I was doing some research last night on how much seminary actually costs. I always hear about people talking about the debt they accrued coming out of seminary (or grad school in general), so I figured I had better know what I am going to be getting myself into. My top three choices (at the moment) are Westminster Theological Seminary in Philadelphia, Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary in Boston, and Reformed Theological Seminary in Jackson. This is what I came up with in comparison to Santa Clara University where I now attend.
The total tuition of even the most expensive of my choices is only 30% of the cost of Santa Clara! Now, if I can just keep my grades up, hopefully I can get good financial aid from whatever school I apply to. Plus, if I come under care of a presbytery in the Presbyterian Church in America, I should be able to pay a reduced tuition (up to 50%) because I would be dedicated to pursuing ordination in a Reformed denomination. I can totally handle this. By God’s grace, I’ll have all the resources I need to pursue a top-notch theological education without the burden of excessive debt on myself and my (future) family. Such good news! =)
