Ocheltree 1 Alex Ocheltree Mr.

Harrell English Comp 1 16 October 2013 Ups and downs of Higher Education The book The Unlikely Disciple: A Sinners Semester at Americas Holiest University, is a great book that shows a sinners semester at the holist university in America. The author Kevin Roose, decides to take his sophomore spring semester at Liberty University instead of Brown University. Roose chose to go to Liberty to see what it was like. He wanted to see if the education was any different. Ultimately, Kevin Roose bettered himself academically and religiously by enveloping himself in a strict, conservative university like Liberty. It allowed Kevin to better himself physically, mentally, and emotionally. It also gave Roose the opportunity to expand his religious beliefs. Roose is an example of how a strict conservative school can help you physically. Even in the first couple of weeks he notices that he feels in better health. At Liberty you are not allowed to drink alcohol so he doesnt drink and he feels better. Roose writes, In nearly two months of booze-free Christian living and twice-a-week jogging, I've lost fifteen pounds without trying, and I forgot what a hangover feels like" (Roose 142). This proves that drinking and partying is bad for your health. Roose was able to stop drinking and partying while he attended Liberty and he lost weight and became healthier. The reason he was able to stop drinking is because it is not allowed at Liberty and he would have gotten into a lot of trouble if he ever got caught drinking.

Ocheltree 2 If Roose stayed at Brown University there is a high probability that he would still be drinking and partying. A strict conservative school definitely has major health benefits over a traditional school liberal school. Another benefit of attending a school like Liberty University is that you can expand you religious views and beliefs. Before attending Liberty Kevin did not care as much about religion but now he does. He states, It's midnight at Liberty University, and I'm kneeling on the floor of my dorm room, praying" (Roose 1). This shows that Roose is serious about blending in. He is staying true to what he said, which is that he is doing everything that a typical Liberty student would do. He never prayed before going to school there and now he was praying many times a day. This line also shows how much Liberty changed Kevin. But later on in the book Kevin didnt need to try to blend in he wanted to be there. Roose states, Pretty soon, I was joining the rest of my classmates in shouting and cheering not out of any duty or desire to blend in, but because in that moment, I couldnt restrain myself (Roose 231). This proves that Roose cared for the school enough to participate. Roose also became really involved in the school. Roose writes, "These days, I go through the motions of a model Liberty student. I attend prayer groups; I sing in the church choir, I spend my Friday nights at Bible study. When it comes to socializing, I follow the old Baptist moral code (Roose 5-6). This shows how much Roose cared about the school and religion. And this is a major benefit because the more he agrees and gets involved in the school the less likely he will make poor decisions. Since Kevin is more focused on his Christian beliefs he is not making bad decisions like going out and party but instead he is working hard in school and focusing on his grades. That statement can be proven by this line, But I work twice as hard at Liberty as I ever did at Brown. I make lists. I design charts. For my Theology exam last week, I drew up a set of flash cards and took them everywhere I went

Ocheltree 3 (Roose 106). This proves that he is working a lot harder on his school work because he is not tempted to make bad decisions like drink or party while he was attending Liberty. Liberty is not for the weak minded but if you apply yourself you can expand your own religious beliefs. At a liberal collage, it faces you with real world individuals. One would learn to accept people for who they are and not who other people want them to be. At Brown University, every person can be who they want and will be accepted in society, whereas at liberty if you were gay, you were shunned and forced to change. After returning to Brown University, Roose writes First Id be surprised by something I experienced an English professor who began the first day of class without leading prayer, or a Boozy Frat party, or the presence of actual, non-closeted gay couples and then Id be surprised that I was surprised (306). This shows how much Rooses perspective had changed during his time at Liberty. Things that had been customary at the conservative Christian school were not even attempted at regular secular schools and he was shocked. Most places are not the same and these two schools are polar opposites of one another. Liberty shows that everyone should be the same and follow Gods rules, but Brown prepares you for what you will see in the real world. People may end up working or living with people who do not fit the prefect Christian figure. Liberal colleges will allow you to deal with and accept these people for who they are. As a student at a public school, I see people all the time who would not agree with The Liberty Way and they are still accepted. Occasionally kids may suspended or expelled for breaking some of the rules, but the rules does not tell the kid who to be or how to think. Both types of schools have their ups and downs. Liberty is a great school but it lacks in some areas where a liberal school would thrive in. There are many different types of people and thats why there are different types of higher education school. Kevin happens to be the

