Grove City College Sponsors New CLT
Test Date
By Noah Tyler
The beautiful setting and rigorous standards of Grove City College are in perfect harmony with the Classic Learning Test—and now, we are working together to improve education.
Some things improve with time, like cheese or wine. The same goes for my formative years at Grove City College (GCC). Rather than committing to a career track at seventeen, I followed my passion for economics and philosophy. I took up my studies at this small liberal arts college, tucked in the hills of western Pennsylvania. Grove City’s campus is known for its beauty, an intentional part of the educational experience. It has acres of greens, regal limestone and brick architecture, and the picturesque Rainbow Bridge, which connects the upper and lower halves of campus. It also supports a vibrant, intellectual Christian community, with formal and informal mentorship of both mind and heart.
What does a seventeen-year-old know about his or her future career? Yet, on the other hand, how could a seventeen-year-old fully appreciate four years’ worth of the riches of brilliant and faith-filled professors and fellow students in the wooded foothills of the Allegheny Mountains? Every student takes a chance in their college choice; many drop out or transfer. I was one of the students fortunate enough to graduate debt-free. I had enjoyed years of stimulating engagement with friends and ideas alike. Even so, after those four years, I was only beginning to learn just what it was I had learned there.
Grove City formed and matured me intellectually, spiritually, and socially.
On the technical side, GCC pushed me to become the best economist I could be, and prepared me well for an advanced degree in that field. Spiritually, the environment of the philosophy department led me to a deeper reading of the faith, rather than a summary dismissal (a journey that years later landed me in the Catholic Church). Relationally, there could be no better formation for a young man than to band together with peers who were both virtuous and motivated. Moreover, I found my love for ideas nourished there. It still pays dividends almost daily. Experiences like picking up a Kantian reference in conversation, joining a Dante book club, writing a personal reflection on the Gospels, or sketching a dynamic from my marriage into an economic model, feel like finding unexpected money in my pocket!
Taking on the role of CFO at the Classic Learning Test was not something I could have foreseen at seventeen. My involvement at CLT began with a ten-hour road trip to my alma mater, making the case for a natural affinity between the students that take the CLT and the students Grove City likes to invite to their campus. I am glad to report that GCC has embraced that argument to the fullest.
This year, we will host a new administration of the CLT on October 10th, sponsored by Grove City College. Students who complete the application process will receive a code from Grove City, allowing them to take the CLT for free! You can register for the CLT here. Registration is open to all students.
For further information about the college, please visit Grove City’s website.
Published on 8th September, 2020. Cover photograph of the Rainbow Bridge.