FAQs

Academics

1. Will someone work with Honors College students to help them plan their academic schedule?
Faculty and/or staff in each Honors College program assist all Honors College students in academic advisement prior to the start of each semester.

2. What benefits do National Merit Finalists receive?
The University automatically considers high-achieving students, such as National Merit Finalists, for academic scholarships in addition to various other scholarship opportunities. For more information, CLICK HERE.

AP, IB, and Dual Credits

1. How do my AP, IB, and dual credit courses count in the Honors College?
Baylor University accepts credits earned through exams, dual-credit, and transfer courses. If Baylor accepts your specific AP, IB, or dual credit, then you receive those hours and they will be noted on your transcript. Please read below for details on how these will be considered in each program in the Honors College, and speak with an advisor before selecting your courses. For a list of AP and IB credits accepted by Baylor, please visit the Institutional Research and Testing site and click on "Testing" in the left column.

2. Which Summer of Discovery courses should I take for the Honors College?
Click here to learn more about Summer of Discovery courses and the Honors College.

3. Baylor Interdisciplinary Core (BIC) and AP/IB/Dual Credits
AP, IB, and dual credit courses do not replace BIC courses. Since our courses are interdisciplinary, we cannot pull the history out of World Cultures or the literature out of World of Rhetoric. You would miss a valuable part of the BIC program. If the course for which you receive AP IB, or dual credit is required by your major, then your credit meets the major requirement. For example, if you receive credit for PSC 1305-American National Government, and are a political science major, then the credit meets a major requirement, but does not affect your BIC requirements.

4. Great Texts (GTX) and AP/IB/Dual Credits
For students who are considering a Great Texts major and are wondering about the applicability of transfer credits (dual Credit, AP) there are generally no equivalents for GTX courses. We recommend consulting with your advisor regarding substitutions for your general education core requirements.

5. Honors Program (HP) and AP/IB/Dual Credits
The Honors Program is an enhancement to your major, so you can take any class required for your degree, major, or preprofessional program (like premed or prelaw) this summer! Please talk to your academic advisor about best options for you.

6. University Scholars (UNSC) and AP/IB/Dual Credits
All courses accepted for Baylor University credit will count toward graduation hours in the University Scholars program. Scores required to receive AP and similar exam-based credit are available HERE. Information about transfer and dual-credit courses can be found HERE.

Applications/Application Deadlines

1. Should a student apply to the Honors College or to one of the programs within the Honors College?
To be a member of the Honors College, a student must submit the Honors College Common Application. Upon successful submission, he/she will be directed to submit one or more program-specific applications. The student MUST submit at least one program-specific application to be considered for entrance into that program and into the Honors College. Entrance into the Honors College is by way of the program.

2. If a student received a letter informing him/her that he/she qualifies for certain programs within the Honors College, will he/she be automatically admitted to those programs?
No, to be admitted, he/she still has to submit the Honors College Common Application and subsequently apply to the particular program or programs for which he/she qualifies and which interests him/her.

3. What is the application deadline for the Honors College?

The Honors College is comprised of four programs, and entrance into the Honors College is by way of a program. For each program that requires an application, its deadline is as follows:

BIC Application Deadline: Applicants are admitted on a rolling basis throughout the year, and acceptance e-mails are sent on a weekly basis following phone interviews. Interested students are encouraged to apply as early as possible for advising and housing purposes. (NOTE: You may only enter the BIC as an incoming freshman.)

Great Texts is offered as a major/minor and does not have an application deadline. If you desire to major/minor in Great Texts, submit the Honors College application and simply select “Great Texts” when asked to indicate the program(s) in the Honors College to which you would like to apply. After submitting the Honors College application, you will be asked to select whether you would like to add Great Texts as a major or minor.

Honors Program Application Deadline: Applicants are admitted on a rolling basis throughout the year, and acceptance letters will be sent on a monthly basis. Interested students are encouraged to apply as early as possible for advising and housing purposes.

University Scholars Application Deadline: Applicants are admitted on a rolling basis throughout the year, and acceptance letters will be sent on a monthly basis. Interested students are encouraged to apply as early as possible for advising and housing purposes.

Honors Residential College Application Deadline: Admission is by special application only and is competitive; rooms in the HRC are in high demand. Therefore, we encourage you to apply, or to reapply, for admission early. To begin the application process, go to www.baylor.edu/hrc/apply.

More Information: https://www.baylor.edu/honorscollege/index.php?id=960143

4. What are the enrollment deadlines for the Honors College programs/majors?

Baylor Interdisciplinary Core (BIC): Because each entering BIC class of students progresses through the curriculum together, you must enroll in the BIC your first semester as a freshman.

Great Texts: This is offered as a major/minor. You may declare it as such at any time. You may switch to or add Great Texts as a major/minor in the academic advisement office located on the first floor of the Paul L. Foster Success Center (Sid Richardson Building).

Honors Program: If you have at least a 3.5 GPA at the start of your first spring semester, you will be invited to join the Honors Program. The latest you can join this program is the first semester of your junior year.

University Scholars: This is offered as a major; however, in order that students derive the full benefit from the program, University Scholars will not accept students who have less than three years (e.g., juniors/seniors) or less than 90 hours remaining to complete their undergraduate degree at Baylor. All Scholars must therefore complete at least 90 hours as students within the program. Students who enter late are responsible for changing their majors to University Scholars. Students with less than 30 credit hours can change their major in the academic advisement office located on the first floor of the Paul L. Foster Success Center (Sid Richardson Building).

