Choosing a college is a personal decision. Academics, learning format, cost, community, faith and future goals can all influence whether a university feels like the right fit. Is Grand Canyon University a good school? Is it the right fit for you? Instead of answering these subjective questions ourselves, we asked the people who have experienced GCU firsthand: our students and graduates.

From undergraduate students building connections on campus to working professionals earning degrees online, GCU students come from different backgrounds and pursue different goals. Hear what they have to say about their experiences with academics, faculty support, online learning, campus community, faith, affordability and preparation for their future.

You consider many factors when choosing a university, from available degree programs and learning formats to cost, location and personal values. For some GCU students and graduates, finding an option that fit their individual circumstances played an important role in their decision.

For Angela Berg, an accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing (ABSN) graduate, time was an important consideration as she contemplated changing careers as a working adult.

“For me, when I started thinking about making a career change as a working adult, you have to consider your resources. Time is a resource,” Berg said. “So, when I started looking into programs, the fact that GCU had a [16-month ABSN] program, I thought to myself, ‘I can make this work for 16 months.’”^{(See disclaimer 1 )}Review our University Policy Handbook to learn more about this accelerated program.

Other students consider whether a university aligns with their personal values. Dylan Ahern, a Bachelor of Science in Justice Studies graduate who completed his degree online while serving in the military, said both location and GCU’s Christian identity influenced his decision.

“GCU was the right fit for me because, number one, it was close to home and it was a Christian university,” Ahern said. “And someone being of faith, having those values, was really a big part of my decision for me.”

These examples illustrate how the reasons for choosing GCU can look different from one student to another. Exploring your priorities and comparing them with what GCU offers can help you determine which college experience may be right for you.

A university’s academic environment can shape not only what students study but also how they engage with their coursework, professors and peers. GCU students have access to faculty support and academic resources designed to help them throughout their studies.

For Ruth Williams, a Bachelor of Science in Forensic Science graduate, attending a professor’s office hours provided opportunities to ask questions and better understand course material.

“Something else that I love about GCU is the required office hours for professors,” Williams said. “This gave me a lot of opportunities to go in and meet my professors one-on-one and get some direct help and questions answered. This really helped my academics and helped me really understand the material.”

Other students point to the ways their classroom experiences encouraged them to apply what they were studying. Paige Heilig, a Bachelor of Arts in Dance graduate, described her experience as both collaborative and hands-on. 

“We were able to collaborate with so many other majors for projects that we had,” Heilig said. “It really opened my eyes to real-world potential, rather than just what is taught within these four walls.”

Academic support can extend beyond professors as well. Alex Dixon, who earned her Bachelor of Science in Biology with an Emphasis in Pre-Medicine, reflected on the support she received while completing a demanding course of study.

“It was really intimidating to me to think about the class load that I would have, but the support we have here, the faculty, the tutoring, the TAs, everything, has been so helpful to me,” Dixon said.

Students’ academic experiences will vary by degree program and learning format, but these graduates highlight how faculty interaction, collaboration and support contributed to their individual experiences at GCU.

Campus Life and Community

For students who attend college on campus, the experience can extend beyond classes. Friendships, activities and opportunities to get involved can all contribute to a student’s sense of community and campus life experience. 

Mahogany McDougle is the current student president of the GCU chapter of Her Campus Club, a national magazine for women, created by women. She shared, “I built many friendships across social media, writing, design and events, and it is rewarding to see our writing published and our social channels expand. I gained valuable insight into management and content posting for a larger brand. Her Campus was the first organization I joined during my freshman year, and those three years have been amazing!”

Clubs provide opportunities not only for experience and insight into your interests but for community. “The girls are the main reason I return! I love our events and the shared college experience that lets us grow while supporting one another in the things we love!”

For Alex Dixon, the relationships he developed became a defining part of his GCU experience. Along with participating in mission trips and working as a teaching assistant, Dixon said he valued the friendships and mentorships he formed during his four years at the university.

“The best part of my GCU experience was by far the community,” Dixon said. “The people I’ve met here, the mentors I’ve formed, just the friends that I’ve gained in the last four years, it’s been incredible.”

The Online Learning Experience

For students balancing college with work, family and other responsibilities, an online degree can provide a flexible way to pursue an education. GCU offers online programs across a range of focus areas, with students completing coursework and interacting with faculty and classmates in a virtual learning environment. 

Jessie Hickey, who earned her Master of Arts in Higher Education Student Affairs online, said the format did not prevent her from feeling engaged in her education.

“My quality of education here at Grand Canyon University was excellent, and I really appreciated all of my professors and how well they were able to work with us,” Hickey said. “My classmates were incredible. Even though it was an online program, I really felt like I was still getting a lot out of it.”

For Amanda Barbee, who was working full time and raising two children while pursuing her Bachelor of Science in Early Childhood Education and Early Childhood Special Education, the ability to fit coursework around other responsibilities was particularly important. 

“GCU’s flexibility of online^{(See disclaimer 2)} classes was really essential for me as a single mom working full time, rather than adhering to a fixed on-campus schedule,” Barbee said.

While each student’s circumstances are different, online learning gave Hickey and Barbee opportunities to pursue their degrees while managing other priorities and commitments in their lives.

So, is GCU a good school? The answer can depend on what you are looking for in a university and what matters most to you. For the students and graduates who shared their experiences with us, factors such as faculty support, academic opportunities, relationships and preparation for what comes next helped shape their perspectives on GCU.

Ruth Williams pointed to the support she received as a student and the connections available as she prepared to enter the workforce.

