I would say no to all of OPs questions, but: LU is indeed accredited by the major southern accreditation agency (and other, specific orgs like the ABA) and I would hire someone from LU... but not for every job. I'd hire someone for, say, a development job or an admin job... but not a job for which I need analytical skills or scientific knowledge.

Anonymous wrote:Remarkably, after years of trying Liberty seems to have gained some level of respectability. It's just hung around long enough and grown to the point that it has to be acknowledged as an actual college. Although it's still viewed as a joke by many people, especially liberal, urban folks, like the posters on this board. It probably should be viewed like Oral Roberts, BYU, Pepperdine or the hundreds of other religious schools in this country. But it's connections to the Falwell family and far right policies still taints its reputation and limits the options of its graduates.

I don't agree with putting it on the same level as BYU and Pepperdine, but I do agree that people (at least in polite conversation) seem to treat it with more seriousness around where I live (NoVa). The main kids around here that end up going to Liberty are either athletic recruits or Christians who attended bible or very evangelical churches.

Another random thing - one of the kids from Duck Dynasty and his wife attended Liberty. Not sure what that says about the school.

Anonymous wrote:No to all of your questions, OP. The school is a joke.

A huge joke, and anyone who tells you otherwise is showing their agenda.

I remember looking at the faculty in one department a few years ago and almost every staff member had their degree from Liberty. A few came from other evangelical schools.

Some of the majors are unusual. They have people going there for four years to be trained in things the VoTec schools can teach in a year or two.

http://www.liberty.edu/index.cfm?PID=6908

No to all of your questions, OP. The school is a joke.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Remarkably, after years of trying Liberty seems to have gained some level of respectability. It's just hung around long enough and grown to the point that it has to be acknowledged as an actual college. Although it's still viewed as a joke by many people, especially liberal, urban folks, like the posters on this board. It probably should be viewed like Oral Roberts, BYU, Pepperdine or the hundreds of other religious schools in this country. But it's connections to the Falwell family and far right policies still taints its reputation and limits the options of its graduates.

Come on. Liberty is not even close to the same class as these schools.

+1. BYU and Pepperdine teach real science and their admissions process is selective -- if you weren't a good student in HS with extracurricular activities, you aren't getting in.

A Liberty diploma will be handy for kids looking to intern with or work for the current administration.

Other than that -- it's going to be a huge liability. I know two kids going there, both lackluster HS students. Liberty makes incoming students commit very early and start paying tuition soon after acceptance (refundable up to a certain point) in order to get them really entrenched with other accepted students, and into their dorm of choice. I'm not going to go so far as to say the school is a cult, but their admissions practices definitely have some radical group acceptance procedures that don't sit well with me at all.

Anonymous wrote:Remarkably, after years of trying Liberty seems to have gained some level of respectability. It's just hung around long enough and grown to the point that it has to be acknowledged as an actual college. Although it's still viewed as a joke by many people, especially liberal, urban folks, like the posters on this board. It probably should be viewed like Oral Roberts, BYU, Pepperdine or the hundreds of other religious schools in this country. But it's connections to the Falwell family and far right policies still taints its reputation and limits the options of its graduates.

Come on. Liberty is not even close to the same class as these schools.

Remarkably, after years of trying Liberty seems to have gained some level of respectability. It's just hung around long enough and grown to the point that it has to be acknowledged as an actual college. Although it's still viewed as a joke by many people, especially liberal, urban folks, like the posters on this board. It probably should be viewed like Oral Roberts, BYU, Pepperdine or the hundreds of other religious schools in this country. But it's connections to the Falwell family and far right policies still taints its reputation and limits the options of its graduates.

Anonymous wrote:What is your opinion of Liberty University? Is Liberty University a respected college? Will future employers respect the education and the degree that a person earns from Liberty University? Is Liberty University considered to be prestigious?

I think any college is a respected institution it represents higher education, what is not to respect about that.

No, it is not prestigious in the outside world. However, if you are from that community and intend to stay in the community, it is no big deal.

I am astonished by those who say they wouldn't hire based on that alone - maybe because I'm in the federal government and we know that we can't discriminate - but I wouldn't be impressed, either. I already have plenty of bible thumpers in my organization and everyone plays by the "no proselytizing on work time" rules. I also find that graduates from these kinds of institutions tend to have their heads less up their a$$es than the "prestigious" liberal schools, so there is that.

While Liberty gained its reputation as a religious university the leadership has taken a page from shady for-profits. it has vastly expanded its enrollment fueled by online offerings.

Here is the link to ED's profile with its fall 2016 enrollment stats: https://nces.ed.gov/collegenavigator/?q=liberty+university&s=all&id=232557

71% of undergraduates at Liberty are enrolled online exclusively and another 14% in a mix of online and in-person classes. Among graduate students 95% are enrolled online exclusively and 1% are in mixed. Overall Liberty enrolled 47,000 undergraduates and 28,700 graduate students. They admit pretty much anyone who is willing to enroll.

It's an embarrassment.

Anonymous wrote:Great school
Very tough to get into. Have not met one liberty grad who was not successful.

Huh? The school has unimpressive academic rankings. It's only "tough to get into" because most prospective students won't go along with the strict dress code and dry campus guidelines and they won't accept you if you refuse. Does anyone get rejected from their online program? I doubt it.

Great school
Very tough to get into. Have not met one liberty grad who was not successful.