Top high school students get to sample college life and research at Baylor

It’s unusual enough at most schools for undergraduate students to get the opportunity to be involved in university-level research (though not so unusual for Baylor undergrads). But high school students? Forget about it. That is, unless you’re a part of one of Baylor’s summer programs.

Students entering their senior year of high school are eligible for Baylor’s High School Summer Science Research Program. Participants work with Baylor professors, analyzing research groups, data, techniques, instruments and interpretations. Tuition, a technology fee and on-campus housing are covered by scholarships, and the students earn one semester hour of college credit for their month of work.

The Renaissance Scholar Program, meanwhile, covers everything from engineering and technology to history, art, literature, philosophy and theology. In effect, it’s a one-week sampling of a college liberal-arts experience, as high school students study and then get hands-on project experience while at the same time enjoying University social activities like bowling, working out at the SLC and movie nights. Students in the program also earn one college credit hour while working on projects like the miniature trebuchets (catapults) pictured here.

Both programs are highly competitive, drawing some of the top students from across the nation to Baylor at the same time as they are making their college decisions. I certainly look forward to seeing some of these same students returning to campus in the near future as Baylor Bears!

Sic ’em, high school scholar programs!