Summit Ministries

Help: Student Conference FAQs

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1.How much work do I have to do to earn college credit for the summer conferences?
There are two options. For 2 hours of college credit, you'll complete all the required work while you are attending your two-week session. For 3 hours of college credit, you'll need to do work during your two-week session and during the month after your session.
To earn 2 hours of college credit, you need to:
  1. Submit your application and $250 tuition when you arrive.
  2. Listen to the session lectures and take thorough notes.
  3. Write a 1-2 page worldview essay.
  4. Take a college credit exam and make 70% or higher.
To earn 3 hours of college credit, you need to:
  1. Submit your application and $350 tuition when you arrive.
  2. Listen to the session lectures and take thorough notes.
  3. Write a 1-2 page worldview essay.
  4. Take a college credit exam and make 70% or higher.
  5. Write a 15-page research paper on one of two pre-determined topics (this will be due exactly one month after your session ends).
Note: Please keep in mind that this is a college-level course. In order to maintain academic integrity, the requirements for this program are non-negotiable.
2. Which option should I choose: 2 credits or 3 credits?
If you try for three credits and aren't able to complete all the requirements, you are not able to automatically drop to two credits. We expect you, as a college-bound adult, to be able to make an accurate assessment of your schedule and abilities, and therefore we will hold you to the credit option you choose during your session.

Your decision should depend primarily on your summer/fall schedule and your level of interest and ability. Although most college classes equal three credits, having extra credits can be beneficial (two credits could balance out a more difficult four-credit class, for example). If you feel that you have the time after your session and would like to challenge yourself by writing the research paper to earn the three credits, go for it! If you are not sure what your schedule looks like or know you are involved in several summer activities after your session, consider earning the two credits.
Note: These are mutually exclusive options, which cannot be changed after you register or altered to accommodate special circumstances.
3. If I can't complete the requirements, is the tuition money refundable?
No. Once your registration is complete, we cannot refund your tuition money if for some reason you are unable to complete all of the requirements or fail to get the grade you were looking for.
4. Will these credits transfer to my school?
Since both Bryan College and Cedarville University are accredited schools, credits earned through either school can be transferred to other accredited colleges and universities. It is a good idea to check with the registrar of the school(s) you are interested in, however, because they will be the sole determiners of credit acceptance.
5. What if I haven't graduated from high school yet?
You can still obtain college credit while in high school or while enrolled at another college or university. If you aren't sure of where you would like to send your transcript, Bryan or Cedarville will hold your records until they receive a written request from you or your school. Just mark “unsure” on the application instead of providing a school address.
6. Which style should I use to write my research paper?
You are required to write your paper in a style that uses footnotes or endnotes. The two most well known style manuals of this type are the Chicago Manual of Style (with online search capabilities) and Kate Turabian's Manual for Writers of Term Papers. Both of these books should be available in your local library's reference section.
Note: MLA format, commonly taught in high schools, is not acceptable for this paper because it differs from Chicago/Turabian in two major ways:
  1. MLA uses parenthetical references for all quotes, while the Chicago/Turabian styles use footnotes and/or endnotes. Using footnotes gives the body of the paper the clean line college professors are looking for.
  2. MLA uses a “works cited” page instead of a bibliography, while Chicago/Turabian recommend a formal bibliography. Again, college professors will be looking for a formal bibliography and if you use the more informal “works cited,” you could lose points.
7. Where do I send the three-credit research paper?
For the Tennessee and Colorado sessions, the paper needs to be mailed to:          
Dr. Paul Boling, Bryan College
c/o Summit Research Paper
P.O. Box 7808 
Dayton, TN 37321-7000
For the Ohio session, the paper needs to be mailed to:
Dr. Kevin Sims, Cedarville University
c/o Summit College Credit
251 N. Main Street
Cedarville, OH 45314
8. Can I email or fax my paper to the professors??
Papers submitted via email will not be accepted. Because the professors will be marking up the papers and sending them back to you, you must mail a hardcopy.
9. Does the paper need to arrive on the professor's desk by the deadline, or does it just need to be postmarked by the deadline??
Your paper needs to be postmarked by the deadline.
Note: If the deadline falls on a weekend or holiday, you must get it postmarked before the post office closes, so plan ahead if your deadline lands near Memorial Day, the Fourth of July, or Labor Day.
10. Will I receive my paper back after it has been graded?
Yes. Your paper will be mailed back to you, with a summary of your final grade, after it has been graded.
11. When can I expect to hear about my final grade?
Be prepared to wait at least 6-8 weeks after mailing in your paper to receive word about your final grade. Most often this information will accompany the graded paper when it is returned to you.
12. Who do I contact if I have more questions about college credit or the research paper?
Call Summit Ministries at 719.685.9103 and ask for the College Credit Director. You can also email your questions to collegecredit@summit.org.