All the Answers
Adelphia FAQ
Absolutely nothing! Because each student has a work internship with Lake Retreat Camp during their time at Adelphia, the entire cost of tuition, room & board, and books is completely covered by the internship. A $100 fully refundable room damage deposit will be collected during enrollment, but assuming there is no damage it will be returned at the end of the year. We recommend each student have a little money saved up for toiletries, snacks, clothes or other discretionary spending.
An applicant must be 18 by the day school begins to be eligible to attend. Those who will not reach their 18th birthday by the 1st day of school may still attend, by a parental waiver. This is assessed on a case-by-case basis. The majority of students are young adults between 18 and 26.
Students must profess Jesus Christ as their personal Savior and be pursuing a life that is honoring to Christ. Students must not be in opposition to our Statement of Faith. Although we have an affiliation with Converge Northwest no church or denominational affiliation is required for admission. Applicants with a criminal background or who have a history of sexual misconduct will not be admitted to the school due to our close proximity to Lake Retreat Camp, which hosts minors on campus.
HS graduation or GED is strongly recommended. Students who haven't achieved HS grad equivalency but desire admission are encouraged to discuss their situation with the admissions team.
We are very happy to have home-educated students attend Adelphia. Students must be 18 by the day school begins.
Adelphia limits the class to 20 students per year, so applicants are encouraged to apply as early as possible. If space is available, applications are accepted up to two weeks prior to the start of a term.
Applications are available and must be submitted online. Go to SUBMIT APPLICATION. Student applications are kept strictly confidential. Once your application is received you will be contacted for some additional information. A health form, proof of age (must be 18 at the date of the first class) and proof of insurance will be required for the enrollment paperwork.
After the registrar has received your completed application materials, you will be contacted regarding your acceptance into Adelphia. We evaluate each application for signs that the applicant meets the admission requirements, shows a readiness to attend, and will both benefit from and find success in our program. You should receive an email within 3 weeks of application. Once accepted, a refundable dorm damage deposit of $100 will reserve your place within our student body.
Occasionally, there may be a waiting list as our class is limited to 20 students. Those accepted after the class is full will be placed on a waiting list in the order of their acceptance. Should an opening occur, the next person on the waiting list would be given opportunity to pay the deposit and secure that spot.
Adelphia Discipleship School operates under the Converge Northwest Statement of Faith.
Our work internship is 11 months long, so we encourage students to assess what their personal monthly needs will be for the year, and plan accordingly beforehand. Along with necessities, you should also budget for social outings and events with fellow students, which is usually around 50$ per month. Throughout the year there will be impromptu paid work opportunities/needs outside of regularly scheduled intern hours for students who are willing to volunteer for and make some spending money.
Because of the nature of the work internships, students will be unable to hold full-time off-campus jobs, and Adelphia will not adjust to accommodate off campus work schedules. If you wish to pick up part-time work (ubereats, neighborhood side jobs, etc..), you are welcome to use your free time to do so.
Students at Adelphia are required to provide their own medical insurance.
Students attend class around 16 hours a week. Monday’s class is taught by the program director. Guest teachers teach on Wednesday – Friday.
We recognize that students learn and process concepts at different speeds. Most students can expect to complete course reading for the week in 1-2 hours and course projects for the week in 1-2 hours. So that's 2-4 hours of "homework" each week.
Guest teachers (Wednesday - Friday) will assign minimal homework and students will complete a reflection paper at the end of the week.
For more information on classes provided, click HERE.
Every day varies in our weekly schedule. Listed below is what a typical week will look like:
Monday:
- Resident teacher class (morning)
- Campus team clean (afternoon)
- Family group dinner (evening)
Tuesday:
- All student & staff chapel (morning)
- Dorm meetings (morning)
- Possible work day or free afternoon depending on work schedule.
Wednesday:
- Visit guest teacher's church (morning-afternoon)
- Bi-weekly student event (evening)
Thursday:
- Guest teacher class (morning)
- Service/outreach (evenings- depending on what service team you are a part of that week, you may have a free evening.)
Friday:
- Guest teacher class (morning)
- Possible work day or free afternoon depending on work schedule.
Saturday-Sunday
- Work will be scheduled during most weekends, but students will always have one full weekend-day off every week.
Our teaching staff includes Christian pastors, professors, and professionals, representing a wide span of experience and expertise in a variety of ministry, academic, and workplace settings. Students will benefit from a breadth of knowledge and a variety of teaching styles.
Almost every Lake Retreat staff member is involved in daily discipleship training through our work internship program, and will be working side by side with students.
We follow Paul’s teachings to the Corinthians, that we may be free in Christ but err on the side of grace in order to keep others from stumbling. Students who experience a moral failure while at school are subject to the correction and discipline of the Adelphia leadership. All discipline and correction is aimed at bringing about repentance and not just behavioral modification. Specific discipline guidelines are provided for students in the school handbook.
Students are expected to maintain a clean and professional appearance, especially during work shift. Below are some important dress code standards to note before you arrive:
- Shoes or sandals are required for safety and hygiene reasons. Closed-toed shoes are required when working in the kitchen, and maintenance.
- Shirts are required. Please wear a clean (good-smelling and wrinkle-free) staff shirt to your shifts.
