Liberty University in Virginia

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Greenhead

Greenhead

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Anyone have experience at this school and their programs. Daughter (15yr old) looking into schools with aviation and softball programs. Looking for general information and experiences. Thanks.
 
General Young has built a strong aviation program...really strong. 8-10 planes that never rest...

Brand new softball facility...new indoor track coming..new Performing Arts Center...too much to list with my thumbs..

Get her to College for a Weekend event and go along and see first hand.

Place is growing and turning out graduates with marketable skills...
 
It's where Michelle Bachman went to school if that helps! Jerry Falwell started it if you remember him.
 
Jimmy cooper said:
It's where Michelle Bachman went to school if that helps! Jerry Falwell started it if you remember him.
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Actually Michelle Bachman got her JD from ORU but we would not want facts to get in the way of a good rant. Dig in and fling another booger Jimmy. :D

Jerry Falwell Sr. did in fact start Liberty University and I knew him personally and professionally. His word was gold and his vision was one in a million. I remember the day he drove through the tunnel under US460 that connects Campus East to Main Campus. Huge milestone in the Universities development. My first trip as a private pilot was to his funeral in May of 2007.

To the OP
The school has grown at an alarming pace over the past 10 years. Student life is very robust and varied.

I just looked looked up General Young and see he is no longer the Dean to the School of Aeronautics but Assistant Provost. The Aeronautics School has grown 10 fold under his leadership and has a top notch facility there at KLYH.

As I started in my first post, I recommend getting your family to a College for a Weekend event. Here is the 2015-2016 schedule.
http://www.liberty.edu/undergrad/?PID=16415
 
Kelvin said:
Actually Michelle Bachman got her JD from ORU but we would not want facts to get in the way of a good rant. Dig in and fling another booger Jimmy. :D

Jerry Falwell Sr. did in fact start Liberty University and I knew him personally and professionally. His word was gold and his vision was one in a million. I remember the day he drove through the tunnel under US460 that connects Campus East to Main Campus. Huge milestone in the Universities development. My first trip as a private pilot was to his funeral in May of 2007.

To the OP
The school has grown at an alarming pace over the past 10 years. Student life is very robust and varied.

I just looked looked up General Young and see he is no longer the Dean to the School of Aeronautics but Assistant Provost. The Aeronautics School has grown 10 fold under his leadership and has a top notch facility there at KLYH.

As I started in my first post, I recommend getting your family to a College for a Weekend event. Here is the 2015-2016 schedule.
http://www.liberty.edu/undergrad/?PID=16415
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Thanks for the reply. The more I researched last night the more I liked the school. Of course, it will depend upon daughter's liking. University of Virginia has shown interest in her to play ball so we will be heading up there soon. Plan to swing through and speak with Liberty also. Seems to me it would be a perfect fit. Especially if they would look at her to play ball also.

Have any advice on UVA's aviation programs? They seem more geared towards the business management side of aviation from what I see. Which she is wanting that also.
 
SkyDog58 said:
All I know is that it is ran by whacko evangelicals.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
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Come on, regardless of your personal beliefs, this kind of comment is really unnecessary.

OP, Kelvin has it nailed down, my son considered Liberty, but in the end chose a different path. It is a very good school and my understanding is the aviation program is top notch.

ETA; you may want to look at Auburn University, they have a softball team that made it to the semi-finals in the World Series and a growing Aviation Management program. Just a thought.
 
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Greenhead said:
Thanks for the reply. The more I researched last night the more I liked the school. Of course, it will depend upon daughter's liking. University of Virginia has shown interest in her to play ball so we will be heading up there soon. Plan to swing through and speak with Liberty also. Seems to me it would be a perfect fit. Especially if they would look at her to play ball also.

Have any advice on UVA's aviation programs? They seem more geared towards the business management side of aviation from what I see. Which she is wanting that also.
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I cannot stress enough to you to get to a CFAW event. These are very well done and are geared as much towards parents as students...

No observations or comments on UVA. I simply have no experience with UVA. I have been a vendor at Liberty for almost 15 years...

UVA is a top notch school that Liberty seeks to emulate in many regards...and they should.

Do not be a bit bashful about contacting the Athletics Department at LU. One of the main focus' these days is getting LU into D1 top level sports.. They are working in that vector pretty diligently.
 
