For students who love learning, value meaningful conversation, and desire in-depth study, the Honors Program provides an academic experience that is both challenging and formative. It invites students to engage ideas carefully and purse truth within a community guided by Scripture.

At its core, the Honors Program is about developing habits of thoughtful scholarship alongside a lifestyle of service. Central to this experience is the integration of all areas of students’ education, stretching them to think deeply while remaining grounded in a biblical understanding of truth.

A Distinctive Academic Experience

The Honors Program emphasizes the ongoing conversation between the Bible, great literature, and the ideas that have shaped the intellectual tradition. Through close reading and guided discussion, students develop the skills to analyze hard texts and engage in academic debate.

Rather than passive learning, students actively participate in discussion, analysis, and debate. This approach sharpens students’ reasoning skills and helps them develop strong oral and written arguments that serve them well in any major or career.Ěý

Dr. Adam Porcella, Director of the Honors Program and Provost at 91łÔąĎ, describes the vision behind the program:

“We must also commit to creating classroom environments that are both rigorous and relational—spaces where students can wrestle with hard questions, encounter new ideas, and receive encouragement andĚýdiscipleshipĚýfrom trusted mentors. When done well, this kind of education not only informs students but transforms them.”

In practice, this vision informs the Honors Program’s emphasis on learning in community.

Learning in the Honors Program Community

Community is a defining feature of the Honors experience. Students form close relationships with peers who share a love of learning and a desire to pursue truth. Invested faculty members play an active role in the program, mentoring students both inside and outside of the colloquium environment.

Throughout the year, students gather twice a month for shared meals and discussions. These gatherings, along with frequent cultural outings, create space for thoughtful dialogue and lasting friendships. The result is a learning environment where students can engage challenging ideas while growing personally and spiritually.

Mentorship and Integrated Scholarship

A hallmark of the Honors Program is the six-credit capstone project completed under the guidance of a faculty member. This project allows students from any major to pursue a topic that interests them and aligns with their academic and professional goals.

Through sustained research, writing, and mentorship, students learn how to integrate their studies and produce meaningful scholarly work. The project culminates in a formal presentation and critique, offering valuable preparation for graduate study, professional work, and lifelong learning. For many students, this experience becomes one of the most formative elements of their time at Cairn.

In support of this work, the Honors Program includes an annually renewable $2,000 scholarship for participating students. This support reflects Cairn’s commitment to making deep, academic study more accessible throughout a student’s undergraduate experience.

Get Started Today with the Honors Program

At 91łÔąĎ, the Honors Program is not about prestige alone. We seek to form students who pursue wisdom, love truth, and are prepared to walk a different path in their academic and professional lives. Our Honors students develop the ability to think deeply, communicate clearly, and live faithfully in a complex world. While the study is rigorous, the mentorship and community make for a worthwhile and rewarding experience.

Students interested in learning more about the 91łÔąĎ Honors Program can explore additional details and next steps here or contact honors@cairn.edu for more information. Interested in depositing by March 1? Students who do receive a one time $1,000 award! Take advantage of this offer here!

You want confidence in your decisions. You’re looking for a campus that feels like home. You want growth in the ways God is leading you. 91łÔąĎ offers flexibility, affordability and a Christian community. Year after year, these are the main reasons transfer students choose to continue their education at Cairn.

Flexibility (without compromise) 

Your path forward should make sense. You already have college credits, and you shouldn’t have to sacrifice staying on track for the environment you desire. You want a university that honors the work you’ve already done and helps you build on that foundation. That is why Cairn evaluates transfer credits carefully to make sure your progress counts. Transfer students can utilize our credit estimator tool to see how their credits will apply, so they can make decisions sooner with confidence!

Many schools look flexible on paper, but they are not always transfer friendly. The idea of flexibility is more than just a talking point for our transfer students; it’s a commitment from us to you. You can study on campus in Langhorne, PA, or online from home. You can build a schedule that respects your life, job, ministry, and next steps. But the flexibility of our programs doesn’t mean lowering academic expectations. When you transfer to Cairn, you are choosing an education that challenges you to think deeply, communicate clearly, and prepare for professional life after college.

Flexibility also saves you time, and paired with affordability, it can save you cost too. Ěý

Affordability 

Now more than ever, knowing the cost of college upfront is so important. The process of transferring doesn’t have to be overwhelming. Cairn is committed to making a private, biblically integrated education within reach through strong financial aid and scholarships designed specifically for both freshmen and transfer students.

