Biola University Reviews

  • 23 Reviews
  • La Mirada (CA)
  • Annual Tuition: $44,382
80% of 23 students said this degree improved their career prospects
91% of 23 students said they would recommend this school to others
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Student & Graduate Reviews

Danny
  • Reviewed: 8/8/2023
  • Degree: Music
"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."
Jared Zimmerman
  • Reviewed: 4/5/2018
  • Degree: Psychology
"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."
Stephanie
  • Reviewed: 5/7/2017
  • Degree: Journalism
"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."
Anonymous
  • Reviewed: 4/22/2017
  • Degree: Psychology
"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."
Karen G Reyes
  • Reviewed: 2/9/2017
  • Degree: Business Administration
"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."
Julia Bates
  • Reviewed: 11/12/2016
  • Degree: Communications (Technical)
"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!"
Roger
  • Reviewed: 7/22/2016
  • Degree: Philosophy
"It's a great campus in a great location. Everyone is very friendly but there are some strict rules."
Anonymous
  • Reviewed: 9/1/2015
  • Degree: History
"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."
C.P
  • Reviewed: 2/6/2015
  • Degree: Education
"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."
Hesther Hartwell
  • Reviewed: 1/20/2015
  • Degree: Elementary Education
"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."
KSV
  • Reviewed: 8/27/2014
  • Degree: Christian Studies
"While expensive, Biola was a wonderful and growing experience for me to grow in my faith in Jesus and as an adult."
Victoria
  • Reviewed: 8/20/2014
  • Degree: Psychology
"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."
CARLOS PAMPLONA
  • Reviewed: 8/2/2014
  • Degree: Liberal Arts
"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."
James Lopez
  • Reviewed: 6/9/2014
  • Degree: Religious Studies
"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."
Allen Luong
  • Reviewed: 5/20/2014
  • Degree: Business
"The BIOLA MBA program is great for working professionals. The staff in the business school really tries to accommodate working professionals and makes it easy for them to sign up for classes. All the professors I've had in the program are amazing individuals with real world experience! Overall, my time at BIOLA has been a really challenging and fun experience."
Kristen Hammel
  • Reviewed: 6/13/2013
  • Degree: Counseling
"My program offers a high quality of education that has prepared me well to enter the field of clinical psychology. There are many rich opportunities to grow personally and professionally that are unique compared to other clinical psychology programs. The tuition costs are substantial, and financial aid (outside of loans) is very minimal. However, I do not regret my decision to attend my program, and it was well worth the investment."
Jeames McCarty
  • Reviewed: 4/9/2013
  • Degree: Social Sciences
"The professors are academically challenging and spiritually inspiring. Although they are very respected in their peer community, they remain humble, caring, and accessable."
Tara Wawelo
  • Reviewed: 4/2/2013
  • Degree: Anthropology
"The graduate program in anthropology at Biola is challenging, invigorating and very well-rounded. Teachers are very experienced and available to students and the school has a good community feel to it. The cons are the cost of living in southern California and the limited nature of public transportation in the area."
Tara Wawelo
  • Reviewed: 1/30/2013
  • Degree: Anthropology
"My graduate program is an excellent preparation for a career in anthropology or as a basis for using anthropology in other fields. It is a great school, faculty and learning environment."
Ai Chin
  • Reviewed: 1/24/2013
  • Degree: Religious Studies
"Pros: The professors really care about the students, they are very approachable, and they are also very knowledgeable. I love my school."