I looked at Liberty's program as a possible teaching opportunity. It's an impressive program.
 
Some employers will send resumes with Liberty on them directly to the roundfile.
 
I don't have experience with their aviation or softball programs, but I have had two grad students do their internships at my agency who were getting their master's in counseling through Liberty. I almost never take interns that do online programs, but I have been so impressed with their training and ability. One I hired after her graduation. Both women report really liking the program at Liberty, and since they are required to fly in for certain classes, they seem to really like the campus as well. All that to say, in my limited experience, the people I know who have been students have only positive things to say about the school.

Take this for what it's worth though. After all, I myself am an ORU grad. :goofy:
 
Greenhead said:
Have any advice on UVA's aviation programs? They seem more geared towards the business management side of aviation from what I see. Which she is wanting that also.
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Does Virginia (U of ;)) have an undergraduate aviation program? I think the Darden School (Virgina's business admin grad school) has a graduate aviation management program but you gotta get there first. :D

Nauga,
who was on the other side of the grounds
 
I can't imagine there even being a discussion if her options were UVA or Liberty. UVA is a top-tier school with nationwide reach and recognition. Liberty is, well, Liberty. If their particular brand of whatever-you-want-to-call it is your thing, that's great, but from a long-term, career-focused perspective, I wouldn't want that name on my resume. Objectively, Liberty does not have a reputation as a legitimate educational institution. Sure, you'll find some people who think it's great, but I suspect you'll find a much larger group that think it's run by, as another poster said, evangelical wackjobs. This is especially important if your daughter has any desire to go into a field where people care about what school you went to (right or wrong, it does matter in a number of fields).
 
bradg33 said:
I can't imagine there even being a discussion if her options were UVA or Liberty. UVA is a top-tier school with nationwide reach and recognition. Liberty is, well, Liberty. If their particular brand of whatever-you-want-to-call it is your thing, that's great, but from a long-term, career-focused perspective, I wouldn't want that name on my resume. Objectively, Liberty does not have a reputation as a legitimate educational institution. Sure, you'll find some people who think it's great, but I suspect you'll find a much larger group that think it's run by, as another poster said, evangelical wackjobs. This is especially important if your daughter has any desire to go into a field where people care about what school you went to (right or wrong, it does matter in a number of fields).
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Getting past the bigotry of those that would dismiss Liberty out of hand is the reality that where you get your undergrad education matters very little after some number of years.
 
bradg33 said:
I can't imagine there even being a discussion if her options were UVA or Liberty. UVA is a top-tier school with nationwide reach and recognition. Liberty is, well, Liberty. If their particular brand of whatever-you-want-to-call it is your thing, that's great, but from a long-term, career-focused perspective, I wouldn't want that name on my resume. Objectively, Liberty does not have a reputation as a legitimate educational institution. Sure, you'll find some people who think it's great, but I suspect you'll find a much larger group that think it's run by, as another poster said, evangelical wackjobs. This is especially important if your daughter has any desire to go into a field where people care about what school you went to (right or wrong, it does matter in a number of fields).
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WOW! What uninformed drivel.

wikipedia said:
Liberty was founded in 1971 and received Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS) accreditation in 1980,[56] which was most recently reaffirmed in 2006.[57] In addition, it was accredited by the Transnational Association of Christian Colleges and Schools (TRACS) in September 1984, but resigned its TRACS accreditation on November 6, 2008.[58][59] Liberty has 60 accredited degree granting programs.[60] The law school, which opened in August 2004, gained provisional accreditation from the American Bar Association in 2006 and was granted full accreditation in 2010.[61] On December 9, 2009, Chancellor Jerry Falwell Jr. announced that "Liberty University has received Level VI accreditation from the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS). This is the highest classification from SACS and is reserved for colleges and universities that offer four or more doctoral degrees.[62] Liberty is also accredited by: American Bar Association (ABA) [63] Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET)[63] National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE)[63] Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE)[63] Aviation Accreditation Board International (AABI) [64] National Association of Schools of Music (NASM) [65] Commission on Accreditation of Athletic Training Education (CAATE),[63] Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP).[63]
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bartmc said:
WOW! What uninformed drivel.
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I didn't say it was unaccredited, I said it doesn't have a "reputation" as a legitimate educational institution. The perception that it's run my evangelical wackjobs contributes to that perception.
 