“If you’re looking for a college that puts a lot of good time and effort into helping their students, and also gives them connections once they leave into the workforce, then GCU is definitely the place for you,” Williams said.

For Paige Heilig, relationships with faculty played an especially important role in her experience.

“The faculty and staff at GCU are incredible. They have supported me so much,” Heilig said. “They truly care about us as students and our lives.”

And after completing his biology degree, Alex Dixon said he remained confident in his decision to attend GCU.

“Looking back, if I did have to do it all over again, I would absolutely make the exact same decision,” Dixon said. “I’ve loved my time here.”

Their reasons may differ, but these graduates highlight an important consideration when evaluating whether GCU is a good university for you: Think about the qualities you value in your education and college experience, then consider how those priorities align with what a university offers.

As a Christian university, GCU integrates a Christian worldview into academic and campus experiences. For some students, that emphasis on faith and purpose becomes an important part of their time at the university and the way they think about their future. 

Paige Heilig experienced this integration both in her coursework and in her relationships with faculty.

“The spiritual life is something that’s unique here,” Heilig said. “The faculty really embody GCU's mission, and that is really evident within our classroom spaces.”

For Angela Berg, GCU’s mission also connected with how she viewed her future profession. After making a career change and completing GCU’s ABSN program, she reflected on the connection between nursing, service and the university’s values.

“Nursing is a calling. Nursing is a profession that is sometimes very selfless, but it is in the service of others,” Berg said. “And I feel that that is paralleled to GCU’s mission and vision.”

Keisha Ritchie, a Master of Education in Special Education graduate, also described finding a stronger sense of direction through her experience. 

“That purpose that I was looking for, GCU literally brought it front and center,” Ritchie said. “With the classes that GCU offered, I found myself taking things from classes that I was in and inputting them into my own classroom, stepping from one career into the next.”

These graduates experienced GCU’s emphasis on faith and purpose in different ways, from the classroom to their chosen professions. For students considering a Christian university, reflecting on how faith and personal values fit into their educational goals can be another part of determining whether GCU is the right fit.

Finding a sense of belonging in college can come from many places, including relationships with classmates, faculty, mentors and others within the university community. For some GCU students, those connections become a staple in their overall experience.

Paige Heilig said the relationships she developed with faculty throughout her BA in Dance program were particularly meaningful.

“I've had many of the same faculty members for the past four years,” Heilig said. “That’s been something insanely special to me to be able to build those connections and experience new opportunities because of their connections.”

Connections at GCU are not limited to students attending classes on campus. Whether connections develop through a degree program, faculty relationships, friendships or an online classroom, these students demonstrate some of the different ways a sense of community can become part of the college experience.

Cost is an important consideration when choosing a university; each student’s financial situation is different. Tuition, scholarships, grants and other forms of financial aid may all factor into the overall cost of earning a degree. For some GCU students and graduates, financial support played an important role in their college decisions and experiences.

When Alex Dixon compared colleges, cost was one of the factors she considered. She also received scholarship support while pursuing her Bachelor of Science in Biology with a pre-medicine emphasis.

“GCU is incredibly affordable compared to a lot of the colleges I looked at that were all private and Christian,” Dixon said. “They also helped out a lot with scholarships, and I come from a private Christian high school, so we had a partnership with them, and I was able to be on scholarship from that as well.”

Affordability was also important to Brendan Callan when he decided to pursue his Master of Arts in Secondary Education. For Callan, receiving a federal TEACH Grant helped with the cost of returning to school. 

“Affordability was also important to me because I knew if I got into school again, I would need to save money,” Callan said. “GCU offered me the TEACH Grant, which was really financially helpful.”

Prospective students can review current GCU tuition and costs and speak with a university counselor to explore scholarship and financial aid options that may be available to those who qualify. 

Experiences with college costs and financial aid vary based on individual circumstances.

College can be an opportunity to build knowledge and competencies that support your professional goals. Depending on the program and student, that preparation may come through coursework, practical experiences, faculty support or opportunities to apply concepts within a current career.

Dylan Ahern was serving as a military police officer while completing his degree. He said concepts from his coursework gave him new perspectives he could apply directly to his work.

“The things that I was learning in school helped me learn the things that I needed to know on the job,” Ahern said. “Especially with the threat assessment class that I took during this time, it made me look at our anti-terrorism plans a lot more and dive deeper into my job as a military police officer during my course of study.”

Keisha Ritchie enrolled in her MEd in Special Education as she moved from one professional role into another. Earlier, she described taking concepts from her courses and applying them in her own classroom. She also credited GCU with “all the help and support I needed to graduate and reach my professional goals.”

Students pursue higher education with different careers and goals in mind. As Ahern’s and Ritchie’s experiences demonstrate, the connection between a degree and the future can look different for each student, from applying coursework in a current role to preparing for a new professional direction.

Deciding whether GCU is a good fit ultimately comes down to your individual priorities. As the students and graduates featured here demonstrate, factors such as academics, faculty support, learning format, community, faith, cost and career goals can all play a role in the college experience.

For Amanda Barbee, earning her Bachelor of Science in Early Childhood Education and Early Childhood Special Education online gave her a way to pursue her education while balancing work and raising her children.

“My program was 100% worth it for me because it afforded me flexibility,” Barbee said.

Your reasons for choosing a university may look different. Consider what you want from your education, the type of learning experience that works for you and how a degree may fit into your personal and professional goals.

Explore our bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degree offerings to compare your options and find a program that aligns with your interests. Want to experience GCU for yourself? Schedule a campus tour to explore our Phoenix campus and get a closer look at the GCU experience.