Growing ‘Baylor Bound’ program offers more direct path for transfers

Baylor’s administrators take seriously the problems caused by the rising cost of higher education. Upon his arrival at Baylor five years ago, President Ken Starr made it his first priority to raise money for scholarships; at the same time, Baylor Regents have begun steadily reducing tuition hikes; the most recent raise was Baylor’s smallest in more than a decade.

The “Baylor Bound” program is another way university officials are working to make access to a Baylor education available to as many qualified students as possible. In the past two years, the university has entered into partnerships with six colleges around the state that will allow students to more easily transfer to Baylor; plans call for four more colleges to be added to the program by 2018.

Students at McLennan Community College, Tyler Junior College, Blinn College, Collin College, Temple College and Alamo Colleges can join the “Baylor Bound” program before enrolling at the community college or while enrolled as a full-time student. Baylor’s admissions office then reviews the applications, as it does for traditional undergraduate students. The idea is that students will generally take one year of core credit hours at the community college before seamlessly transferring to Baylor for their remaining three years. Participants can choose from 65 different majors that lead to BBA, BA, BSW and BS degrees.

Advisors from Baylor and the student’s school of origin work together to help students select courses that satisfy the program’s requirements and to educate students on scholarship opportunities available at Baylor.

Sic ’em, Baylor Bound students!