Apex School of Theology is a school to explore if you are interested in theology and want to earn an affordable degree on campus or online.
Apex School of Theology (ASOT) is a Christian Institute in North Carolina that offers Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in theology, as well as Bible and Christian-related studies.
Apex School of Theology has national accreditation in addition to offering low tuition and subsidies to students.
The institution was formed as a Christian institute in the Triangle of Research in North Carolina by the pastor of Apex First Baptist Church to provide ministry to clergy and community leaders.
Apex School of Theology provides four master’s degrees as well as a bachelor’s degree in theology. Theology, Christian counseling, Bible counseling, and Christian education are among the Master’s degrees available. In addition, ASOT’s Distance Education program offers a bachelor’s degree and three online master’s degrees.
About Apex School of Theology
This Christian school began as the Apex School of Religion in 1995, but changed its name to the Apex Theological Seminary not long after (ASOT). Pastor Dr. Joseph Perkins, who is also a pastor, founded the school at the historic Apex Baptist Church in Apex, North Carolina.
However, the school expanded and in 2002 relocated to 5104 River Road in Durham, North Carolina. In 2016, it relocated to 2945 South Miami Boulevard, Suite 114, Durham, NC, in the center of Research Triangle Park.
Apex earned accreditation from the National Association of Christian Colleges and Schools (TRACS) over time, allowing it to provide courses both on site and online. In order to work as a Christian professional, you’ll need a Master of Arts in Christian Counseling and a Ph.D. from ASOT. Meanwhile, Apex Theological Seminary is one of the few private and independent theological colleges that offers online courses.
You can earn your theological degree entirely online with ApexDE, ASOT’s Distance Education. The curriculum allows you to study at your own pace, giving you some flexibility. You’ll also be able to achieve the same levels of knowledge and competencies as on-campus students with the ApexDE.
The school’s principles are ingrained in the hearts of the majority of ASOT’s personnel and instructors. This is due to the fact that they have been with the school from its inception. Furthermore, these professors hold a master’s or terminal degree from an approved university. They give kids with a high-quality education.
Apex School of Theology students, on the other hand, serve in a variety of ways in the church community. Formal education in Apex can assist you in honing your abilities and/or learning new ones.
What You Should Know
In addition to the brief overview, you should also know the following before reading further:
- Apex School of Theology is a Private, Not-for-Profit Educational Institution
- Like other institutions that offer university degrees, it takes four (4) years to complete a Bachelor’s program at ASOT.
- The school’s campus is located in the city scenes of Durham, North Carolina.
- Also, the college operates on a rolling admission basis, which means that it accepts applications at any time of the year.
- Furthermore, 69 percent of Apex School of Theology’s students are In-State students.
Apex School of Theology Programs
ASOT is a theological school, hence it doesn’t have a lot of options. It has eight (8) different programs to choose from. Some of these programs are available both online and on-campus.
The programs that the Apex School of Theology offer both on-campus and online include:
- Associate Degree in Christian Education
- Bachelor of Theology
- Master of Christian Education
- Christian Counseling (Master of Art)
- Master of Divinity, and
- Doctor of Ministry Degrees.
In addition to this, there are Masters of Art in Biblical Counseling and Continuing Education. After receiving clearance, ASOT began its Doctor of Ministry Program in January 2008. As a result, you can study this curriculum with confidence to improve your Christian ministry skills as a practicing clergyperson.
Apex School of Theology Accreditation
We can’t stress enough how important it is to examine a school’s accreditation status before applying for admission. College accreditation is a measure of a school’s educational excellence. It also has an impact on your employability in the long run.
In this regard, the National Association of Christian Colleges and Schools has accredited Apex School of Theology in Durham, North Carolina (TRACS).
TRACS is recognized by the US Department of Education (USDE) and the Higher Education Accreditation Board (CHEA). TRACS is recognized by the Network of Quality Assurance Agencies in Higher Education (INQAAHE).
Apex School of Theology Admission
Although Apex does not have any overseas students, its pupils come from a variety of Christian denominations. As priests, Christian teachers, teachers, pastors, and nursing home servants, they serve small, medium, and large congregations. Many of them are intelligent and brilliant adults who can put their Apex training to good use in expanding God’s kingdom on earth.
Over 900 students attend Apex, with over 500 of them being undergraduates. However, with 41 faculties, the institution has a 17:1 student-to-faculty ratio.
Also, the school has a race/ethnic distribution of 1.89% Hispanic/Latino students, 94.52% Black or African American, and 3.59% of White and Caucasian students.
Additionally, there are more females than males in the ASOT main campus, and getting admission to the college is moderately difficult.
Thus, to get admission into Apex School of Theology, you need to meet the following requirements:
- Apply for the university
- Pay up the application fee of $25 for the Undergraduate Program – ACE & BTH
- Settle the application fee of $35 for Graduate Program – MDIV, MCE, and MACC
- Pay up the application fee of $50 for the Doctor of Ministry Program
- Submit two letters of Reference
- Tender a written Spiritual Autobiography
- Submit High School Transcript or college transcript if applicable, and
- Complete the health form by your physician.
However, you should be aware that you can submit your application through the school’s website. Also, you should finish all papers at least two weeks before the new session begins. However, due to the great demand for the school’s programs, it may be necessary to apply soon.
Furthermore, the Admissions Committee will consider your application after it has been received.