Our Financial Aid team works closely with each student to create a plan that supports their pursuits towards graduation. This includes federal and state aid, academic scholarships, and need based assistance. In addition, many transfer students also benefit from our partnerships with community colleges and other institutions which can lead to additional savings and scholarship opportunities.

The goal is simple. You can pursue the degree you want while keeping your costs manageable and your future open. At Cairn, affordability is something we actively work toward with every student.

Community 

Cairn’s education stands out among others because of the community that shapes it. Transfer students often worry they will always feel new. But Cairn transfer students will tell you a different story. You are welcomed quickly and known by name. You are invited into a community that values encouragement, accountability, and genuine relationships.

Professors invest not only in your academic success but also in your spiritual growth. Fellow students include you in activities, clubs, worship, and service opportunities. Small class sizes help you connect deeply with faculty and peers. Our transfer students often say that 91łÔąĎ feels like home sooner than they expected.

Why transfer to Cairn?

You have a direction in mind and a calling to pursue. Cairn gives you room to follow that path with confidence. Transfer students choose Cairn because they find what they are looking for. You will discover flexibility that keeps your progress, affordability that honors your resources, and a Christian community that supports your faith. At 91łÔąĎ, your education matters and your story matters. If you are ready to take the next step, we are ready to walk with you.

1. The Pathway Center: Guiding You from College to Calling

The Pathway Center helps 91łÔąĎ students prepare for life after college through career development and leadership exploration. You can get help writing a resume, preparing for interviews, or finding internships that fit your goals. This is especially beneficial for first-generation students navigating post-college plans. Staff helps you think beyond a job title and towards what God’s actually calling you to do. 

Whether you’re preparing for a big interview, or planning next steps after graduation, the Pathway Center is here to walk with you. Meetings are available in person or online. Just visit the Pathway Center to get started.

2. Academic Advisors who Care and Resources that Work

Every Cairn student, whether studying in person or online, is paired with an academic advisor who provides personalized support throughout their college journey. Advisors will meet with you to register for courses and give thoughtful academic advice, keeping you on track until graduation. First-generation college students benefit greatly from this type of tailored guidance. They’re not just here to sign your forms. They’re mentors. 

In addition to academic advising, our Academic Resource Center (ARC) is equipped with support for students of all skill levels. The ARC resources include a writing lab, tutoring, mentoring, disability services, and special “how-to” workshops. First-generation college students like you bring strength and determination to their studies. At Cairn, you’ll have the right resources to turn that determination into success.

3. First Generation College Student Scholarship

Paying for college can feel overwhelming, but you don’t have to figure it out alone. Ninety-seven percent of our undergraduate full-time students receive some form of financial assistance. Our Financial Aid team can help you explore grants, scholarships, and loans so you can focus less on the cost, and more on the calling God has placed before you. Plus, first-generation college students can apply for a $500 scholarship to help with things like books, equipment, or other first-semester essentials. If you’d like to apply for the First-Generation College Student Scholarship, notify your 91łÔąĎ admissions counselor and they can assist you.

4. The Center for Christian Counseling & Relationship Development

College can bring challenges that go beyond coursework. The Center for Christian Counseling & Relationship Development (CCCRD) offers Christ-centered care for your emotional and spiritual well-being.

It’s a safe and caring space where you can talk through stress, relationships, or personal growth. The staff includes licensed psychologists, therapists, and master’s-level interns trained in both biblical and human sciences. The CCCRD is an essential resource for students seeking emotional support. Learn more about CCCRD resources here.Ěý

5. Community that feels like Family

The most valuable part of college isn’t found simply in what you learn, but who you walk through it with. At 91łÔąĎ, professors, staff, and students share life together. Faculty pray with each other weekly. Resident Directors and Resident Assistants check in, encourage, and challenge you to grow. Between attending chapels, eating meals with friends, joining a club, or being a student athlete, you will surely experience a culture of connection, rooted in something bigger. 

Because college shouldn’t be just a place you get a degree, it should be a place for real transformation and growth. Being a first-generation college student isn’t always easy but it’s an accomplishment to be proud of! We pray at 91łÔąĎ you will find a community that is ready to help you on your journey.

What Does the FAFSA Do?

The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is a governmental resource for college students seeking any form of student aid. These include grants, scholarships and forms of work study without repayment. This form is free to all students, making it easy to begin filling one out within a few clicks.
FAFSA is used by an average of 17 million students each year, all from different cultural and financial backgrounds. Upon completing the form, your information is shared with schools of your choice, allowing them to work with FAFSA’s information to create a potential offer of aid.

