Admission Services
Baylor University
One Bear Place
Waco, TX 76798-7056
254-710-3435
800-BAYLOR-U
COSTS:
Tuition:
$24,050
Room and Board:
$7,800
Fees, books, misc.:
$1,200
Waco, Texas
Overview
Baylor University was chartered by the Republic of Texas in 1845 and is the state's oldest institution of higher education in continuous operation. Baylor, affiliated with the Baptist General Convention of Texas, is an academically rigorous university that is based solidly on Christian values and is a renowned teaching university with an ambitious and growing research agenda. Students come to Baylor from all fifty states and more than seventy countries. Baylor has 11,580 undergraduates and a total of 13,799 men and women in attendance.
Campus Living and Learning provides on-campus housing in more than ten single-gender residential communities that enable students to live and learn together in supportive environments that address the academic, spiritual, and personal needs of each student. The North Village Residential Community, which incorporates the Engineering and Computer Science Living-Learning Center, opened in fall 2004. Housing options are detailed at http://www.baylor.edu/housing. All freshmen are required to live on campus. Housing applications are not accepted prior to admission to the University. Priority for housing is based on the date the housing application is received in the Campus Living and Learning Office. For late applicants, priority is based on the date the housing deposit is received.
In addition to the undergraduate degree programs, Baylor offers seventy-five master’s and twenty-one doctoral degree programs. The Baylor School of Law offers the Juris Doctor degree. Graduate work is offered through the Graduate School with the College of Arts and Sciences; Hankamer School of Business; the Schools of Education, Engineering and Computer Science, Music, and Social Work; in the Louise Herrington School of Nursing at Dallas; and in the U.S. Army Academy of Health Sciences at San Antonio. The George W. Truett Theological Seminary offers the Master of Divinity and Doctor of Ministry degrees.
Location and Community
Baylor’s 735-acre campus is adjacent to the Brazos River in Waco (area population 213,000), which is halfway between Austin and Dallas/Fort Worth on I-35 and near the geographic center of Texas. Houston, San Antonio, and the Gulf Coast of Texas also are within easy driving distance. Among Waco’s recreational options are the amazing natural green space in Cameron Park and Lake Waco, along with hiking and biking trails and a revitalized warehouse district featuring restaurants and specialty shops.
Academic Life
Baylor, a Phi Beta Kappa university, operates on a two-semester academic year plus two 6-week summer sessions. In the first two years, students select courses that provide a broadly based liberal arts education. All students who are admitted to Baylor University as freshmen enter the College of Arts and Sciences, the School of Music, or a preprofessional program in the Hankamer School of Business, the School of Education, School of Engineering and Computer Science, or the Louise Herrington School of Nursing. Students pursuing degrees in one of the other professional schools may apply for admission to a specific degree program during the second year. Those students admitted to the University who intend to major in music should also qualify for admission to the School of Music at the time they enter the University in order to avoid undue delay in the completion of their degree program. Many of Baylor's students enter with credit hours earned through credit by examination. A number of these superior students elect to join the Honors College, which includes the Baylor Interdisciplinary Core (a set of comprehensive and cohesive interdisciplinary courses that are organized around world cultures, the natural world, and the social world), the Honors Program, University Scholars, and Great Texts.
Baylor's faculty numbers 770, and 90 percent hold the highest degree offered in their fields. Ninety-two percent of all classes are taught by faculty members. Most faculty members are actively engaged in research, several hold special chairs in their respective fields, and all are dedicated to challenging and teaching students. All faculty members work with undergraduates and serve as academic advisers to the students. The student-faculty ratio is 16:1, and a typical class numbers 29 students.
Students may enroll in summer study-abroad programs in Cuba, Cyprus, Egypt, England, France, Germany, Greece, Israel, Italy, Scotland, Spain, Switzerland, Thailand, Turkey, and Wales. One-year exchange programs are available with universities in Argentina, Australia, Azerbaijan, Canada, China, England, Finland, France, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Japan, Korea, Mexico, the Netherlands, Slovakia, South Africa, Thailand, and Uzbekistan.
Majors Offered:
Baylor University's undergraduate programs are available in the College of Arts and Sciences; Hankamer School of Business; Louise Herrington School of Nursing; the Schools of Education, Engineering and Computer Science, Music, and Social Work; and in the Honors College. There are 147 baccalaureate degree programs.
