayed (even if covered or masked in some way).Dress Code for WomenClassroom/general dress consists of a dress or top and skirt; however, pants may be worn for some recreational activities. Shorts may never be worn outside the residence halls and fitness center.Loose-fitting jeans may be worn between women's residence halls and when participating in activities where the durability of the fabric is important, such as skiing and ice-skating.Hairstyles should be neat, orderly, and feminine. Avoid cutting-edge fads and cuts so short that they take on a masculine look.Students are not permitted to get tattoos. Excessive makeup is not permitted. Earrings may be worn only in the lobe of the ear (maximum of two matched sets).Pensecola's rules:Students may only stay off campus overnight withparents, grandparents, married aunts and uncles, ormarried brothers and sisters.The following types of music are not permitted:a. Current popular musicb. Jazz, rock, rap, folk, "Nashville" type, or new agemusicc. Religious music performed in the folk, westernrock, or gospel rock styled. Soundtracks from movies rated PG-13, PG, or belowHeadphones andearphones should not be brought to the campus.Students may have a standard cell telephone (withoute-mail or Internet service), provided it remains intheir automobile.Also, computers may not beconnected to Internet or e-mail services includingwireless services. Students that own a computer willbe held responsible for their computer as well as anyfiles stored on their computer or medium played overtheir computer.Computers may not be used to play CD or DVD movies.PCC reserves the right to check the computerfiles on any personal computer on campus if, in theopinion of the Administration, it is reported orsuspected that said files or related medium may be inviolation of the policies and standards of theCollege.there is to be no borrowing or renting of anotherperson's property--including everything from ties toautomobiles.Borrowing or using umbrellas withoutpermission is considered stealing and will be dealtwith accordingly.No students should ever be in another person'sresidence hall room unless a resident of that room ispresent.1. Room Check--Each day residence rooms will beinspected beginning at 7:35 a.m. (Sat. and Sun., 9a.m.).Each Saturday showers will be thoroughlychecked, and beds must have clean linen by lights out.Students may be asleep during room check aslong as their beds are made.There should be no talking or noise inthe hallways.4. Lights Out is at 11 p.m. and all students are tobe quiet and in bed. Students are not to be in someoneelse's room after lights outMy favorite part is:

Students may only stay off campus overnight withparents, grandparents, married aunts and uncles, ormarried brothers and sisters.

Because if they weren't married...

[ShakeZuma 585]

Good lord, even Jerry's kids have more freedom than this

[LongLiveYorke 38]

I really don't understand why some people choose to ruin and waste their lives. Oh well, it's their choices.Though if there is a person going here whose parents force him or her, I truely feel bad. Obviously, though, after a few months of this, if they have any strength of character at all, they will simply run away and hopefully never speak to their parents again.Also, isn't Bob Jones not a real college?

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BJU is a real school, but it's not regionally accredited. However, it's a candidate for accreditation by some recognized accreditation organization. According to PCC, BJU is too liberal. Below are some more rules. I was going to bold the ones I thought were humorously stupid, but then I'd realize I'd be bolding nearly every rule.

"Mixed-gender interaction has the strictest rules. Stairwells and elevators are segregated by gender, members of the opposite sex are not permitted to touch in any way (even shaking hands is against the rules), mixed-gender meetings (including off-campus) are forbidden unless a PCC chaperon is present, and staring into the eyes of a member of the opposite sex, called by students "eye kissing", "optical intercourse", or "making eye babies", is discouraged by the administration.""Each gender must use segregated stairways, elevators and in some cases, sidewalks.Chewing gum indoors (in certain buildings)."Squealing" tires."Obscene" language. This includes the terms "suck" or "sucks."Siblings of the opposite sex should not interact in unchaperoned areas to abstain from the "appearance of evil."You must wear a shirt in the halls (men and women) and may not wear shorts in the lounges at any time.You may not go bare-foot in the halls or lounge.You may not sing "too loud" during prayer group.The blinds in your room must be closed after dusk.You may not open your window.You may not adjust your thermostat.You may not wipe "boogers" on the wall. This is being cracked down on."

[ShakeZuma 585]

Can't adjust your thermostat? God wants you to be uncomfortable?

[KONGOS 0]

Do you have a link? This is some really good stuff!