School Website
Apex School of Theology Acceptance Rate
The acceptance rate at Apex School of Theology is 82 percent, which is a strong motivator to apply. The institution accepted 300 students out of 362 who applied during the previous academic session.
Apex School of Theology Tuition
This Christian college in the United States maintains tuition low for students seeking a Christian education from a recognized institution. The reason for this, though, is that the school believes the Christian community has greatly helped them. As a result, the school’s low tuition is its way of giving back to the community.
Below is the Apex School of Theology tuition for all levels of study:
- Associates & Bachelor’s Degrees – $600 per class | $200 per credit hour
- Masters Degrees – $700 per class | $233.33 per credit hour
- Doctor of Ministry – $4,300 per year
This Apex School of Theology tuition, on the other hand, is an estimate to help you budget for your time at ASOT. You’ll need to use the school’s Net Price Calculator to find out the actual Apex School of Theology tuition for your program..
Meanwhile, the Doctor of Ministry Program cost $12,900 and includes the following costs:
- $400 Graduation Fee
- $50 Application Fee, and
- $1000 Continuation Fee per Semester, which you pay each semester for writing an extension.
The Continuing Education Certificate Program (C.E.U) at Apex School of Theology costs $75 each course. Continuing Education Certificates, on the other hand, have a total of 20 C.E.U. Units. In addition, the cost of tuition at C.E.U covers books, supplies, and shipping..
Apex School of Theology Scholarships
The Apex School of Theology not only has a reasonable tuition rate, but they also provide a Financial Aid Office. This office’s mission at ASOT is to make high-quality Christian education accessible to all students.
There are presidential scholarships and interest-free payment plans for qualified students in addition to Pell government grants, federal loans, and veterans’ educational benefits.
ASOT Presidential Scholarship
The Presidential Scholarships at the Apex School of Theology are available to students starting school on the main campus in Fall 2022. However, for eligibility and other details, you’ll have to contact Dr. Reginald High via the email: rhigh@apexsot.edu
Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA)
Apart from the Presidential scholarship, the FAFSA is the next and most important financial aid package at Apex School of Theology. The institution participates in the FAFSA to provide financial aid to students pursuing an Associate, Bachelor, Master, or Doctorate degree.
This help is administered by the US Department of Education, and students with financial requirements should go to the FAFSA website to fill out an online application.
While applying, you’ll see a section requesting the entry of a six-digit federal school code for your preferred school. Ensure to enter the Apex School of Theology’s code – 035134.
You’ll get a Student Aid Report once you’ve finished filling out the FAFSA (SAR). To guarantee that your given information is complete and accurate, you must review the information you get.
The verification process for students is chosen at random by the Department of Education. When FAFSA picks you for verification, make sure to give all required documentation to your school (ASOT).
If FAFSA does not receive the essential documentation, you will not be awarded financial aid.
After you’ve successfully completed the financial aid process, you’ll be awarded financial help depending on your FAFSA eligibility.
It should be noted, however, that financial aid is not guaranteed. Each year, you must apply for financial aid and provide all essential information so that FAFSA can calculate your eligibility.
Completing Financial Aid with Virtual Financial Aid Office (VFAO)
The VFAO is ASOT’s online program that makes applying for certain forms of federal student aid simple. The advantage of using the Virtual Financial Aid Office is that it consolidates multiple aids into a single site.
You can log in to the Virtual Financial Aid Office using the link below:
VFAO LINK
To successfully use the VFAO platform, follow these steps:
First Step: Complete your FAFSA following the link below. Don’t fail to input the school’s code in your application. The code is 035134.
FAFSA LINK
Second Step: Complete your financial aid interview. To do this, create a Virtual Financial Aid Office (VFAO) account and log in. You can get the link to VFAO above.
Third Step: Communicate directly with ASOT’s Virtual Financial Aid Office for any requested requirements.
Fourth Step: You’ll receive an email from VFAO once you complete steps 1-3. The email will require you to log back into the VFAO and review your award letter.
Fifth Step: Complete your Master Promissory Note (MPN) if your Financial Aid package includes Federal Student Loans. You’ll also need to complete your Entrance Counseling by for the loan by clicking the link below.
STUDENT LOAN LINK
Apex School of Theology Lawsuit
Four Apex School of Theology students sued the school in 2014, accusing it of “misrepresentation, concealment, unfair, and misleading commercial practices in connection to the current and inferred state of its accreditation.”
Apex School of Theology only has TRACS accreditation, which isn’t the same as regional accreditation, which is required for professional licensing status.
The students said that they had attempted to apply for professional counselor and/or marriage and family therapist licenses but had been denied. They claimed that the Apex School of Theology and its president, Joseph E. Perkins, had hidden, suppressed, and destroyed evidence.
DeWayne Broadney, the lead plaintiff, sued ASOT for engaging in unfair and misleading business practices when marketing, distributing, delivering, and/or selling its MACC Program education product to them and other consumers in North Carolina and across the United States.
They demanded that the institution reimburse them for the thousands of dollars in tuition they had paid while hiding their educational and license status.
In Conclusion:
The Apex School of Theology’s lack of regional accreditation is still evident. Applying for a program in the hopes of acquiring a license is not a good idea. This does not affect the reality that ASOT produces pastors who are well-educated in the Christian faith. You should try ASOT if you are passionate about Christian ministry, regardless of your Christian affiliation. Apex School of Theology is a competent theology school with inexpensive tuition, an acceptance record of 82 percent, and the possibility of earning a theology degree entirely online.
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