Even though I had a good high school education, transitioning from high school to college was an intense jump for me because of Sattler’s high academic standards. Thankfully, Sattler has made learning enjoyable and well worth the effort I put into it.

Sattler College excels in academics for three primary reasons:

1. Sattler forms students’ minds to think freely and critically.
2. The heavy workload cultivates life-shaping qualities in students.
3. Student participation in classes is expected.

A Free Mind

In one of my first classes as a college student, Dr. Leaman told us that we would be receiving a “liberal arts” education at Sattler. He explained that a classical liberal education is meant to lead students to “freedom,” based on the Latin root word, “liber.” In a recent Early American History class, Dr. Griffith also gave a brief summary of what a classical liberal arts education looks like. He noted that here “liberal” does not refer to politics or theology. Rather, it refers to a “free mind.” Students are trained to think openly and critically as they head into the real world. As a result, students will be “unencumbered” by the trends of the day, by money or vices. Cultivating a free mind leads students to pursue the true and the good.

At Sattler, all students are required to take classes such as apologetics, biblical Hebrew and Greek, ancient, medieval, and modern history, Christian doctrines, and more. The Bible classes, in particular, challenge students to seek more than just a status quo Christian faith. I’ve seen many Sattler students grapple with assumptions about scripture or church they had never questioned before. Students are encouraged to seek truth and wisdom. The core history classes help students recognize the ideas and movements that have shaped the modern world. We are thus equipped to critically engage society and culture.

Heavy Workload

Every Sattler student agrees that Sattler professors assign a lot of work. A heavy workload is an essential aspect of an excellent education. Aside from cultivating robust work ethics, Sattler’s heavy workload compels students to develop qualities that will last a lifetime.

Students develop self-initiative, time management, study habits, and endurance. Over my first three years at Sattler, my self-initiative has only become better and better, and my time management skills are always improving. I’ve also noticed that I and other Sattler students develop consistent study habits to handle our workload. For example, in one class this semester we were required to memorize all the country capitals of the world. We needed good study habits to learn and remember these. Finally, students learn to press on, or endure, through the highs and lows of a busy schedule. Easy work does not create resiliency. Four years of stretching academic work does.

Student Participation

At Sattler, professors design classes in a way where students must engage with the material. In humanities classes, for example, students are expected to complete their readings and come to class prepared to share their insights with their peers. Their thoughts and opinions are essential to the group learning process.

In general, Sattler classes are discussion-based, not lecture-based. In our core Hebrew and Greek classes, students do not sit back and listen. Rather, they engage in a style of learning called TPR (total physical response) in which they respond and act out, as if they were learning the language like a young child. In some classes mini debates are utilized to help students retain class material. Put simply, Sattler excels in academics by encouraging student participation.

For all these reasons, Sattler College excels in academic training. If you are a prospective student, I hope this gets you excited for what a Sattler education could do for your life. As I know from experience, Sattler’s academic program, though challenging, is well worth the value it brings.

Interested in learning more about Sattler’s academic program? Visit our academics page or check out the course catalog.