Bob Noel said:
where you get your undergrad education matters very little after some number of years.
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But it frequently matters early in your career, which is when getting your foot in the door can be the hardest. I sure wouldn't want to make it any harder on myself than I need to by going to a school like Liberty. Like it or not, lots of people are going to dismiss places like Liberty out of hand. Whether that's right or wrong is somewhat irrelevant, but it doesn't make it any less of a reality.
 
Checkout_my_Six said:
Well.....Riddle has a reputation like that too....:goofy::yes::D
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That's true :) And if you want to do anything other than fly airplanes, a Riddle degree isn't going to help all that much. Of course, the Riddle degree isn't going to actually hurt a resume like having Liberty University on it probably will.
 
bradg33 said:
That's true :) And if you want to do anything other than fly airplanes, a Riddle degree isn't going to help all that much. Of course, the Riddle degree isn't going to actually hurt a resume like having Liberty University on it probably will.
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Sort of like Notre Dame and those Catholic whack jobs? :rolleyes:
 
mikeinbama said:
Come on, regardless of your personal beliefs, this kind of comment is really unnecessary.
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I don't think it is. Take out the 'wacko' part and it is a much fairer comment. The Evangelical Christian bent is very much a part of what makes Liberty U what it is. If I'd never heard of it, I'd want to know what the defining characteristic was of the school before sending my kid. There are some folks out there that wouldn't want their kid within 100 miles of this school.
 
bradg33 said:
I didn't say it was unaccredited, I said it doesn't have a "reputation" as a legitimate educational institution. The perception that it's run my evangelical wackjobs contributes to that perception.
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Yep, just like Notre Dame, TCU, Baylor etc... no credibility.
 
LDJones said:
Sort of like Notre Dame and those Catholic whack jobs? :rolleyes:
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I went to a catholic/jesuit law school, and other than having a small chapel inside one of the buildings, there wasn't a single hint, in the curriculum, rules or otherwise, that it was a religiously-affiliated school. I know some folks who went to Notre Dame, and I understand it's basically the same way. I don't think the same can be said for Liberty.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs...they-were-required-to-attend-ted-cruz-speech/

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2012/05/11/1090946/-Liberty-University-s-The-Liberty-Way-exposed
 
Liberty isn't what you'd call a prestige university, but as long as you're not majoring in biology or zoology, you probably get as good a basic education there as available anywhere else.
 
I've been instructed in the past by the current chief flight instructor up there, not at liberty but elsewhere before he moved there. Top-notch guy and a great instructor.
 
bradg33 said:
Objectively, Liberty does not have a reputation as a legitimate educational institution.
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Anyone who believes that Liberty is not a legitimate educational institution is not objective - they are bigoted because of the Southern Baptist orientation of the school.

I have experience with one of their graduates - one of the sharpest, energetic and most driven people I've met. That's a data point of one, but I tend toward a favorable view of those who graduate.
 
bflynn said:
Anyone who believes that Liberty is not a legitimate educational institution is not objective - they are bigoted because of the Southern Baptist orientation of the school.

I have experience with one of their graduates - one of the sharpest, energetic and most driven people I've met. That's a data point of one, but I tend toward a favorable view of those who graduate.
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There are plenty of religiously-affiliated schools out there that manage to educate students in an objective manner that doesn't put religion first and foremost; Liberty isn't one of those schools. If you're looking for a school that puts religion first and education second, that's your prerogative, but just accept it for what it is and don't try to pretend like it's on the same footing as a real university.
 
Did you get dumped by a girl that went to Liberty or something? Cause damn you are a champion of hate in this thread.
 
To the OP, here is what it comes down to. What does your daughter want? I don't know much at all about Liberty other than its in Virginia, It has an aviation program, has a good number of intercollegiate sports, is growing rapidly and is a Christian University which stated mission is "Liberty University, Training Champions for Christ since 1971"
It apparently has over 450 degree programs up to doctorate.

If that fits your daughter's desires for a college then by all means have her check it out. I'm of the belief that there is a college ( for those that want college) for everyone, actually several colleges for everyone.

If the religious aspect of Liberty meshes with your daughter's beliefs and they can also provide her with a good aviation education and sports opportunities why wouldn't she check it out.