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PCC Student Handbookhttp://www.pensacolachristiancollege.com/r...andbook2001.txtBJU Student Rules and Informationhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bob_Jones_Uni...y#Student_rulesIt took until the year 2000 for Bob Jones University to end its ban on interracial dating. It seems somewhat pointless to me because I don't really see how it's possible to date other people while abiding by the school rules.

[ShakeZuma 585]

I'm not sure a person can spend 4 years at one of these institutions and come out and be able to function normally in society.

[Mattnxtc 0]

as with all things you have extremest type people and these schools are just a branch of that...though if they are going to be extreme i dont mind them being to this side as compared to what it could be

[LAS22 0]

It's their school, so they can have their rules...but why would anyone want to subject themselves to this?Bottom line is that God could care less about 90% of the stuff this college finds objectionable.

[ShakeZuma 585]

Well I'm not religious, but I'm SURE that God hates it when you wipe boogers on your wall

[Mattnxtc 0]

unfortunately a lot of people live under a form of legalism where they are so afraid to take advantage of God's grace that they live lives like that...for those who are christian and lookin to read a good book on the grace God has granted us check out:Charles Swindoll "A Grace Awakening" I think youll find it very comforting

[aucu 3]

It's their school, so they can have their rules...but why would anyone want to subject themselves to this?Bottom line is that God could care less about 90% of the stuff this college finds objectionable.

Up until about 10 years ago they also had a "No Blacks" rule

[timwakefield 68]

It's a good thing they put that rule in about "borrowing" umbrellas. Stolen umbrellas are the #2 cause of teen angst (#1 is jazz music), and like the Bible says, "Steal an umbrella, go to hell."

[aucu 3]

From Wikipediahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bob_Jones_UniversityRacialAlthough it admitted Asians and other minorities from its inception, BJU refused to enroll black students until 1971, eight years after the University of South Carolina and Clemson University had been integrated by court order. From 1971 to 1975, BJU admitted only married blacks, although the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) had already determined in 1970 that "private schools with racially discriminatory admissions policies" were not entitled to federal tax exemption. Late in 1971, BJU filed suit to prevent the IRS from taking its tax exemption, but in 1974, in Bob Jones University v. Simon, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that the University did not have standing to sue until the IRS actually assessed taxes. Four months later, on May 29, 1975, the University Board of Trustees authorized a change in policy to admit "students of any race," a move which occurred shortly before the announcement of the Supreme Court decision in Runyon v. McCrary (427 U.S. 160 [1976]), which prohibited racial exclusion in private schools.[23]The university did not admit unmarried blacks until 1975. In a 2000 interview with Bob Jones III, the then-president said that interracial dating had been prohibited since 1950s and that the policy had originated in a complaint by parents of a male Asian student who believed that their son had "nearly married" a white girl.[24] In May 1975, as it prepared to allow unmarried blacks to enroll, BJU adopted more detailed rules prohibiting interracial dating and marriage--threatening expulsion for any student who dated or married interracially, who advocated interracial marriage, who was "affiliated with any group or organization which holds as one of its goals or advocates interracial marriage," or "who espouse, promote, or encourage others to violate the University's dating rules and regulations." [25]On January 19, 1976, the Internal Revenue Service notified the University that its tax exemption had been revoked retroactively to December 1, 1970. The school appealed the IRS decision all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court, arguing that the University met all other criteria for tax-exempt status and that the school's racial discrimination was based on sincerely held religious beliefs, that "God intended segregation of the races and that the Scriptures forbid interracial marriage." [26] The University was not challenged about the origin of its interracial dating policy, and the District Court accepted "on the basis of a full evidentiary record" BJU's argument that the rule was a sincerely held religious conviction, a finding affirmed by all subsequent courts.[27] In December 1978, the federal district court ruled in the University's favor; two years later, that decision was overturned by the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals.On January 8, 1982, just before the case was to be heard by the U.S. Supreme Court, President Ronald Reagan authorized his Treasury and Justice Departments to ask that the BJU case be dropped and that the previous court decisions be vacated. Political pressure quickly brought the Reagan administration to reverse itself and to ask the Court to reinstate the case. Then, in a virtually unprecedented move, the Court invited William T. Coleman, Jr. to argue the government's position in an amicus curiae brief, thus insuring that the prosecution's position would be the one the Court wished to hear. The case was heard on October 12, 1982, and on May 24, 1983, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled against Bob Jones University in Bob Jones University v. United States (461 U.S. 574). The University refused to reverse its interracial dating policy and (with difficulty) paid a million dollars in back taxes. Also, in the year following the Court decision, contributions to the University declined by 13 percent.In 2000, following a media uproar prompted by the visit of presidential candidate George W. Bush to the University, Bob Jones III abruptly dropped the interracial dating rule, announcing the change on CNN's "Larry King Live."[28] Five years later when asked by Newsweek for his view of the rule change, the current president, Stephen Jones, replied, "I've never been more proud of my dad...the night he lifted that policy."[29]Despite its history on racial issues, BJU today has a student body that includes many international and minority students and a number of interracial couples, including members of the faculty and staff. The University has also established two 501©(3) charitable organizations to provide scholarship assistance solely for minority students.[30]