The College of Arts and Sciences, Hankamer School of Business, Honors College, and the Schools of Education and Social Work offer departmental and intra-university programs leading to the Bachelor of Arts (B.A.), Bachelor of Science (B.S.), Bachelor of Science in Aviation Sciences (B.S.A.S.), Bachelor of Science in Education (B.S.Ed.), Bachelor of Science in Family and Consumer Sciences (B.S.F.C.S.), Bachelor of Fine Arts (B.F.A.), or Bachelor of Business Administration (B.B.A.) degrees. Undergraduate majors in these schools and colleges include accounting; administrative information systems; American studies; anthropology; applied mathematics; archaeology; architecture (with Washington University); art; art history; Asian studies; aviation sciences; basic business; biblical and related languages; biochemistry; biology; business administration; business–broadcasting; business–journalism; chemistry; child and family studies; classics; communication sciences and disorders; communication specialist studies; computer information systems; computer science; dentistry (combination program with an accredited dental school); design; earth sciences; economics; elementary education; English; entrepreneurship; environmental studies; fashion design; fashion merchandising; finance; financial services/planning; foreign service; forensic science; forestry (final year at Duke University); French; general family and consumer science; general studies in health, human performance, and recreation; geography; geology; geophysics; German; great texts; Greek; health; health/fitness studies; health science studies; history; human resources management; information systems; insurance; interdisciplinary studies; interior design; international business; international studies; journalism; Latin; Latin American studies; language and linguistics; law; life–earth science; management; marketing; mathematics; medical technology and biology; medicine (combination program with an accredited medical school); museum studies; music; neuroscience; nutrition sciences, operations management; optometry (combination program with an accredited optometry school); performance; philosophy; physical education; physical science; physics; political science; professional selling; professional writing; psychology; public administration; real estate; recreation; regional/urban studies; religion; risk management and insurance; Russian (9 hours required with another Russian program); science; secondary education; Slavic studies; social studies; social work; sociology; Spanish; special education; speech and language therapy; speech communication; sports sponsorship and sales; studio art; telecommunication; theater arts; and university scholars. In addition, programs are available in predentistry, pre–dental hygiene, premedicine, pre–occupational therapy, pre-optometry, pre–physical therapy, prepharmacy, and pre–veterinary medicine.
The School of Engineering and Computer Science offers programs of study leading to the Bachelor of Science in Engineering (B.S.E.), Bachelor of Science in Electrical and Computer Engineering (B.S.E.C.E.), and Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering (B.S.M.E.) degrees with majors in electrical and computer engineering, engineering, and mechanical engineering. The school also offers programs of study leading to the Bachelor of Science in Computer Science (B.S.C.S.) and the Bachelor of Science in Informatics (B.S.I.).
The School of Music offers programs of study leading to the Bachelor of Music (B.M.) degree in applied music, church music, composition, history and literature, pedagogy, and theory. The Bachelor of Music Education (B.M.E.) degree is designed for prospective teachers in public schools and offers concentrations in choral and instrumental instruction.
The Louise Herrington School of Nursing combines a liberal arts curriculum and professional preparation in a four-year program leading to the Bachelor of Science in Nursing (B.S.N.) degree. Nursing majors complete their first two years on the Waco campus and then move to Dallas for two years in the professional component of the curriculum.
Facilities and Resources
Three major construction projects were recently completed, showcasing the University’s ongoing commitment to improve student life in the classroom and on campus. The three wings of the $103-million Baylor Sciences Building offer 500,000 square feet of multidisciplinary state-of-the-art classrooms, departmental and faculty offices, labs, and research centers. Serving Baylor students and the Waco community, the $23-million Harry and Anna Jeanes Discovery Center houses the museum studies department and the centerpiece of the Mayborn Museum Complex, which includes the Governor Bill and Vara Daniel Historic Village and the Waco Mammoth Site. The $33-million North Village Residential Community provides apartment-style options on campus in three “houses,” with a community center as well as classrooms, in-residence faculty members, and special courses for student members of the Engineering and Computer Science Living-Learning Center. These facilities are only three examples of the buildings and centers across the Baylor campus that underscore the tremendous resources available to enhance students' practical and academic experiences. These resources include the central libraries, special libraries, and resource centers that provide traditional texts (more than 2.1 million bound volumes and 2.6 million microforms and government documents); high-tech resources, such as laptops for checkout and electronic resources; and study inducements, such as Java City, a café within Moody Library. Intel Corporation named Baylor as one of the nation’s “most unwired” universities, with AirBear wireless access available almost anywhere on campus.
