Stacie Carnley
For the 17th time in 20 years, the Princeton Review named BYU as the university with the most religious students. The list was published in the Princeton Review’s annual book, “The Best 376 Colleges: 2012 edition.”
The Princeton Review website said the ranking was determined by surveying more than 122,000 students nationwide about the schools they attend. They were asked how much they agreed with the statement: “Students are religious on my campus,” on a scale from strongly agree to strongly disagree.
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“I feel like BYU has an atmosphere where you can keep your religion as a core part of who you are,” she said. “It’s not out of the ordinary to say a prayer at the beginning of class or to bring up religious topics even in a computer science or math class.”
BYU spokesman Todd Hollingshead said BYU’s No. 1 ranking is a result of the aims of a BYU education.
“At BYU our mission is to provide an excellent education that is both intellectually enlarging and spiritually strengthening,” he said. “Certainly our students are very religious — that is a defining characteristic of the students here. It’s not surprising that we would be ranked number one as religion is an essential part of their education.”
All BYU students are required to take 14 credits of religion classes as part of their GE requirements.
Meservy said she’s taken numerous religious courses during her time at BYU including classes covering the scriptures, LDS marriage and family, Joseph Smith and mission prep.
“I really like how you can have a spiritual discussion but at the same time it can be academic as well,” Meservy said. “Having to take tests and study religion teaches you facts about people and events but at the same time you learn by the spirit how to apply gospel principles in your life.”
Besides taking religion courses as part of their GE curriculum, BYU students are expected to live by a set of standards called the Honor Code.
Spencer Palmer, a freshman studying economics, said he appreciates the Honor Code and what it stands for.
“I feel like it helps me to live my religion because there’s no social pressure to be irreligious,” he said.
Palmer said although the Honor Code is a good set of rules, the document itself is not what causes him to be religious.
“The Honor Code helps, but it isn’t what motivates me to live the gospel,” he said. “The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is very self motivating for people who find a testimony in it. We are committed to values not because of what other people influence us to do, but because the values are our own.”
He said religion is a key part of a BYU education.
“It’s a part of everything we do,” Palmer said. “There isn’t anything we do at BYU that isn’t influenced by religion.”
