Another look at this fall’s freshman class

Incoming freshmen and their parents are all over campus this month for orientation. A couple of months ago, we gave you a sneak peak at some of the students who will make up this fall’s incoming freshman class. Here are a few more faces you’ll see on campus in August when the class of 2012 arrives at Baylor.

* Stephenville (Texas) High School salutatorian Brandon Ratliff is one of a number of National Merit Scholars entering Baylor this fall. Baylor annually ranks among the nation’s leaders in attracting National Merit Scholars; last year’s class ranked 26th nationally. The Stephenville Empire-Tribune profiled Ratliff here.

* In a few years, you may be hearing the work of Deer Park (Texas) High School co-valedictorian Derek Schnitzer in movies and on TV. Another National Merit Scholar, Schnitzer plans to study music composition with the goal of writing TV and film scores after graduation. The Deer Park Progress ran this Q&A with Schnitzer.

* Kansas City, Mo., student Patricia Salgado says she and her twin sister, Leah, have never been apart for more than a few days. That will change this fall when Patricia comes to Baylor while her sister heads to Cornell. Both graduated with honors; Patricia will study pre-med here. The Kansas City Star featured the twins in this article.

* Further south, Monterrey, Mexico, native Monica Gonzalez-Ruggeberg was the valedictorian of IDEA Academy and College Preparatory high school in South Texas. Before moving to the Valley her freshman year, she said the only colleges she knew of were Harvard and Texas; then she visited Baylor. “I have a great vibe from the school,” she says. Read about her and other Valley graduates in this article from The Monitor.

Such students certainly seem to fit the Vision 2012 goal of attracting a top-tier student body.

Sic ’em, incoming freshmen!