[Golden 2]

I have now seen everything.

[KONGOS 0]

"I'll take 'Religious Extremists' for $500". *Alex Trebek reads these above posted rules and guidelines* "What is the Taliban?"...."I'm sorry that's incorrect, it's Bob Jones University in the United States of America".

[HangukMiguk 8]

"I'll take 'Religious Extremists' for $500". *Alex Trebek reads these above posted rules and guidelines* "What is the Taliban?"...."I'm sorry that's incorrect, it's Bob Jones University in the United States of America".

No doubt. These guys would've found 500 rules to throw me out the day i stepped in even after the "no interracial dating rule" had been lifted.If anyone finds God in either of those schools, I'd applaud them, because it's going to be a tough search.

[LAS22 0]

Up until about 10 years ago they also had a "No Blacks" rule

That is just crazy! Then again it was the early 70's before interracial marriage was legal in all states.

[DonkSlayer 1]

"I'll take 'Religious Extremists' for $500". *Alex Trebek reads these above posted rules and guidelines* "What is the Taliban?"...."I'm sorry that's incorrect, it's Bob Jones University in the United States of America".

This would work except BJ University (hey, I want a hat of THAT) is optional to attend.

[KONGOS 0]

This would work except BJ University (hey, I want a hat of THAT) is optional to attend.

This is true...but scary nonetheless.

[aucu 3]

That is just crazy! Then again it was the early 70's before interracial marriage was legal in all states.

OK but they kept it up until 2000

In 2000, following a media uproar prompted by the visit of presidential candidate George W. Bush to the University, Bob Jones III abruptly dropped the interracial dating rule

[Balloon guy 158]

It's a good thing they put that rule in about "borrowing" umbrellas. Stolen umbrellas are the #2 cause of teen angst (#1 is jazz music), and like the Bible says, "Steal an umbrella, go to hell."

Its true:1st Generalities chapter 6 verses 7-8

[Petoria 0]

HAHA!"making eye babies"I have trouble with that. I didnt want to say this on the message board, but I'm a premature opticator. So if I make some eye babies, it's not completely my fault.

[Sluggo 0]

