Baylor University has a relatively low student population, meaning that the class sizes remain fairly small, with an average class size of 26 and a student to faculty ratio of 14:1. These smaller class sizes foster a more personal approach to learning so that the student’s education is tailored to them and their needs. 

Baylor ranked #47 for accounting, #66 in business programmes, #20 in undergraduate teaching and #22 in undergraduate research/creative projects (US News and World Report, 2020). 

There are 125 undergraduate, 75 master’s, and 42 doctoral programmes on offer here across its 9 colleges:

• College of Arts & Sciences
• Diana R. Garland School of Social Work
• Hankamer School of Business
• Honors College
• Louse Herrington School of Nursing
• Robbins College of Health and Human Sciences
• School of Education
• School of Engineering & Computer Sciences
• School of Music 

The campus of Baylor University is roughly 1,000 acres in size and provides a quaint backdrop for studying and general life on campus. This historic campus has seen academics pass through its halls for nearly two centuries, with many of the original buildings still in use today, such as the Pat Neff Hall. 

The libraries on campus are similarly steeped in history, with The Armstrong Browning Library which is dedicated to and even holds a museum of Robert and Elizabeth Barrett Browning, the iconic Victorian poets. The libraries hold a combined 2.5 million print materials and a further million e-resources. 

Being a Christian institution, there are plenty of chapels but also plenty of sports facilities with the Higher Athletic Complex, Rena Marrs Gymnasium, and Clyde Hart Track & Field Stadium amongst many more.

Baylor ranked 5th for entrepreneurship in the 2020 Princeton Review, and 8th in US News and World Report, 2020. The university can point towards its successful startup support and incubators 

One such incubator is the 1846 Business Incubator in which student entrepreneurs are encouraged to bring forward their ideas to create businesses that are progressive, sustainable, and, most importantly, successful. By working with early-stage ventures, students can learn a plethora of skills such as organising, planning, pitching, ideation, proposal-writing, and so much more. 

The Baylor New Venture Competition is hosted by the John F. Baugh Centre for Entrepreneurship and Free Enterprise and sees students compete with their business plans and elevator pitches for over $250,000 in cash prizes and other resources. Since its formation in 2012 there have been over 500 applicants worldwide, with two finalists being named on Forbes 30 Under 30 in 2021.

Faculty members at Baylor are always encouraging students to be a part of their research projects, enhancing the look of students’ CVs; as previously stated, Baylor ranked 27th nationally in undergraduate research/creative projects (US News and World Report, 2020) and shows the importance with which Baylor sees research opportunities. 

The reputation of the university’s research output is high and investment into the university’s research output is reflected in that The Baylor Research and Innovation Collaborative (BRIC) offers students more than 300,000 square feet of pure research space, allowing for varied and exciting projects for students to be a part of. 

‘Give Light’, a philanthropic campaign concerning the future of Baylor’s research, achieved endowments of $1.1 billion and this money can secure incredible endeavours in university research for many years to come.

CareerAhead is the university’s careers services designed for international students that aims to get students thinking about the next steps in their future in regards to employment. They help you create a personalised employment plan that will then inform what kinds of skills and experiences you’ll need to achieve those career goals. 

Volunteering and internships will help a student gain the relevant experience that employers are looking for and Baylor students have good opportunities in Texas where industry is strong, with students acquiring jobs and internships with companies such as Amazon, Disney, Google, ExxonMobile, Samsung, San Antonio Spurs, and more. 

Handshake is also the university’s tool for job browsing and seeing which employers will be coming to visit campus in the near future. Students can also book appointments with career advisors to work on professional skills such as updating your resumé, interview practice, etc.

Students at Baylor can enjoy living at a university with such an enormous sports presence, with the Bears being the only team representing a private university in the NCAA Division I, ranking #12 nationally in athletic success in 2018 (CBS Sports, 2019). McClane stadium hosts these incredible American football games, as well as live music shows and family events throughout the year. 

There are also over 330 clubs and organisations on offer at Baylor and 40 sororities both national and local. 

Waco is about 2 hours from both Dallas and Austin and is a green, leafy city that has good cultural highlights such as Cameron Park, the Cameron Park Zoo, and Waco Mammoth National Monument. Its closeness to the countryside also offers brilliant opportunities for biking, hiking, canoeing, and more.

There are some aspects of Baylor University that would be appealing to prospective students, namely in that the research funding for the university is so strong and academics could really utilise the wealth behind the university to pursue knowledge. Its career and entrepreneurial support is also good with students receiving backing from the university to achieve their utmost. 

However, the price of the tuition is so much higher than that of other universities in the region that are quite frankly higher in academic standards that perhaps a student’s money could be put to better use elsewhere. I could only really recommend this university if Christian values are the main criteria for your university of choice.