For the sake of preventing fraud and misuse of the form, the US Department of Education actively flags potentially dubious activity within FAFSA forms. This is a .gov website, meaning you don’t need to worry when submitting your personal information.

Most importantly, a completed FAFSA form is often required by many schools before you can receive school-granted scholarships. Schools use the information provided by FAFSA to determine an individual student’s financial eligibility.

What You Need to Have On Hand

You will need to submit several important personal documents, some of which you may need extra time to acquire. The official Student Financial Aid website provides this list of potentially necessary documents for the upcoming 2025-26 school year:

• Tax returns
• Records of child support received
• Current balances of cash, savings, and checking accounts
• Net worth of investments, businesses, and farms
• Your parent’s SSN (if you are a dependent student)

Whether or not some of these documents are needed for your form depends on various factors, so it helps to have them handy, either for the current form or for later years.

As shown in the list of resources above, dependent students will need to provide the personal information of their parents. Some of this can be completed by the parents themselves on their own accounts, so long as you provide them with access on your form.

Update Annually

Your family’s financial situation may change during your years of study. Because of this, your eligibility for aid is assessed annually, and you will need to fill out a new FAFSA each year. Without an updated FAFSA, you will not be able to receive any amount of financial aid.

While your first time filling out the FAFSA may be more time-consuming than you expect, the process will be streamlined for later years since you will be largely updating only information that has seen changes since the last submission. Even if you decide to transfer schools at a later point, you can simply change the school listed on your FAFSA and carry over existing information.

Be Proactive and Submit Early

While the FAFSA form is free to submit, there are crucial deadlines involved. There is a unique deadline for your school or schools of interest, your state of legal residency, and the federal government. While the federal deadline is typically later than the other two, it is beneficial to get on top of filling out the form as soon as possible.

And in case you’re waiting for there to be a catch, don’t worry! By submitting your FAFSA form, you are not committing to every loan, scholarship, or grant that you are potentially offered. You will be able to accept or refuse any of the grants, scholarships, or loans included in your letter.

Here we go . . .

Filling out the FAFSA is straightforward, but you will need to keep the following steps in mind:
1. Create a .
2. Gather all important documents (see list from before) and ensure they are up to date.
3. Determine your dependency status.
4. Fill out the FAFSA (and have your parent fill out their part, if applicable).

The FAFSA form for the 2026–27 year opens on October 1, 2025. Complete it with confidence at .

One of the biggest fears and obstacles commuters face is building community. While campus events, athletic events, and clubs and organizations are advertised as opportunities for all, it’s can be hard to feel truly welcome—especially if you have to put yourself out there and show up without a personal invitation.

While finding community might be a little harder for commuters, it is readily available to you if you want it. These are our best tips for building relationships as a commuter.

Just Show Up!

This is the easiest but also the hardest part. If you’re only on campus for just enough time to attend class, it is much more difficult to connect with other students. Give people a chance to recognize you. Don’t overschedule yourself so that you always have to rush out the door after class. Do your homework in the library. Buy a coffee from The Highlands and drink it there (bonus points if you sit next to someone you recognize and start a conversation!).

You should also give yourself the chance to take advantage of the events colleges put on. For building friendships and community, these events are a college commuter essential. They are a space to make friends, find new interests, and just have a fun break in the midst of a long week of studying. At Cairn, we regularly put on events big and small. If you want to ease yourself into a quiet atmosphere, make a fancy soda at a paint n’ sip. If you are looking to blend in with a crowd at first, consider mingling at the hoedown. These events are open to all, and they are worth staying on campus for.

Get Connected on The Right Platforms

Engaging with campus life and community means plugging in. A great way to stay informed, see some faces, and get an idea of the campus culture is to follow the university on social media and other university-based platforms. These are not ends to community in themselves, but they provide regular reminders of what’s happening on campus and invite you to experience real, in-person community.

Join a Club

Student clubs and organizations give you the opportunity to spend time with other students who have similar interests. 91łÔąĎ has over 20 clubs and organizations to choose from, in addition to DIII athletics, intramural sports, and music ensembles.

Eat in the Cafeteria

Just in case you have any hesitation, know you are welcome in the cafeteria without a meal plan. Bring your packed lunch or pay the commuter rate for a one-time meal. Sharing a meal with your fellow students is 10x better than a sad car lunch!