The campus looks just like the glossy brochure: clean, green, and beautiful. The students are well dressed and well groomed, not a pair of jeans or scrappy goatee in sight. Inside the Commons building, two students engage in a spirited game of Ping-Pong. When one of them misses an easy shot, he cries, "Praise the Lord!"Pensacola Christian College prides itself on being different, not just from secular colleges, but from fellow Christian ones, too. Some of those differences, like the way students dress, are obvious to any visitor. Others are not. Since its founding, more than 30 years ago, Pensacola has blossomed from a tiny Bible college into a thriving institution of nearly 5,000 students. Along the way it has become known as among the most conservative — and most secretive — colleges in the country.Not to mention one of the strictest. The rules at Pensacola govern every aspect of students' lives, including the books they read, the shoes they wear, the churches they attend, and the people they date. Many of those regulations are spelled out in a handbook sent to students after they enroll, but there are plenty of unwritten rules as well. Demerits are common and discipline swift.It's all in the name of preserving Pensacola's "distinctives" — the word the college uses for what sets it apart. But many former students say the enforcement of the rules is often cruel and capricious. Dissent is never tolerated, they say, and expulsions for seemingly minor infractions are routine.They also complain that Pensacola plays down (or never mentions) an important fact: It is not accredited. For many students, that lack of accreditation has not been a problem; for some, however, it has meant starting college over elsewhere or being rejected by employers.In keeping with its distrust of outsiders, Pensacola's administration declined repeatedly to comment for this article. A spokesman says college officials "don't want to stir up a hornet's nest." But as interviews with dozens of current and former students make clear, the buzzing has already begun.The Rule BookLisa Morris was walking to class with her boyfriend last October when something happened. At first Ms. Morris, a sophomore music major, is reluctant to divulge the details. Eventually, however, the truth comes out: He patted her behind.Someone who witnessed the incident reported Ms. Morris and her boyfriend. At Pensacola any physical contact between members of the opposite sex is forbidden. (Members of the same sex may touch, although the college condemns homosexuality.) The forbidden contact includes shaking hands and definitely includes patting behinds. Both students were expelled.Of Pensacola's many rules, those dealing with male-female relationships are the most talked about. There are restrictions on when and where men and women may speak to each other. Some elevators and stairwells may be used only by women; others may be used only by men. Socializing on particular benches is forbidden. If a man and a woman are walking to class, they may chat; if they stop en route, though, they may be in trouble. Generally men and women caught interacting in any "unchaperoned area" — which is most of the campus — could be subject to severe penalties.Those rules extend beyond the campus. A man and a woman cannot go to an off-campus restaurant together without a chaperon (usually a faculty member). Even running into members of the opposite sex off campus can lead to punishment. One student told of how a group of men and a group of women from the college happened to meet at a McDonald's last spring. Both groups were returning from the beach (they had gone to separate beaches; men and women are not allowed to be at the beach together). The administration found out, and all 15 students were expelled.Even couples who are not talking or touching can be reprimanded. Sabrina Poirier, a student at Pensacola who withdrew in 1997, was disciplined for what is known on the campus as "optical intercourse" — staring too intently into the eyes of a member of the opposite sex. This is also referred to as "making eye babies." While the rule does not appear in written form, most students interviewed for this article were familiar with the concept.As she tells it, Ms. Poirier was not gazing lovingly at her boyfriend; he had something in his eye. But officials didn't buy her explanation, and she and her boyfriend were both "socialed," she says.There are three levels of official punishment at Pensacola (four, if you count expulsion). Students can be "socialed," "campused," or "shadowed." Students who are socialed are not allowed to talk to members of the opposite sex for two weeks. Those who are campused may not leave the college grounds for two weeks or speak to other campused students.Being shadowed is the worst of the three. Shadowed students are assigned to a "floor leader" for several days. A floor leader is a student who is paid by the college and has the power to issue demerits. Shadowed students must attend the floor leader's classes and sleep in the floor leader's room. During this time, the shadowed student is not allowed to talk to anyone but the floor leader. Shadowing is usually a prelude to expulsion.Ms. Poirier was later told she would be shadowed after being spotted riding in a car in mixed company. She tried to explain that it was an innocent outing, but to no avail. When told she would be shadowed, Ms. Poirier decided to withdraw. "I said 'screw it' and I left," she says.There are plenty of other ways to run afoul of the rules. Last spring Timothy Dow was caught playing the video game Halo 2. Such games are banned by the college. Movies are also forbidden, including those rated G. Music