Baylor jumps to No. 4 in the nation for ‘first-year experience,’ says U.S. News
Looking for a great undergraduate experience? You can’t do much better than Baylor.
Baylor is one of just three colleges to rank among U.S. News‘ top 10 nationally for both first-year experience and learning communities, and the only one of those three to be either an R1 research institution or offer Power 4 athletics.
The publication ranked Baylor No. 4 in the nation for first-year experience, BU’s third straight year in the top five (and seventh straight top-20 ranking). Baylor also came in at No. 9 in the country for Learning Communities (schools where students “get to know one another and their professors especially well”), BU’s third straight top-1o finish, and remained highly regarded for undergraduate teaching (No. 27), innovation (No. 38), and undergraduate research (No. 40).
“At Baylor, we remain deeply committed to providing a transformational undergraduate educational experience, which is a cornerstone of our Christian mission and vision,” says President Linda Livingstone. “We are thankful the ‘Baylor Distinctives’ remain highly valued, from faith and character development to the opportunity for students to build meaningful relationships with faculty and mentors. These qualities make Baylor a truly special place to prepare students for worldwide leadership and service.”
The Baylor experience builds on first-year activities and traditions like Line Camp, Welcome Week, and the on-campus living experience through continued favorites like Dr Pepper Hour, Chapel, intramural sports, and Diadeloso to help students grow in every respect as they go through their college years.
It’s rare for a school the size of Baylor to be able to provide its students such a welcome to campus. The only other universities nationwide that rank in the top 10 for both first-year experience and learning communities are Agnes Scott College and Elon University, and neither enrolls even half as many students as BU.
The fact that BU can offer students such tight-knit community as well as the opportunities associated with big-time academics and athletics speaks to the unique “just right” qualities found here in Waco.
Sic ’em, first-year Bears!