Leaving them to the Lord: Dropping off your freshman at college

As we neared the time for my oldest son Blake to leave for Ouachita, I began to ask God to give me peace and direction on being a mom – my most loved and highest calling – 100 miles away. What would it look like? How was I to be his mom without seeing him at the breakfast table, walking by his room and praying over him while he slept, hearing “Mom” 100 times a day, watching every hole of golf he ever played?

Besides having a name that's hard to pronounce, what makes Ouachita different? #askingforafriend

So you’ve heard of us – Ouachita Baptist University? Great! We are a leading liberal arts university and ranked nationally among “America’s Best Colleges” by U.S. News & World Report and Forbes magazines. But you might wonder, “So what makes Ouachita different?” Here are a few commonly asked questions about Ouachita, along with the answers. No need to ask for your friends!

How to survive the first day of freshman year

The first day of freshman year can be a scary thought. You are walking into a new place, with new people at your new home, and you have no clue how to take it all in. The best part of being a freshman is that everyone else in your class is right there with you, and the people who aren’t were there at one point. After talking to fellow students, I came up with a few tips to help you survive the first day of freshman year.

Braving the elements: Ouachita's freshman outdoor orientation combats first-year fears

Ouachita understands how critical it is to help freshman adapt to the new college lifestyle. So before moving in to campus, Ouachita hosts a five-day program called Freshman Outdoor Orientation Trip, or FOOT, for students to enjoy the nature Arkadelphia has to offer alongside their new peers. Hiking, rock climbing, tubing, volunteer work in the community, campfires, worship sessions and professor meet-and-greets are just a few of the activities that you can experience during FOOT.

Med-school-ready & having fun: Why I chose to study bio-med at Ouachita

I grew up surrounded by medical professionals; the majority of adults in my life have worked in the medical field in some way. I think I acquired an affinity for science because of that. When I was still in elementary school, I asked my mother for her nursing books so that I could learn about the disease that was making my grandmother sick.

Still trying to decide which college is best for you? Do these three things.

It’s been four years, but I remember how stressed I felt when I was trying to decide between my top two college choices. I was torn and wanted to make sure that I picked the perfect home for the next four years of my life. My Ouachita admissions counselor made sure I knew everything I needed to know while choosing between OBU and another school, but she also shared some advice that was thoughtful, gave me more to consider and, in the end, helped me make my decision.

I'm only 18. How do I pay for college? #askingforafriend

We know you have questions, some that you might be afraid to ask, about how to pay for college in order to attend Ouachita. So, we’ve put together some common questions and answers to give it to you straight. No need to ask questions for your friends – we’ve got you!

6 tips as you search for private scholarships

You may have applied to college, made a visit to campus and thought about what you want to study, but now reality is setting in – you need to figure out how to pay for college. At Ouachita, once you are accepted and have submitted your Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), you will receive a financial aid award letter that shows your scholarships, grants and available loans that will help you cover the costs of college.

Finding opportunity in unfamiliar places: A first-generation student's journey

I considered myself to be an “average student” in high school. I wasn’t enrolled in gifted and talented courses, and college wasn’t highly spoken of within my immediate family. My mother received her GED and attended cosmetology school. As my brothers and I got older, she would tell us that she knew college wasn’t for everyone, but that she hoped we would go because she wanted us to have the experience that she missed out on for many years.

How "small" made a big difference in my academic career

Deciding where you want to go to college by weighing what each school offers can be difficult – especially if you aren’t sure if you would benefit more in your studies by attending a big school or a small school. Going to a school of Ouachita’s size for my education has had some major advantages.

TWIRP, Tunes, Dr. Jack? Decoding everyday Ouachita life #askingforafriend

We know you have questions about life in general at Ouachita. So, we’ve put together some common questions and answers to give it to you straight. You’ll start-off your freshman year with a few nuggets of knowledge to navigate this new world of Ouachita, complete with it’s own distinct culture and lingo – with no need to ask for your friends.

Freshman Move-In Day: Advice for parents

Before moving my oldest child to Ouachita, we thoroughly studied the housing information on the website and analyzed the floor plan, feeling pretty proud of ourselves for our preparedness. While the day did not go entirely as we had envisioned, moving in child #2 at Ouachita went more smoothly as we had learned a few things along the way.

Dorm room decorating tips

If you’re mentally preparing to move-in to your dorm here in the next few weeks, it’s likely you’ve thought about how to decorate your new room. But, you’re also in college now and have little money to renovate a room you’ll move out of in May.

How to make the most of the summer after your junior year: The college search begins

It’s the summer after your junior year, and you cannot wait for senior year to get here! However, it’s easy in all that excitement to pass by what can be the most powerful tool in your belt for securing your top college choice: THE SUMMER!

What does attending a "Christian college" even mean? #askingforafriend

We know you have questions, some that you might be afraid to ask, about what to expect if you attend a Baptist university. We know that every Christian college is different, but we want you to know exactly what makes Ouachita, Ouachita. Here are answers to some of the questions we hear all the time, so there’s no need to ask “for your friends!”

Early Registration (ER) podcast

Check out this podcast episode where Ouachita juniors Addy Goodman, Ethan Dial and Josh Salim sat down to discuss some helpful information and tips for a great Early Registration experience.

I've never lived in a dorm before. HELP. #askingforafriend

We know you have questions, some that you might be afraid to ask, about campus housing at Ouachita. So, we’ve put together some common questions and answers to give it to you straight. No need to ask questions for your friends – we’ve got you!

Freshman dorm perks: It's not where you live, but who you live with

If you’re like me, the idea of living in a building with lots of tiny rooms that are full of random young women (we’re not girls anymore) who’ve just been released into adulthood isn’t very appealing. Yet, here I am, a junior, thinking back to all the fond memories I made living in Frances Crawford West my freshman year at Ouachita.

Finding a college home if you're undecided about your major

Road trip! My best friend and I decided to start our college search journey with a road trip to three different universities. Three days to visit three schools and, potentially, to find our future home for the next four years. Ouachita was the second school we visited on our trip.

Why I transferred to Ouachita after one year at a state school

What do I want to do with my life? Who will my roommate be? Will it be difficult to make new friends? I remember sitting in my room as a senior in high school haunted by these questions.