is restricted to classical or approved Christian ("contemporary Christian" artists are deemed too worldly). Students are allowed to watch television news at 6 o'clock, but that's it. The TVs are controlled by college employees, who flip a switch to black out the commercials, lest students see anything inappropriate.In the library, books and magazines are censored. One student says she saw a pair of black-marker boxer shorts on a photograph of Michelangelo's David. Any books that students wish to read that are not in the library must first be approved by administrators. Those containing references to "magic," for instance, are normally rejected. The rule book specifically prohibits "fleshly magazines and books."For playing the video game, Mr. Dow was campused. Later, in the cafeteria, he ran into a friend who had just been expelled. Mr. Dow had been told not to talk to his friend, who had previously been campused. But he figured it would be OK now that his friend was leaving. "I gave him a hug and said, 'See you later, man,'" he says.Someone witnessed the exchange and turned Mr. Dow in. Students routinely turn each other in for violating rules and are rewarded by the administration for doing so. According to several former students, those who report classmates are more likely to become floor leaders.Mr. Dow was called to the office of the dean of men, where, he says, he waited for about four hours. Then he was expelled.In The BeginningPensacola Christian College is "an idea that came from God," according to its Web site. The college was founded in 1974 by Arlin Horton, who remains its president. It is Baptist but is not affiliated with the Southern Baptist Convention or any similar organization. Both Mr. Horton and his wife, Rebekah, are graduates of Bob Jones University. While it appears that he copied his alma mater's demerit system and some of its rules, there is a longstanding rift between the two institutions.Several years ago, Pensacola publicly criticized Bob Jones University for using translations of the Bible other than the King James Version. (Pensacola's policy is that the King James is the only divinely inspired English translation.) A group of Bob Jones faculty members fired off a lengthy letter responding to the attack.It is true that students at Bob Jones are permitted to consult other English translations of the Bible. In the letter, however, Bob Jones professors objected to the implication that the university was not faithful to the word of God. "PCC appears to be bent on claiming exclusive right to the higher ground of Fundamentalism — in lofty isolation, not only from BJU, but from virtually every other Fundamental Bible college and seminary," they wrote.A representative of Bob Jones University declined to talk about the bad blood between the colleges.When Pensacola opened its doors, it had one building and 100 students. Its mission was to offer an education "based on the Christian traditional approach in contrast to the humanistic, progressive systems of education." Since then, as it has grown to nearly 5,000 students, it has built a large, gated campus featuring an art-and-music center with a 140-seat recital hall and recording studio; a 137,000-square-foot sports center with a basketball court, ice-skating rink, 12-lane bowling alley, four-lane jogging track, miniature golf course, and racquetball courts. There is a cafeteria, an on-campus restaurant, and a 300,000-volume library.The campus also has several computer labs and wireless Internet access, although there is a catch. In the mid-1990s, Pensacola had e-mail and limited Internet access, but it shut the services down after several students started an online newsletter criticizing the college. (Needless to say, the students who created the newsletter were expelled.) Internet access was not restored until last year, and it comes with significant restrictions. There are a few hundred approved Web sites; students must ask permission to visit any other site. Amazon and eBay, for instance, are reportedly not on the approved list. Several students say they leave the campus to surf the Web.Pensacola's success can be chalked up in part to its reputation. It is known as perhaps the strictest Christian college in the country, one that has criticized Bob Jones, of all places, for being too liberal. For those searching for a college that is more-Christian-than-thou, Pensacola is it. It has found a marketing niche.But that is not the only reason for its growth. Along with the college, Mr. Horton founded A Beka Books, acknowledged as the largest Christian-textbook company in the world. A Beka sells textbooks to more than 10,000 Christian schools across the country, offering a complete curriculum for kindergarten through 12th grade. It has also won a big share of the lucrative home-school market.The company brings in about $70-million in annual revenue and is valued at $280-million, according to Dun & Bradstreet. A sizable chunk of that revenue goes to support the college, which does not come close to breaking even on its own. According to its 2003 tax filing, the university collected $20-million in tuition and fees and $3-million from contributions. The filing attributes $15-million in income to "royalties," presumably from A Beka.In the mid-90s, A Beka paid nearly $50-million in back taxes after the Internal Revenue Service ruled that it should have been classified as a for-profit entity. The college itself remains nonprofit.Revenue from A Beka helps keep costs extremely low. Students pay $6,000 a year for tuition, room, and board. That's about a third or a quarter of what most other Christian colleges cost. When asked what other colleges they