Contribute Your Local Knowledge

This isn’t a college town—it’s your town. You know which grocery store offers the cheapest produce, which train will take you into the city, where to catch the best sunset view, and what coffee shop has the best place to study. Resident students will figure these things out eventually, but you can use this information as an invitation: Invite a friend to join you off-campus at one of your favorite spots.

Commit to Being a Part of Community

This is the hard truth: You have to work to be included. While a resident student can retreat to their dorm room and is bound to later connect with a roommate or other students at dinner in the cafeteria, no one is going to show up in your childhood bedroom and ask you if you want to go outside and throw a frisbee.

While it does take intentionality to build community outside of the classroom, it is effort that you will not regret putting out. Commuter or resident, college friendships are some of the best relationships you’ll have the chance to make in your lifetime. Don’t miss your opportunity!

Whether you’ve had your dream school picked out for years or you’re just beginning your search, one of the most helpful steps in your decision-making process is taking a college campus visit. And when you do, knowing the right questions to ask will maximize the value of the visit.

In this guide, we’ll walk you through 15 smart questions to ask on a college visit, including questions about academics, student life, and faith—so you can make an informed decision about where you’ll thrive.

Why College Visits Matter

A campus visit gives you more than a tour—it offers a first-hand look at what daily life is like at a college. You’ll see the facilities, sit in on classes, meet students and professors, and start to picture yourself as part of the community.

But to truly get the most out of your visit, it’s crucial to ask thoughtful questions that go beyond what’s listed in a brochure or website. 

Ask These Questions on Your Next College Visit

Here are the top questions to ask during your campus tour. These questions will help you understand what it’s really like to attend that school—and whether it’s the right fit for your goals.

Questions About the Student Experience

1. Why did you choose this college?
Learn what factors led other students to commit.

2. How would you describe the student community here?
Is it friendly, supportive, competitive, diverse? Consider whether this environment fits your personality.

3. What type of student fits in best at this school?
Understand the culture and whether you’ll feel at home.

4. What do students usually complain about?
Hear unfiltered feedback on dining, dorms, Wi-Fi, class availability, or anything else students mention.

5. Are there plenty of ways to get involved?
Learn about clubs, student government, sports, arts, and leadership opportunities.

6. What do students do for fun on weekends?
Whether it’s outdoor adventures, coffee shops, concerts, or campus events, you’ll want to know how students relax and connect.

Questions About the Academic Experience

7. What are the most popular majors?
This tells you where the college excels academically and may even introduce you to programs you hadn’t considered.

8. How would you describe the professors?
Are they engaging, accessible, and supportive? Professors make a huge impact on your education.

9. Do you feel you have a good balance between academic rigor and personal time?
You want a college that challenges you academically while still providing ample time to be in community; build relationships; and participate in extracurricular activities like athletics, music ensembles, or clubs.

10. Where can I go if I need academic support?
This is a question you want answered now—so you know where to go if you need it later. 

11. Does this school prepare you well for your future career?
Ask about internships, career counseling, and job placement after graduation.

Questions About Faith and Christian Community

12. What’s it like attending a Christian university?
Learn how faith is integrated into academics, student life, and personal growth.

13. How active is spiritual life on campus?
Ask about chapel services, discipleship groups, and how students grow in their faith.

14. Are there ministry or service opportunities?
Explore options for missions trips, outreach projects, and local church involvement.

15. How has studying at a Christian college encouraged your walk with God?
This spiritual transformation is at the heart of Christian education. Hearing how current students are encouraged in their faith will encourage you in yours.

Now That You’ve Asked the Questions, What’s Your Answer?

Every school has its own personality, strengths, and student culture. By asking intentional questions on your visit, you’ll learn what sets each college apart. And with the additional information you gather, you can make an informed decision about which school seems to fit you best. And remember: While you want to give due diligence to this important decision, you don’t have to do it in your own strength. 

Why Choose a Christian University?

Christian higher education goes beyond academics. At a Christian college, your mind, heart, and character are shaped through a biblical worldview. You’ll learn how to think critically, grow spiritually, and serve faithfully in whatever career you pursue.

At 91łÔąĎ, we’re committed to preparing students to think deeply, live faithfully, and serve Christ in every area of life. Through a rigorous, Christ-centered education, you’ll be equipped to make a meaningful difference in the world—whatever your calling may be.

Ready to Plan Your Visit?

Explore what life is really like at 91łÔąĎ. Meet our students. Ask your questions. See yourself here. Schedule your campus visit today at cairn.edu/visit.