Campus Life
More than 300 social, service, professional, religious, and honorary student organizations, including national fraternities and sororities, provide opportunities for recreation, the development of social skills, spiritual and intellectual stimulation, and the pursuit of individual interests. Cultural events on campus include numerous concerts, symposia, and lectures as well as theater and opera.
Baylor University Student Government, whose members are elected by popular vote, is a vital and influential force in campus activities. With more than 300 active student organizations, numerous traditional events, special involvement programs, entertainment programs, and leadership laboratories, there are plenty of opportunities for students to get involved in campus life.
Diversity
The Department of Multicultural Activities is an integral part of the services that the University and the Division of Student Life provides to our students. The mission of the Department for Multicultural Activities is to enhance and facilitate the holistic development of each student by encouraging them to celebrate their personal heritage while challenging them to embrace the cultures of others though educational programs, resources and experiences offered to the entire student body, faculty, staff and community.
International Students
International students bring an important dimension to the cultural life of Baylor University. International students study at Baylor as either a degree seeking student or as a non-degree seeking student. The application process differs depending upon which category you fall under. Learn more...
Sports / Varsity Athletics
Baylor, the only private university in the Big 12 Conference, competes in seventeen NCAA sports for men and women. Beyond varsity sports, the University offers an extensive program of intramural and club sports. The McLane Student Life Center, a comprehensive fitness facility, offers a 52-foot freestanding climbing “rock;” volleyball, racquetball, and basketball courts; an indoor track; weight and cardio training; and swimming along with the recreational sports program headquarters and health and wellness clinics. The Baylor Marina has canoes, kayaks, and Sunfish sailboats for use on the Brazos River.
Expenses
The estimated direct total cost is $33,655. Tuition is $24,050 (flat tuition rate for 12 hours or more), residence hall rooms are $3346, board (sixteen meals per week) is $3139, and required fees are $2120. The total figure does not include the cost of books, travel, or personal expenditures. Books and supplies are estimated at $1382 per year. Travel costs and personal expenditures vary with the individual. Costs are subject to change.
Financial Aid / Scholarships
Four basic forms of financial aid are available and are based on merit (as shown by achievement, National Merit status, and SAT or ACT scores) and need (as determined by the FAFSA). These programs include scholarships, grants, loans, and on-campus jobs. About 75 percent of the students receive assistance. Students are considered for scholarships by virtue of the application for admission. Students may obtain a FAFSA from their high school counselor or local college or university.
Admission Requirements / Application
Eligibility for consideration for admission to Baylor is established by competitive high school performance and by competitive scores on either the ACT or SAT. In connection with these admission criteria, Baylor students as a group demonstrate well above average academic achievement and potential. Other applicants who do not qualify for priority admission may be considered for admission at the discretion of the Admissions Committee. Such admission may require attendance in summer school and entrance with special requirements. Required high school units are English, 4; college-preparatory mathematics, 3; laboratory science, 2; foreign language, 2; and social science, 2 (1 in history). Prospective freshmen should take the SAT or ACT examination no later than the second semester of their junior year in high school and have the results sent to Baylor by the testing company. Freshman applications can be made as early as the end of the junior year or early in the senior year.
Students who wish to transfer to Baylor and who have completed at least 30 semester hours must present official transcripts from each college attended verifying a minimum overall grade point average of 2.5 (on a 4.0 scale) and must be eligible to return to the last school attended. Transfer students who seek admission with fewer than 30 semester hours must meet all the admission requirements for beginning freshmen. In addition, all transfer students must meet the same minimum course requirements for admission that are required for beginning freshmen. A student may present a high school transcript or a college transcript to verify that the course requirements have been fulfilled. Transfer students should plan to apply no later than the end of their sophomore year in order to meet the Baylor residence requirement of 60 semester hours.
Baylor offers admission to a limited number of superior high school students who have completed their junior year through an Advanced Studies/Early Admission Program. Applicants must rank in the top 10 percent of their class, score at least 1300 on the SAT or 30 on the ACT, and have recommendations from both the high school counselor and principal. Interviews and campus visits are recommended.
Notifications of acceptance are based on a review of an applicant's complete file and begin by mid-September on a rolling admission basis. The complete file includes a general application for admission with a $50 application fee (the online application is free), an official high school transcript giving the applicant's rank in class, and official scores on the SAT or ACT. To receive early consideration for admission, students are urged to apply in September, when the process begins.
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