College Highlight

Baylor university

Baylor University offers students a solid Christian-influenced education at a bargain price. The university's Baptist tradition fosters a strong sense of community among students and faculty, and the school's vision plan promises a slew of strategic changes, such as lowering the student/teacher ratio and building new residence halls while renovating old ones. The university is investing in resources to become a top-tier research university while enhancing its Christian identity. "Baylor's commitment to academic excellence and an incredible alumni network ensures a great education and a chance to get a job," says a junior.

The 1,000-acre Baylor campus, sometimes called Jerusalem on the Brazos, abuts the historic Brazos River near downtown Waco, Texas (population 130,000). The architectural style emphasizes the gracious tradition of the Old South, and the central part of campus, the quadrangle, was built when Baylor moved from Independence, Texas, in 1886. The campus has been witness to a number of renovations and new construction, including the Foster Campus for Business and Innovation and an athletic nutrition center.

Of Baylor's more than 140 undergraduate degrees, some of the most popular include biology, nursing, finance, accounting, and marketing. Computer science, engineering, and communication sciences and disorders are well regarded. More unusual options include institutes focusing on environmental studies and childhood learning disorders, and a major and minor in Great Texts, an interdisciplinary program exploring "the richness and diversity of the Western intellectual heritage."

"The students at Baylor tend to be kind, involved, and driven," says a finance and economics major. "They differ from some of our closest rivals mainly because of the spiritual influence that many students tend to have and seek out." Seventy-one percent of undergraduates are Texans and 4 percent are international. The university has launched several initiatives to increase and support diversity on campus, including cultural competence training for students, faculty, and staff. Students vie for numerous academic scholarships, averaging $13,976, and 369 athletic scholarships in 19 varsity sports. 
As might be expected on such a conservative, religious campus, dorms are single sex and have restrictive visitation privileges, which is a complaint among many of the 35 percent of students who call them home. Upperclassmen look off campus for cheaper housing with private rooms and fewer rules, but there is a push for more students to stay on campus with the construction of three new residence halls with apartment-style rooms. Students say they feel safe, provided they stay on campus.

Highlights of Baylor's social calendar include the weekly Dr Pepper Hour with free soda floats and Dia del Oso (Day of the Bear), when classes are canceled for a day in April in favor of a campuswide celebration. Christmas on 5th Street, organized by Student Life, gives students an opportunity to enjoy the annual Christmas tree lighting, concert, and other holiday festivities. The school also has the largest collegiate homecoming parade in the nation.

"Baylor is a Baptist institution that has been 100 percent commissioned to do God's work in education," states one student. As the university works to repair its reputation after its Title IX difficulties and elevate its research status, students looking to focus on strong academics, community involvement, and discovering their vocational calling may find a good fit here.