Pursuing a Seminary degree can be a daunting challenge to any student. There are a multitude of decisions and issues to consider. Before you become overwhelmed (to the point of paralysis), stop and take a deep breath. There are many who have gone down this path before you; a multitude of resources is literally at your fingertips to help you consider the important issues and help you make a wise decision.

The following set of 50 questions to ask (yourself and others) is not exhaustive; it will provide some organization to your quest and help you work through all the decisions included in the process. The individual questions are sorted into 3 primary categories, but within each category, there is no priority of order given.

7 Pre-Search Questions: Before you decide to attend Seminary:

1. Why do I want to go to Seminary?
2. What ministry path am I training for?
3. How far from home am I willing to go for school?
4. What can I afford to pay for Seminary? Is financial aid a viable option?
5. Will I work during my Seminary career?
6. What environment do I want to go to school in (rural/urban/suburban)?
7. Do I want a large or small campus? Contemporary architecture or traditional?

36 Questions to ask when reviewing a particular school:

1. Will this school challenge me?
2. Does the Seminary Doctrine align with my own?
3. Is the program I am interested in accredited?
4. What is the level of safety of campus?
5. What is the Application Deadline?
6. What is the Acceptance rate among applicants?
7. What is the Graduation rate? What percentage graduate on time?
8. What is the percentage of Full-Time professors?
9. What is the Teacher/Student ratio?
10. What is the average class size?
11. What percentage of classes are lectures (large halls) vs classroom?
12. What percentage of classes are independent study?
13. What is the level of interaction between students and professors?
14. What percentage of professors use Teaching Assistants?
15. What tutoring or study assistance programs are available?
16. What is the typical workload for classes?
17. What is the demographic picture of the student body?
18. What percentage of students live on campus?
19. What housing types are available?
20. Is campus residence guaranteed?
21. What is the social environment on campus?
22. What is the school calendar?
23. What is the full-time Ministry placement (i.e. employment) rate?
24. What can I expect from the Ministry/Career Placement office?
25. What is the tuition increase rate from year to year?
26. What percentage of students use financial aid?
27. How much of the tuition/expenses is met by Financial Aid?
28. What is the split between loans and grants?
29. What is the average debt load a graduate has?
30. What is the health and counseling system available for students?
31. How robust is the library? Are there good study areas available?
32. How much is technology used in teaching/studying?
33. Will I need a car?
34. Are there internships or work/study programs available?
35. With what denomination is the college affiliated?
36. Would you want to remain in the local area to work after graduation?

7 Questions to ask current students:

1. What were the highlights from last semester?
2. Is there an alcohol/drug problem on campus?
3. How up-to-date are the dorms?
4. What does the local town offer for activities and events?
5. How happy are students (generally)?
6. What is the stress level among the students?
7. If you could go back in time, knowing what you know now, would you still attend here?