The frequent barrage of misinformation and heavy-handed, anti-Christian opinions being spewed forth by some secular colleges is a problem many young Christian students must take seriously. This goes hand in hand with the temptation to indulge in the wild side of dorm living and rejecting their conservative political beliefs for the more liberal agenda being served up in their classrooms.

Still, not all professors are insensitive to their Christian students' beliefs. In fact, I've personally been able to share my Christian beliefs in class at Ramapo College in New Jersey, where I currently attend as a returning student. While most of my professors are liberal in their views, they're also very caring and earnest in their desire to teach. I've never been penalized for my beliefs.

Gretchen Passantino, director of Answers In Action and adjunct professor at Faith Evangelical Lutheran Seminary, says there are three main problems facing Christian students in secular colleges.

1. They must combat intellectual challenges to their faith. Intellectual challenges to faith often appear in the form of grades a student might not deserve due to the reflection of their beliefs on the page. Passantino suggests that if a Christian student decides to take an unpopular position against the professor's viewpoint and still wants to get a good grade, he or she should respectfully and fully present the "approved" view to demonstrate mastery of the material, and then present why he or she disagrees with it.

"That way, when they get a bad grade and appeal it, they can point to the 'approved' part, prove that they knew their stuff and deserved the good grade, and that the bad grade is obviously retaliation for not being politically correct," she explains. On the flip side, the extra effort taken by the student to approach his or her professor for approval might result in a license to express his or her views with approval.

Of course, there will always be tough professors who cling to their agendas. “For example, one young woman explained how her English professor taught that Jesus was not a historical figure, but was a composite myth based on several earlier gods who had died and risen from the dead," says Amy Susan Anne Jones, a volunteer coordinator for Catholic Charities. The professor then went on to say that exposing the "Jesus myth" as a lie was no great loss because Christianity is a "bloody" religion, and the world is a "better place" without it.

Of course, this particular professor would be considered to be in error by the majority of secular scholars, but her students -- who are overwhelmed with regular coursework -- usually don't have the time or the resources to look into the matter further. They wouldn't know where to begin. When a lie of this caliber is presented as fact, it has the ability to destroy a person's faith, no matter how strong that faith might have been before.

2. They battle peer pressure to fit in by engaging in ungodly behavior. Jones concurs with Passantino with regard to the second major problem: peer pressure. Typically, college is a time for rebellion -- a time when many young adults leave the watchful eyes of their parents. These students give their anti-Christian professors an eager ear. These professors confirm what they've always suspected: that their parents know nothing and that conservative values are just the Church's way of ruining their lives.

Professors are in a position to ridicule students who disagree with them, and half the class class is ready to laugh along. A devout Christian in this atmosphere has a difficult time acquiring enough courage to be the sole voice of opposition, especially when Christians have been painted as close-minded, angry, barbaric, naive fools by the professor. Some even allow themselves to be peer-pressured into losing their faith.

Faith is not the only thing that's sacrificed to get along with the Christian student's liberal peers and professorate, however; politics fall into this category as well. “I would love to see more college students step forward and debate their Republican beliefs," Jones says. "However, I'm not sure that they would be up to the task."

The same can be said for Christians who stand up to debate their faith with an atheist professor, she adds. "A student may know how to initially argue his case, but he needs to know as much as the professor to come out even," Jones adds. "And he needs to know more than the professor in order to win -- unless, of course, the professor doesn't know how to debate.”

In an intellectual confrontation, information alone is not enough. Age and maturity of reason come into play -- something not many 19- to 22-year-olds possess to successfully make their case. To stand up and argue against the majority and authority is commendable. To argue and win is applaudable. But to argue and lose is shameful because it reinforces the validity of the opponent's position. If a Christian or Republican has what it takes to win an argument with a professor in the classroom, then he or she should by all means stand up for those beliefs.

Jones suggests that a more practical, effective way to confront the professor is to form clubs and discussion groups. This way, counter-arguments to points given in class can be discussed and argued with one's peers without the chance of the professor abusing his or her authority to intimidate students who disagree. It also puts those debating the issues on a level playing field as far as as age and maturity are concerned.

Passantino never advocates partisan politics mixed with Christian commitment; instead, she tells Christians to focus on issues, ideas, character, values and facts. "If those happen to line up 'Christian' or 'Republican,' it's the person you're talking with who will make the connection, not the Christian," she says. "That way, the person must argue with himself instead of with the Christian."

The best way to effectively share your faith or political persuasion with a person in position of authority who has more experience and education is to ask questions rather than attempt to "teach." Demonstrate through excellence of character, behavior and scholastic excellence that you're a person whose faith makes you exemplary in all ways and that you "walk what you talk” in your life. If a professor knows you to be a student who's trustworthy, excels in his or her work and can truly stand up for their faith, there's more of a chance you'll be respected for retaining your beliefs.

3. They lack experience in making good choices without parental supervision. The third biggest problem Christians face is the desire to give in to temptations they didn't previously. A student might not believe his professor's statement concerning Christ's historicity, and he might not be easily influenced by his peers, but he could conveniently lose faith in God to make getting drunk and having sex a guilt-free experience.

Passantino stresses that some Christian teens can't resist the temptations a secular college offers. In these cases, she says, they should attend a school near enough to home to keep safe.

"The best principle is to keep yourself as far away from strong temptation as possible," Passantino explains. "That means, for example, not even dating a non-Christian so that you're never faced with choosing between the one you love and your Savior. Or it might mean not staying in the room where drugs are being used so you're never faced with resisting strong peer pressure."

Maintaining the belief that there is right and wrong -- and that there is a God who's aware of all of our thoughts and actions -- is Jones’ recipe for avoiding the temptation of dorm life. These aren't easy beliefs to maintain in an academic structure that does everything it can to tell its students there's no right or wrong and that a higher consciousness is a figment of their imagination.

Being a Christian in an academically secular setting can be a tough road to travel. However, if you stand strong in your faith, excel in your studies and respectfully serve up your case for Christ in academic career, class and conversation, you might be surprised and find that secular colleges -- while undeniably liberal -- are often willing to make room for your Christian views.