Having just sent a daughter to college I will advise that she investigate more that just Liberty. Its important to get comparisons. If UVA is interested in her by all means she should visit. UVA is a phenomenal school with a stellar national reputation. She might also check out Purdue which has a great aviation program.

While Kelvin suggests attending a weekend event I'm more of a fan of just taking a tour on a regular school day and perhaps popping in on a class and talking to a random student I think you tend to get a truer view of the school environment than some of the more planned or scripted events.

For whatever school she considers she should most definitely visit the job/career placement center and check out their resources. She would also be wise to speak to some alumni about their experience and marketability post graduation. Most schools maintain lists of alumni in various cities who are willing to meet with perspective students.

If your daughter is serious about Liberty, Kelvin seems to be a great resource. He is a great guy who I always have found willing to talk and help others. Talk to him off line.

Of course if she wants to attend the best school in the Country she should probably apply to the University of Delaware :D, just sayin!

Seriously the College hunt can be frustrating but its an exciting time. Best of luck to her, I'm sure she will find what fits.
 
mikeinbama said:
ETA; you may want to look at Auburn University, they have a softball team that made it to the semi-finals in the World Series and a growing Aviation Management program. Just a thought.
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Yeah, there softball program is unbelievable! My daughter is verbally committed there and I love that I will be able to fly there from KLZU in an hours time to see her play. I have heard good things about the AM program also.

Eric
 
bradg33 said:
There are plenty of religiously-affiliated schools out there that manage to educate students in an objective manner that doesn't put religion first and foremost; Liberty isn't one of those schools. If you're looking for a school that puts religion first and education second, that's your prerogative, but just accept it for what it is and don't try to pretend like it's on the same footing as a real university.
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Ipso facto.
 
Myself and family are a Christian household so the Christian based evangelical whachos do not scare me at all :) . What does scare me is the liberal immoral agenda being pushed upon our young and destroying our country. My children will learn to walk by their faith and create their on future. Not to tip toe around worried about doors closing due to what is written on their applications. Was not wanting to track off topic and make this a religion war.

That being said thanks for the good information and keep it coming. Her school counselor hasn't really helped her much on researching schools. Talks like she's the first to ask about aviation careers. Wishing I would have asked this last year. With college athletics wanting verbal commitments at such young age is putting pressure on her to make hard decisions. As parents we're learning a lot. We figured we had until her junior year. Now worried she may have missed opportunities by not verbally committing her freshman year.
 
My son and I visited Liberty when he was thinking of going to law school. Personalized tour of the school. Very nice people.. high character type, clean cut. ..and a safe place for a daughter to be. I would sleep soundly at night.

My kids went to Bob Jones University. One of the main reasons fathers like to send daughters to BJU is that it's safe. Not to mention the clean cut kids that go there to....and the teachers. That's important. ..the environment.

I went to Berkeley in the late 60s....enough said.
 
labbadabba said:
I don't think it is. Take out the 'wacko' part and it is a much fairer comment. The Evangelical Christian bent is very much a part of what makes Liberty U what it is. If I'd never heard of it, I'd want to know what the defining characteristic was of the school before sending my kid. There are some folks out there that wouldn't want their kid within 100 miles of this school.
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It's a bunch of Baptists. What's the big deal?

You really that concerned your kid might not end up a raving drunk in college if they go to a school that pushes Christian morality? I'd be much more concerned with the campus culture at State universities (and yes, I attended one).
 
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bradg33 said:
But it frequently matters early in your career, which is when getting your foot in the door can be the hardest. I sure wouldn't want to make it any harder on myself than I need to by going to a school like Liberty. Like it or not, lots of people are going to dismiss places like Liberty out of hand. Whether that's right or wrong is somewhat irrelevant, but it doesn't make it any less of a reality.
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I'd say it's completely irrelevant unless your career goal is to work for closed-minded, uninformed bigots. Otherwise, it shouldn't be a problem. Not everyone considers religious faith to be a psychopathology.

Besides, aviation is more about certificates and ratings than it is about diplomas and degrees. It doesn't matter much whether your degree is in Aviation Flight Technology or Lower Slobovian Literature. The degree is merely proof that you were able to survive four years of indoctrination, in an environment that demanded mind-numbing conformity, without losing your sanity.

Rich
 
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