considered, Pensacola students often mention Bob Jones, Cedarville University, Northland Baptist Bible College, and Abilene Christian University. Cost is usually cited as the deciding factor.Just as the textbook company helps support the college, the college helps support the textbook company. Many of Pensacola's students work for A Beka, operating binding equipment, packing books into boxes, loading those boxes onto forklifts. Some students complain about the working conditions; others say it's a good deal. For women, A Beka is usually the only employment option because they are not allowed to hold off-campus jobs. Or leave the campus alone, for that matter.In the world of Christian colleges, Pensacola is an oddity. It is not a member of the Council for Christian Colleges and Universities. It has little to do with other institutions. Several administrators at other Christian colleges declined to discuss Pensacola on the record for fear of seeming critical. One said he did not know enough to speak knowledgeably because Pensacola keeps mostly to itself.While not wanting to criticize Pensacola, Carl A. Ruby, vice president for student life at Cedarville, in Ohio, emphasizes that his university doesn't take the "bad-kid approach" to discipline. "On major issues of Christian doctrine, we are probably always on the same page," he writes in an e-mail message. "In terms of living out our faith on a daily basis, significant differences emerge."Too Much? Or Just Right?So Pensacola is strict. Sometimes very strict.Is that necessarily a bad thing?Not really, according to Isaac Blakely. "You get tired of some of the rules, but all in all the rules are not that hard to deal with if you have the right attitude about it," he says.Mr. Blakely, a senior commercial-art major, had a friend who was socialed for "sitting too close to a girl." One semester Mr. Blakely himself came perilously close to getting kicked out by racking up 118 demerits. (A total of 150 means automatic expulsion.) The demerits were for small offenses, like forgetting to empty his dorm-room trash can or failing to properly clean the sink. Rooms are inspected regularly, and students who do not meet cleanliness standards are given demerits.Even so, Mr. Blakely is loath to complain. "If PCC didn't put restrictions on us, I would wonder about their standards," he says. "I'm glad they're doing it."Mena Ghobrial doesn't mind the rules, either. "At first I thought it was too strict, but it helps me concentrate on my studies," says the senior pre-med major. Mr. Ghobrial, who is from Egypt, thinks that some of the restrictions, such as making students sign out when they leave the campus and write down where they are going, help keep them safe.Others are less enthusiastic about Pensacola's approach. Lisa Daxer transferred to Cedarville from Pensacola. Like other conservative Christian colleges, Cedarville has its share of rules. For instance, students may not drink alcohol on or off the campus, even if they are over 21. They are also forbidden to listen to music that comes with a parental-advisory sticker. Most forms of dancing are banned (ballet is OK).That's fine with Ms. Daxer, who has no desire to attend a more permissive secular college.Her problems with Pensacola go beyond the rules. Administrators there equate loyalty to the college with obedience to God in a way she finds objectionable. "They used to say that being at PCC is God's will for our lives," she says. "So walking out of PCC would be breaking God's will for our lives. Then I've heard them say that you might end up dying because God can't use you anymore."Darrell Dow has heard much the same thing. "There is this idea that if you go against us, you're going against God," he says. Mr. Dow graduated from Pensacola in 2003 with a degree in computer science, but by then he already felt disillusioned. (Timothy Dow, who was kicked out for hugging a recently expelled friend, is Darrell Dow's cousin.) He says because rules can be "made up on the spot," it seems impossible to abide by all of them. "There's a feeling of helplessness and a spirit of fear," he says. "Not to put too fine a point on it, but there's a very 1984 feel to the place."Matthew Arnold agrees. He graduated from Pensacola in 1998 with a degree in commercial art and graphic design; his younger sister attends the college "going against all the advice I ever gave," he says. Mr. Arnold is active in an online forum for former students, where many complain about the college and trade their best, or worst, stories. Some even call themselves "survivors" of the institution. Others, though, temper their criticism with fond regard.Mr. Arnold argues that because the college claims that its authority comes directly from God, students who feel mistreated are put in an extremely awkward position. There is another, more practical fear as well, he says: Getting kicked out might mean starting over because other colleges might not accept unaccredited Pensacola's credits. "You live in terror of losing all the money you've put into the college," he says.When Adam Peters enrolled at Pensacola, he believed that "the Lord wanted me to go there." But last fall he accumulated 111 demerits and was asked to sit out for a semester. Mr. Peters, a junior majoring in Bible studies, says he has started "to see a lot of the weaknesses" in Pensacola's system. "I can't shut my eyes to those, even though there are strengths," he says.From his perspective, there are indeed strengths. Christianity is woven throughout the curriculum. Creationism is taught in science courses. Classes begin with a prayer. Along with mandatory chapel services, students must attend the campus church three