Hillcrest holds strong bonds with its students that extend past graduation day. The student body has recently committed to writing the graduates from the previous year. Their notes of encouragement continue the bond of friendship while continuing the commitment to spiritual growth.

It is common for alumni to visit Hillcrest during college breaks. Students often slip past their underclassmen friends to find their way into the classroom with the instructors who made an impact. In these meetings, if we listened in, it would be very normal for the former Hillcrest Comet to share where they’re going to church, what their friend group is like, and how their daily devotions have impacted their life at college. Hillcrest instructors aren’t as concerned with college students’ favorite classes. Their number one objective is to mentor former students in continued spiritual growth.

It is under this banner that Hillcrest formed a mantra. While most schools are concerned with students’ SAT scores, Hillcrest focuses on how students develop their faith and Intellect to form Christian character. Many schools will gauge success on what kind of 18-year-old walks away from their school. Hillcrest wants to know what kind of 28-year-old returns to the Castle to show their family the place where their spiritual commitment was realized. The best test of our program is to look at the 28-year-old graduates.

COLLEGE AND UNIVERSITY

Hillcrest students are prepared for college and, more importantly, the challenges they’ll face at Hillcrest. Our program integrates the Bible into every discipline, academic and extra-curricular. That means students learn to live life with Jesus, being challenged to engage every aspect from a Biblical foundation.

With this training, students are propelled from Hillcrest. The academic program develops preparation for university rigor while also calling students to consider their giftings. While each student is challenged to enable a smooth transition into the university, some students elect to serve the Lord following their senior year. Many students join mission movements, feeling equipped to share the Gospel boldly following their time at Hillcrest. Other students crave practical training, taking a link year experience where they explore employment, seek out internships, and support the local church. All of these choices align with Hillcrest’s mission to equip students in a Christ-centered, Bible-based environment for lives of eternal significance. For some, that means attending the university. For others, they feel called into specific ministries directly from high school. For still others, they may feel called to engage the work force. Hillcrest is more concerned with what kind of 28-year-old comes back to visit Hillcrest than with what schools our 18-year-olds are accepted into. That said, we do have students attending many rigorous and well-respected universities.