- During work shifts: no sweatpants, pajama pants, yoga pants, or leggings.
- For swimming: no speedos, bikinis, or midriff-baring swimsuits.
- Refrain from wearing any of the following:
- Skin-tight clothing (including yoga pants with the bottom uncovered)
- Shirts with low or revealing necklines
- Inappropriate messages or pictures
- Shorts or skirts that do not reach finger length when standing upright.
- Clothing that would reveal bare midriffs
All meals are included in the tuition. Our food service department attempts to plan and prepare tasty, balanced and nutritious meals, served buffet style. Fridges and food storage are also provided in the student cafeteria for students to use, and are available at all times.
Depending on the extent of the dietary requirements, we may be able to accommodate the student’s needs. Based on our consultation and review of a student's needs, Adelphia will come up with a plan that works for both the student and the school. We will try to provide a wide variety of food options, however, if the dietary need is complex, a student may be asked to provide their own food alternative/substitute. Efforts will be made to provide pantry, refrigerator and microwave space for the student to prepare his or her own food. In certain circumstances, additional charges may be warranted. Due to practical limitations, catering to a students dietary PREFERENCES will be assessed differently than dietary NEEDS as necessitated by a physician.
All housing is on-site in a dorm setting. Students will be assigned to rooms with 1 other roommate. Every room is equipped with wardrobes, private bathrooms and heating and air conditioning units.
Students may stay in dorm rooms during the school year, as long as they are a student in good standing. Students are welcome to remain in dorms during scheduled breaks, although meals cannot be guaranteed if they are not specifically scheduled to work.
Students must supply their own twin size sheets, blankets, comforter, pillow and towels.
There are free laundry facilities near the dorms, which are available on a first-come, first-served basis. You must provide your own soap.
Storage space is limited. Students will be provided with a space for storage and clothing.
Wireless Internet access is available for student use in the classroom, Library and Fireside Café, but not in the dorms.
Students may bring personal laptops for use outside of the classroom, and they can be used to write out weekly homework if you do not wish to write it out by hand, but they are not required.
Adelphia Discipleship School is located on the Lake Retreat Camp & Conference Center campus, near Maple Valley in Ravensdale, Washington. The Adelphia campus is located on 50 acres with 900+ feet of picturesque lakefront property. Students will find the facilities comfortable and inviting. Lake Retreat Camp & Conference Center was established in 1946 by Converge Northwest (formerly Columbia Baptist Conference). For more information about Lake Retreat Camp & Conference Center, visit www.lakeretreat.org. Phone: 425.432.4293. For more information about Converge Northwest, visit: www.convergenw.org.
We require that all students live on campus. For exceptions on married housing, please email us at info@adelphiaschool.com
Married student housing may be available on a limited basis. Consideration will be given on a case-by-case basis. Please contact the Registrar for more information.
The Bible makes it clear that being a disciple of Jesus means loving and serving His Bride, the Church, which is one of our core values at Adelphia. Therefore regular church attendance is non-negotiable in the life of the believer. There are several churches close to campus, with a wide variety of denominations represented. More information on local church options, locations, etc. will be provided at orientation.
Yes. Students benefit from regular ministry participation on Thursday afternoons. Service opportunities fluctuate year to year depending on the number of students and felt needs of the community and churches.
Yes. At Adelphia, we emphasize community. We encourage students to spend time together relaxing, eating, and recreating together. Time when students are not in class is spent in personal study and recreational opportunities. More information about the weekly schedule is listed in the FAQ's above.
Students have weekends free from class, but often will have work internship responsibilities on one weekend day per week. Meals are available throughout the weekend.
The Adelphia campus is located on 900+ feet of picturesque lakefront property. We are just 40 minutes from Seattle and 45 minutes from two major ski resorts. Students may ski, snowboard, canoe, fish, visit Pike Place Market or participate in an inner city ministry, all less than an hour away.
Adelphia has a large closed-in recreation area for basketball, volleyball and other indoor games, and is located 1 mile away from a large park with baseball and soccer fields.
Yes. Students may leave campus overnight on weekends, for non-scheduled school events, but they must sign out prior to their departure. Students are expected to be on campus during all class and school related functions and throughout the school week unless permission is granted for a reasonable exception.
The mailing address is:
Attention: Student Name
Adelphia
27850 Retreat-Kanaskat Rd. SE
Ravensdale, WA 98051
Students are required to keep their room and common areas clean. All students will be assigned a daily meal duty to help the community of Adelphia run efficiently.
Students are welcome to remain in dorms during all breaks, although meals cannot be guaranteed if they are not specifically scheduled to work.
Yes, students may have vehicles at Adelphia. Student vehicles must be registered with the school office.
There is one-stop shopping approximately 4 miles from Lake Retreat Camp & Conference Center. Additionally, students will find coffee, pharmacy and banking in this area. Additional shopping is available in Covington, Issaquah and Enumclaw, all a 20-30 minute drive from Lake Retreat. The closest shopping mall is in Auburn, a 30-minute drive.
An urgent care facility and pharmacy are located approximately 4 miles from the Adelphia campus. Major medical care is available within a 20 minute drive. For emergencies, Lake Retreat receives excellent 911 services.
Lake Retreat receives coverage from most major cell providers.