Baylor University is a private institution that was founded in 1845. It has a total undergraduate enrollment of 12,918, its setting is urban, and the campus size is 1,000 acres. It utilizes a semester-based academic calendar. Baylor University's ranking in the 2014 edition of Best Colleges is National Universities, 75. Its tuition and fees are $35,972 (2013-14).
The student community at Baylor University is bound together largely by religion and service. The Waco, Texas, school is a private, Baptist institution, and its student body is particularly active in volunteerism. Each semester, students donate a collective 12,000 hours of time to service projects. Students can volunteer year round through the school’s Urban Missions, which coordinates service projects in the local community, and Global Missions, which sends students abroad. The student body is also active in faith-based activities. Each year, students lead Be The Change, a week of speakers and break-out sessions and events that give religion a global focus. Freshmen are required to live on campus and must also take a semester of Chapel, attending worship services every Monday and Wednesday. Students and faculty gather daily for a campus prayer at noon, and weekly for free ice cream floats during “Dr. Pepper Hour.” Students can also get involved in more than 250 student organizations on campus. There are about 40 fraternities and sororities, and the organizations compete in their own intramural sports leagues. Baylor is the only private school in the NCAA Division I Big 12 Conference, but the sports teams, known as the Baylor Bears, stay competitive—especially in football. The school mascot, not surprisingly, is a bear. Baylor University also has its own holiday, Diadeloso, a day when classes are cancelled so students can participate in athletics tournaments, attend free concerts, and relax at a block party. Waco, which is 100 miles from Dallas and Austin, is a small city with outdoor recreation opportunities like hiking and mountain biking.
Baylor University faculty and students are active in research. The university partners with the city of Waco in some of its research initiatives, including the Center for Reservoir and Aquatic Systems Research and the Waco Mammoth Site. For those who want to write about events on and off campus, the school newspaper, the Baylor Lariat, hires a small staff of student writers on a yearly basis. Famous Baylor University graduates include Angela Kinsey, an actress who portrays the character Angela on The Office, comedian and ventriloquist Jeff Dunham, and Mark Hurd, former CEO of Hewlett-Packard.
| School mission and unique qualities (as provided by the school): | |
The mission of Baylor University is to educate men and women for worldwide leadership and service by integrating academic excellence and Christian commitment...
Read More |
General Information
| School type | private, coed college |
| Year founded | 1845 |
| Religious affiliation | Baptist |
| Academic calendar | semester |
| Setting | city |
| 2012 Endowment | $964,161,044 |
Applying
When applying to Baylor University, it's important to note the application deadline is rolling, and the early action deadline is November 1. Scores for either the ACT or SAT test are due February 1. The application fee at Baylor University is $50. It is more selective, with an acceptance rate of 60.7 percent.
For more information about the tests, essays, interviews, and admissions process, visit the Applying to College knowledge center.
| Selectivity | more selective |
| Fall 2012 acceptance rate | 60.7% |
| Application deadline | rolling |
| SAT/ACT scores must be received by | February 1 |
Academic Life
The student-faculty ratio at Baylor University is 15:1, and the school has 47.6 percent of its classes with fewer than 20 students. The most popular majors at Baylor University include: Biology/Biological Sciences, General; Registered Nursing/Registered Nurse; Psychology, General; Accounting; and Finance, General. The average freshman retention rate, an indicator of student satisfaction, is 84.5 percent.
Student Life
Baylor University has a total undergraduate enrollment of 12,918, with a gender distribution of 41.3 percent male students and 58.7 percent female students. At this school, 39 percent of the students live in college-owned, -operated, or -affiliated housing and 61 percent of students live off campus. Baylor University is part of the NCAA I athletic conference.
| Total enrollment | 15,364 |
| Student gender distribution | |
| Undergraduate men who are members of a fraternity | N/A |
| Undergraduate women who are members of a sorority | N/A |
| Collegiate athletic association | NCAA I |
Campus Info & Services
Baylor University offers a number of student services including nonremedial tutoring, health service, and health insurance. Baylor University also offers campus safety and security services like 24-hour foot and vehicle patrols, late night transport/escort service, 24-hour emergency telephones, lighted pathways/sidewalks, and controlled dormitory access (key, security card, etc). Alcohol is not permitted for students of legal age at Baylor University.
| Students who have cars on campus | N/A |
| Health insurance offered | Yes |
Paying for School
At Baylor University, 58 percent of full-time undergraduates receive some kind of need-based financial aid and the average need-based scholarship or grant award is $18,172.
Paying for college doesn't have to be difficult or devastating. Go to the Paying for College knowledge center to get advice on raising cash and reducing costs.
| Tuition and fees | $35,972 (2013-14) |
| Room and board | $11,606 (2013-14) |
| Financial aid statistics | |
* Overview details based on 2012 data