Ocheltree 4 exception where he can fit into both types of schools. A benefit of a liberal school is that you can be yourself and people or the school cant tell you that you cannot act that way. The only downfall to all that freedom is that some people might lose sight of why they are there in the first place. This is to get a higher education. Its alright to have a good time while at school but some people might have too good of a time. On the other hand students at Liberty might have less freedom but they will be able to focus more on their school work and get good grades. This is great for Kevin because he was having a difficult time catching up in some of his classes. Roose writes, Im working overtime to catch up, but when it comes to the subjects of my classes-the Bible, Christian doctrine, creationist science- I may have started from too far behind (Roose 106). Most of the kids that attend Liberty have attended and work at churches for most of their lives, so they would have a lot more background knowledge on those subjects. Kevin never really attended church so he is far behind in those subjects. Roose does have a lot of friend in his dorm so he is lucky that they can all help him get caught up. No matter which type of school you look at they will both have their flaws and benefits. Changing colleges is very difficult to do, especially when to transfer from a liberal school to a strict conservative school. Even though Roose left Brown for Liberty he still didnt want to lose the person he was at Brown. He states, I get swept up in my day-to-day bustle, and I forget that Liberty is renowned for being the sort of place that makes Teresas support group necessary in the first place (Roose 102). Kevin wants to get the full Liberty experience but he doesnt want it to completely change him. Its almost like Roose is doing a research paper. He wanted to go to Liberty to see what it was like. He also didnt want Liberty to change his religious beliefs. Kevins two aunts that live far away are worried about Kevin you can tell this by the line, We just want to make sure youre keeping everything in perspective (Roose 103). Kevin is

Ocheltree 5 questioning his beliefs because he feels like he cant be a part of both groups at the same time. This line that Kevin says explains it even better, I dont feel like I belong to either. I cant be completely open with the people I meet here, (Roose 112). This shows that Kevin must choose between his identities. He must decide to give up his old ways completely too fully blend into Liberty or not get the full experience at Liberty but keep his old habits. After reading the entire book I understand why Kevins friends called him crazy for wanting to go to Liberty. Its because Brown and Liberty are almost complete opposite schools. They both are great schools but they are made for different people. Both types of schools are important for getting a job latter in life. But they have the different the different types of schools because every person learns differently. Some kids love liberal schools so they can be their own person and have freedoms that they might not have had at home. But on the other had some kids like schools like Liberty where there is structure and order. It allows those kids to work harder on their grades and to be less distracted on outer worldly things. Both types of schools have major benefits but it depends on the individual person on which school works the best for them. Liberty is not for the weak hearted or minded. One of Kevins friend Laura said, Kev, places like Liberty are designed to transform skepticism into belief, and youre not going to immune to that. You have to be open to the possibility that this semester is going to be bigger than you think (Roose 14). This proves that Liberty is a very strict conservative school and that if you are thinking of attending a school similar to it you better be ready. Any higher education can be a real eye opener for students but schools like Liberty are almost crazy. Both types of schools will provide you with a great education but each type of school will give you a different experience. At Liberty you wont be able to party or that kind of fun but you will be able to expand you mind with fewer distractions. And for a liberal

Ocheltree 6 school you might be able to have more fun but you run into the possibility of losing sight of why you were there in the first place. Kevin Roose was lucky to experience both types of schools. Roose was able to see all the different benefits that both types of schools have to offer.

Ocheltree 7 Work Cited Roose, Kevin. The Unlikely Disciple: A Sinners Semester at Americas Holiest University. New York: Grand Central Publishing, 2009. Print.