Biola University Reviews

"This is my own personal experience, and your mileage may vary. I found Biola to be an utter waste of time. The only part of the school that held any value was the other students, as I made some good friends through school. Beyond that, I could not recommend Biola (especially the music program) any less. There are genuinely no redeeming qualities to any of the instruction I received. The faculty are not preparing their students to seek real world jobs or providing the necessary experiences to do so, and are made up of professors who (predominately) could not 'make it' in the real world. As they say, "those who can't, teach", and that applies to Biola's music department to a laughable degree. They are beyond inept in their roles to the point that you would do better to not go to school at all than to go to Biola. The only reason I rated my overall experience as a 2/5 and not 1/5 is because the campus is mostly safe and decently nice, the food was fine, and there are some decent people who attend.Read Less"

"Biola University is an evangelical Christian university in Los Angeles county, California. Christian faith and worship is central to instruction and daily life at Biola, so non-Christians will most likely not find this environment welcoming. Student life is vibrant. Students are required to live in dorms their freshman and sophomore years, so each dorm floor makes up a strong social network for students to engage in. There is also an active club and intramural sports scene. Biola's men's basketball team and women's volleyball team are both competitive in their conference, and their home games are fun to attend.Read Less"

"Being a private university, the tuition is somewhat costly but it was definitely worth it. I've learned all the fundamentals of business, economics, and corporate culture. I've also gained valuable management and technical skills."

"The Broadcast program here is lackluster; it is up to you whether you are successful post-graduation, you will have to learn a lot during internships and by going off campus by yourself. But, a handful of students throughout my time here have done a great job at excelling despite the lax program. If you want to be a producer or director, please go to another school, this school doesn't have the resources to help you in that area."

"The psychology program exceeded my expectations. There are numerous professors with varying backgrounds. This provided an extensive sampling of the career options available to someone interested in psychology, as well as a well rounded education. The professors are extremely knowledgable, and genuinely care about their students. My experience was entirely positive, and has equipped me for my future endeavors."

"Biola University is a Christian university that teaches you about the content and how to use the knowledge attained honoring God. The professors are very helpful and everyone at school are really nice people. The university offers many resources on campus, and very accessible."

"Biola University was an excellent educational institution to pursue my undergraduate degree! I highly recommend it to prospective students hoping to grow personally, spiritually, relationally, and be prepared to join the workforce as a conscientious global citizen. Courses were rigorous, as Biola is nicknamed "The Harvard of Christian colleges," but it made me proud to graduate from Biola because I knew I earned my degree through hard work, persistence, and support from my professors. While it may be expensive, the investment is worth it!Read Less"

"Biola University's MA in Christian Apologetics was an amazing experience. From their experienced, kind teachers to the content of the courses, I always felt as though I was learning relevant information from people who cared about my grade and well-being."

"Biola University is a private College located in La Mirada California. It is a Christ-centered University with good accreditation. The classes are engaging, and the professors are experienced and caring. A variety of teaching methods are used in order to ensure the best outcomes. I have enjoyed my time at Biola, even though I found their Master of Teaching program to be very challenging and time-consuming."

"It's a great campus in a great location. Everyone is very friendly but there are some strict rules."

"Biola University has offered a competitive, comprehensive MAT with TESOL emphasis program. Being in a Christian environment where a like-minded worldview and vision are shared has been an amazing experience. Strengths of the program are instructors who thrive in diverse environments and appreciate many viewpoints and multiculturalism. Some of the difficulties include lengthy assignments and studying in order to keep grades at an acceptable level (3.0 +)."

"It is a rigorous academic institution filled with dedicated professors who take pride in their practice and investing in the students they mentor. They professors are well qualified and very approachable."

"I loved Biola. The teachers genuinely care about the students, the class sizes are small and you learn a lot. They have so many great experiences there, study abroad, summer classes with trips to other states and endless clubs and activities. Because it is so small anyone can try something new. You don't have to have been in the drama club during High School to decide to now be in the school play. There is less competition and everyone supports each other. I have never been in choir, but I was accepted into the women' chorus and became really great. The one exception is sports teams and the co-ed choir, for those things you will need previous experience or natural talent that is clearly there, rather than developing it as you go. However, if you really want to give it a try anyway because you will never regret trying and failing as much as you regret never trying. I ran for Senator of my dorm and won that and I paid for college in part with the many available on-campus jobs. This school has everything and you grow so much intellectually and emotionally. Now the one thing I did not like about this school is the masters program in Education. It is underdeveloped in my mind. While other schools have 15-30 different emphasis to choose from and various degrees Biola only basically has MAT or MAEd and Special Ed. If you want a Masters of Education in Technology they don't have it, MA Ed in ESOL, nope, MA Ed in Leaderships, nada... and it goes on. I started taking the MAT courses and I just couldn't do it. The first class was "Life of Christ". I am a Christian, but when I went into a Masters of Teaching I wanted to learn practical ways to grow in my teaching ability. I wanted courses like "Teaching to students of various cultures," "Leadership in the classroom" or "Using technology in the 21st Century Classroom." This course including several textbooks with very small writing going over theology and different theories and thoughts on the life of Christ. That is NOT what someone trying to be competitive in the world of teaching needs on their transcript. Yes I get it, if we learn about Jesus our entire lives will improve, but I already learned about Jesus while minoring in theology during my undergrad and I'd just like the option to learn about teaching. Where is the Masters in Teaching emphasis in Teaching?? I ended up dropping the Masters program because the other courses offered were no better than this one. I am sad because I know I'd get quality education at this school, but I just need a Masters degree that really hones the skills I am interested in honing.Read Less"

"I loved that I actually got to know the professors during the time I was at Biola University. Although the work load was difficult, it was well worth it. Every class was applicable."

"Excellent training and ease of at-home/online study made for working students!"

"While expensive, Biola was a wonderful and growing experience for me to grow in my faith in Jesus and as an adult."

"Biola University is an excellent school with quality education. I have never been more challenged in my field or my faith. The community of students and faculty are supportive, encouraging, and challenging. Some of the best educational experiences you will ever have here take place outside the classroom, over coffee with a professor or with a group of students from different fields of studies. The faculty push you to test everything and to own both your faith and your education."

"The pros for the my program are that you learn from top ranking faculty who are actively involved in the field of study. They care about their students and make themselves available to help them in many ways. The only con was that there are at present no scholarships available for the study of Apologetics."

"I love Biola, it is an amazing community. I feel that the faculty and staff are very supportive, everyone has a vested interest in the students. It is a small private school and that is perfect."

"I absolutely love my graduate program, the only downside about it is the cost of tuition. I love my graduate program because my professors really put effort in helping out their students in and outside of class. Professors go eat with their students and really build solid relationships."