About Me

• More 

Intro

I know what you're thinking. Bible Institute of Los Angeles? Really? Yes. Don't read my Urban Dictionary definitions. Pretty sure APU posted those.

You might have heard I was ranked the fourth-worst party school in the nation. Well, it's true. But here, we don't need parties to have fun. And hey, fourth-worst isn't all that bad…at least I wasn't ranked last.

As an up-and-coming university, I'm pretty chill. Students work hard and cram like crazy in that last weekend before finals just like anywhere else, but at the end of the day, I'm home. I'm the type of school you're not scared to introduce to your parents.

My community is vibrant—one of the strongest you'll find anywhere. I take bonding and friendship seriously; I'm not just a four-year project. We're doing life together. My students trudge through the muck of exams and family crises, and laugh uncontrollably through the nights of delirious sleep-deprivation…all the while growing closer to God each and every day.

So if you're with me, you're with me. Leave the fear of commitment at the door, please.

Name

The Biola Eagle (He doesn't actually have a name. Oops.)

Hometown

Picture the safest suburban neighborhood that lies just an hour away from absolutely everything. Just hop in a car with some friends and in no time at all, you can be at: Disneyland, Los Angeles, a free concert, Hollywood, the beach, snowy mountains, a swing dancing club, the waterfalls of Pasadena, or a drive-in movie. Welcome to La Mirada, California.

Birthdate

1908

Body Type

Slender and sassy. I may be small, but I've got a great hipster vibe. I'm confident, unique, and not afraid to be myself.

I've got about 4,500 undergrad students and around 2,000 in graduate studies. I know...I seem ridiculously tiny compared to all the other schools you're looking at right now, don't I? Well, to be quite honest, I think I'm the perfect size: big enough that you meet new people often and small enough that you see friends everywhere you go.

Fun fact: I'm shaped like a toilet. You think I'm kidding, huh? Just look at an aerial map and see for yourself.

Current Living Situation

When it comes to dorm life, this is where my small size comes in pretty handy. My housing was recently ranked third-best in California and thirteenth-best in the U.S. Boom.

All my dorms are spacious, clean, community-centered, and are the best way to meet potential lifelong friends. Because of the wonderfully uplifting community (and reasonable price tag), it's easiest to live on campus, but the off-campus apartments are also high in demand. 41% of the Biola population lives in off-campus apartments or houses in the surrounding neighborhoods. They're still an integral part of our community, though. I make sure of it.

Oh, by the way, the newest building on campus, the dorm temporarily dubbed "North" Hall, will be finished by fall 2015 to house another 320+ students.

Relationship Status

So you think Christian schools aren't supposed to have enemies, huh? Wrong. We can have enemies—as long as they're other Christian schools. Introducing my forty-year-long rival: Azusa Pacific University. Years back, APU started a prank war. As morning broke on Biola's campus, an APU shirt was found taped to our famous Jesus mural. Though the years have lessened the fiery spark of competition between us, the slow-burning flame lingers on.

No matter what sport, we've gotta beat Azusa.

Religion

I love Jesus. I mean, obviously—I have a gigantic mural of Him plastered on the side of my science building, after all. Jesus isn't just the reason for the season; he's the reason I exist.

My roots run deep, back to 1908 when three men started a Bible Institute in the heart of Los Angeles with the objective to train men and women to evangelize and develop a deeper understanding of their faith in Christ. The building was dedicated with these words: "Its doors are to be open every day of the year, and all people, without reference to race, color or class will ever be welcome to its privileges."

Since then, I've upgraded to university status with a variety of different programs and majors all pursuing the same goal: "A biblically centered education, scholarship and service—equipping men and women in mind and character to impact the world for the Lord Jesus Christ."

Want to learn more? Check out my official doctrinal statement here.

Politics

Alright, fine. I'll admit it. I'm strongly conservative.

Over the years, I've been involved in national politics such as the Hobby Lobby Supreme Court case and pro-life activism.

But we like to spice things up. Students on campus have started the Feminist Club, Republican Club, and a club based in the Christian organization NakID Ministries. Their mission is to empower students at Biola "to better love those who identify as LGBQ, questioning, or SSA" by opening a safe space for them "to come and feel understood and encouraged by their peers."

You should apply to me if...

• You are seeking to be challenged and changed.
    
• You're not looking for parties or drinking.
    
• You desire to enter a tight-knit community that'll be there when you need to laugh, when you're homesick, or when you're stressing out over finals.
    

Website

http://www.biola.edu