Before when this highly prestigious private institution was untouched by true urbanization and could still mandate its own core curriculum in a way by adding religious requirements like chapel, there were three main groups of students that this university comprised of. Even now these same three still stand the test of time despite the supposedly more “liberal” recruiting propaganda the university uses today to continue progressing their idea of a “higher level learning” in the eyes of god.
The first group consisted mainly of the legacy students. Many who attended and were the biggest benefactors of the university were the rich high class from a legacy family. Meaning their parents’ parents enrolled into this university and their grandparents parents and so on.
Before they were easily accepted in with their parents' money, they’d also participate in a private elementary school and private high school. That way they were already accustomed to the “higher level learning” curriculum. So to them, this university was nothing but a playground to socialize and fall in love while sticking to the expectations of their family’s faith: marrying another follower of god.
For the females, these were your typical students who’d walk around every college venue with their other rich friends wearing large t-shirts over their questionably short shorts all while sipping Starbucks as they discussed how’d they meet their “life partner” and marry them as a rich housewife and trophy wife who wouldn’t have to lift a finger for the rest of their life. A phenomenon the freshmen women infamously called “Ring before spring”.
The males however, would be neatly dressed wearing their khaki bottoms and neatly pressed polos all while throwing frisbees to impress these ladies. University was their time to fool around and have fun before they have to take over their father’s business and eventually become a devout “faithful” husband who wouldn’t be able to wild it up anymore.
Still, as long as either of these groups didn’t fail their classes, it didn’t matter to them what grades they’d get. University was just a way to learn under the secure and watchful eyes of God.
So it’s not a surprise to see this group not concerned in their studies since most of them had parents who would bribe their professors through the years anyways.
The second group though, the upper middle class, were slightly different. They enrolled here because the university’s programs were top knotch and if they graduated from such a top university, their future was pretty much guaranteed. Though some of these students were just a lesser affluent version of the typical family legacy student, most upper middle class students did not have the advantage of learning from their parents legacy. Rather than attending both a private elementary school then a private high school to get used to such “higher level learning,” some could only attend one of them. Others were fortunate to be the top in their public school and could afford to enroll in the university with a few scholarships.
Either way some of the females did romanticize the ways of the rich legacy student thanks to social media. To them, it was a dream come true. Falling in love with a college sweetheart who also loved the same god as them, promising their first time to them by wearing a celibacy ring. It was a beautiful concept. The males in this category were also none too wiser. they desired for the romanticized image of companionship with the brothers through faith having fun and being wild all with a great faithful girl on the side.
Of course, this was all very similar to the first group except for the fact that most of them did struggle a bit more to maintain their grades. To this group, it was key to learn the art of balancing a campus life with an academic one. Bribing was just not that easy of an option.
The third group, unlike the first two, flew under the radar in the first hundreds of years of the university's opening. back then to be even slightly different was like a social life death sentence so anyone who was different just acted like the rest. this group only recently became more comfortable with being open and grew in number due to the urbanization and more liberal acceptance of students. It consisted of your typical students you'd see in any city college. They were not all necessarily Christian nor did they need to have any special academic or family background. What they made up for in these categories was the "diversity" they brought to campus life. Or well- were supposed to bring to campus life.
Because of this college's unique ecosystem, students in this category were not easily accepted as part of their christian community in full. They would have to face two pressures first before even thinking about acting like themselves. In addition to having little to no higher level learning background and lacking a conservative natured faith in god, these students would be pitted against the societal pressure to fit into the norms as well as the academic pressure to maintain a high standing or they’d end up losing all scholarships or credit. a lot of them would realize soon enough they'd be better just acting like they fit in or drop out. Because of this, many of the students who chose to stick around only did because of the prestige the college had. if any of them were able to cut through the thick tension, the diversity they brought was minimal- if any.
Because of this, The main thing on their minds wasn't the unusually high religious propaganda of the university but more just passing their classes. Even if they barely passed, graduating from a prestigious university would give them a great name for themselves. considering the main appeal of college is a time to find a place to belong as yourself, fitting in to them was like high school and middle school all over again - aka hell. for the people from the third group that stayed, their main goal was to get their diploma while not standing out too much then escape out of there so they can live their actual life as a successful adult.
and to show that you're even slightly different: gay, lesbian or bi instead of only straight, into anime instead of safe tv shows like friends, into games other than chess, into hip hop music other than country or curse-free music, pro-choice instead of pro-life. These were all things they could get quietly ostracized by the rest of the students for. And though the other two groups had to behave like a christian and welcome them, there was that infamous quote floating in their heads that ensured they never mixed. "If you hang out with sinners, you'll become just like them." At least- that's how the other two groups acted towards the third in the morning and after the sunday church they'd attend.
in the light it was seen as an act of pure sin to get too close to them. in the dark, though, for some of the pridefully devout it was pure temptation.
for the very naive, it might go unnoticed but most of the students of this university already are very aware of this hidden culture and list of unnamed but expected norms. It was either deep in their blood or they’d quickly figure it out when they noticed this tension. Especially since, most of the times, similar people tend to favor being around people that are similar to them. So it was not long before this university became one big Christian school ground for most who were devout or at least acted devout.