times every week; they are not allowed to go to another church unless they are from the Pensacola area, and even then they need special permission. Mandatory small-group prayer meetings are held in the evenings.A strong Christian emphasis is part of what Mr. Peters wanted in a college. But he has become disturbed by how Pensacola exerts its considerable power over students' lives. He is also bothered by how many of his friends have left the college. "One day they're there, and the next it's like, 'Where's Samantha? Oh, she got kicked out,'" he says. "They won't spell things out, and then they'll yank you. There's not always a lot of mercy there."Insurmountable ProblemsSeveral previously unaccredited Christian colleges, like Bob Jones, have recently become candidates for accreditation. Pensacola, however, has shown no interest in outside approval of any kind. Nor does it advertise its unaccredited status. A search of the Web site turns up no mention of accreditation. It is not mentioned in the college's viewbook either, which dedicates four pages to sports activities and two to campus facilities.It is mentioned, in small print, on the inside flap of the course catalog: "Pensacola Christian College has never made application for regional accreditation as the College believes it would jeopardize the College's philosophical distinctives." The catalog goes on to say that getting other colleges to accept Pensacola's credits "has seldom been an insurmountable problem."It was an insurmountable problem for Abel Harding. Near the end of his junior year, Mr. Harding placed a sign on his dorm-room door that said, "Welcome to the Party Room." He glued cutouts from a magazine, including a beer bottle, to the poster. It was meant as a joke, he says, because the very idea that he would have beer in his room was laughable.The administration didn't see it that way. Mr. Harding was shadowed for three days.That was one of several run-ins he had with the administration. All students join a "collegian," Pensacola's version of the Greek system. Mr. Harding's collegian was nicknamed "the Scorpions" and one member got a tattoo of a scorpion to demonstrate his loyalty. Tattoos are not allowed, and the student was campused. In protest Mr. Harding and his fellow collegians wore all black to chapel one day. They were forced to leave the service and told they would be expelled if they wore black to chapel again.The shadowing, however, was the tipping point. Even though the administration told Mr. Harding that he could return for his senior year, he decided to withdraw."I just couldn't deal with it anymore," he says.He applied to the University of Florida and was told that none of his credits would transfer. "I had to start over," he says. So, after three years at Pensacola, he enrolled as a freshman at nearby Santa Fe Community College and later transferred to Southern Illinois University at Carbondale, from which he eventually graduated.He says he called Pensacola for help, and offi-cials there provided none: "There's no label that says, 'We're not accredited.' How many 18-year-olds know enough to ask that?"When he was a student, Mr. Harding traveled with a singing group that promoted Pensacola. When prospective students asked about accreditation, Mr. Harding says the singers were instructed to tell them that Harvard and Yale are not accredited, either, and so accreditation doesn't matter. (Harvard and Yale, for the record, are accredited.)Lack of accreditation has been a problem for Amy Brown, too. She graduated from Pensacola in 2003 with a degree in early-childhood education. But because the college is not accredited, she cannot teach in public schools, she says. She had no idea what accreditation was before enrolling at Pensacola. "I never tried to transfer," she writes in an e-mail message, "because I had friends that did and ended up with all of their credits as electives," meaning that they had to retake required courses.Mr. Ghobrial, the student from Egypt who doesn't mind the rules, wants to attend dental school. His first choice, West Virginia University, has already said it would not consider his application, because Pensacola is not accredited. "I'm hoping they change their minds," he says.Many Christian colleges do accept Pensacola's credits, as do some secular institutions. Several former students say they have had no difficulty transferring credits or applying for jobs. But others have. And as more states crack down on degrees from unaccredited colleges, it may get even tougher for Pensacola graduates.Donald Barber asked about accreditation before he enrolled. The first time he asked, he says, a college representative evaded the question. Then the representative said it wasn't important. "I had to ask three more times before he said no."Mr. Barber left the college in 2004 after "butting heads" with administrators over an event he was planning. He wanted to invite a speaker from Bob Jones to an off-campus Christian-revival meeting. Pensacola officials told him he could not. "I was appalled by that," Mr. Barber says.He did not object to the college's many rules. But he did mind that Pensacola's leaders would not tolerate dissent of any kind. "I felt like it stifled my personality," he says.Students interviewed for this article were asked whether they would recommend the college. Some, even a few who had strong criticisms of the college, said they would. Others said absolutely not. Matthew Arnold, whose sister enrolled in Pensacola against his advice, argues that it depends a lot on the student. "If God told them to go, then there's not a lot you can do about it," he says.But, he adds, they should know what they're getting into.