Benefits of Being in the Honors College

1. What are the benefits of being in the Honors College?

Excellent Preparation for Further Academic Pursuits:

Undertake rigorous, significant academic pursuits such as an undergraduate thesis or research with faculty that will pave the way for higher, post-graduate exploration

Living-Learning Residence Life:

Take advantage of on-campus housing opportunities designed for Honors College students in order to strike a balance between social life and serious intellectual pursuits. Click here for more details.)

Interdisciplinary Learning

Take courses that bridge a number of departments and integrate the sciences and the humanities

Primary Texts

Wrestle with the greatest books from the greatest minds rather than from textbooks or commentaries

Team Teaching

Enter into, and learn from, conversations between faculty.

Seminar Classes

Rather than passive note-taking, participate actively in the exposition, analysis, and criticism of texts, arguments, and experiments

Extracurricular Intellectual Pursuits

Attend lectures and join book or film discussion groups specifically designed for Honors College students

Scholarship/Fellowship Opportunities

Pursue, with the aid of academic advisors, a range of scholarship and fellowship opportunities for post-undergraduate study

Graduation

1. If a student is enrolled in an Honors College program, does that mean he/she will "graduate with honors"?

"Graduating with Honors" may mean different things. One form of this, called Latin honors, is a reflection of academic success as evidenced by a high Baylor GPA at graduation. Latin Honors can be earned by all Baylor undergraduates regardless of their participation in the Honors College. The breakdown for Latin honors is as follows:

Cum Laude: 3.75

Magna Cum Laude: 3.85

Summa Cum Laude: 3.95

Students who successfully complete the Honors Program sometimes also speak of graduating with Honors. More precisely, those students will be recognized as "Honors Program graduates" on their diploma and transcript after having completed all the requirements of the Honors Program.

Honors College Programs

1. Is the Honors College the same thing as the Honors Program?

No, the Honors Program is one of four programs within the Honors College. The others are the Baylor Interdisciplinary Core (BIC), the Great Texts Program (GTX), and the University Scholars Program (UNSC).

2. Can a student be enrolled in more than one Honors College program?

Yes, depending on the program or major, is possible to integrate multiple programs into one degree plan. As a variation of the university’s core program, BIC can be combined with all other Honors College Programs. The Honors Program is a supplementary plan open to all majors, including Great Texts. University Scholars are already part of the Honors Program, but can choose to opt into BIC or Great Texts. University Scholars students are part of the Honors Program but can opt to include BIC or Great Texts into their degree plan.

3. How do the Honors Program and the Baylor Interdisciplinary Core work together?
The Honors Program and the Baylor Interdisciplinary Core (BIC) are complementary, allowing students to enroll in both (which many of our students do). View “How the Honors Program & BIC Work Together.”

4. Is there a one-page overview of the four different Honors College programs?

Yes: “Academic Programs of the Honors College.”

5. Whom should I contact to learn more about the Honors College and its programs?

Baylor Interdisciplinary Core
- BIC FAQ
- BIC@baylor.edu
- (254)-710-3981

University Scholars
- University_Scholars@baylor.edu
- (254)-710-3744

Great Texts
- GTX FAQ
- GTX@baylor.edu
- (254)-710-7251

Honors Program
- HP@baylor.edu
- (254)-710-1119

Honors Residential College
- HRC FAQ
- HRC@baylor.edu
- (254)-710-7826

Housing

1. What is the deadline to apply to reside in the HRC?

Admission is by application only and is competitive; rooms in the HRC are in high demand. Therefore, we encourage your child to apply, or to reapply, for admission early. To begin the application process, go to www.baylor.edu/hrc/apply.

2. Do all Honors College students live in the Honors Residential College (HRC)?

No, but it is seen as an increasingly desirable place to live.

Given the close interaction with distinguished faculty, the distinct privilege to live among peers who cherish learning and growing, the on-site lectures by world-renown speakers, and the never-ending opportunities to fellowship and create close bonds with mentors and fellow students alike, it’s no wonder that the Honors Residential College (HRC) had the highest retention rate among its members for fall 2008.

Higher, that is, than any other residence hall, living-learning center, or college on campus! Alexander Hall: 89.9% Memorial Hall: 88.9% Prospective students set their hopes on residing in the HRC while merely high school juniors when they hear about the residential college at Premiere (prior to even applying to Baylor)!

3. How many students reside in the HRC?

The HRC is comprised of Memorial and Alexander Halls. Memorial houses 203 females, and Alexander houses 141 males.

4. How many incoming students are accepted to reside in the HRC each year?
The number of acceptances varies depending on the number of current residents who re-apply.

5. If a student wants to live in the HRC, how can he/she make sure that he/she will have a space there?

Step 1: He/she first needs to be accepted to Baylor.

Step 2: Once accepted to Baylor, the student should put down his/her deposit and apply for housing using the general housing form. (On this form, select a traditional form of housing, in addition to applying to the HRC. This allows the student to have on-campus housing even if he/she is not accepted to the HRC.)

Step 3: To be considered for membership in the HRC, the student must be admitted to one or more of the Honors College Programs -- Baylor Interdisciplinary Core, Great Texts, Honors Program, or University Scholars. We nonetheless encourage students to apply to the HRC simultaneously.The student’s application for membership in the HRC will be processed pending his/her admission to an Honors College program. (View HRC application details.) There are no guarantees, but the earlier a student completes these applications, the better his/her chances of living in the HRC.

6. How can a student check on the status of his/her HRC application?
To check on the status of an HRC application or for more information about residing in the HRC, e-mail Ms. Courtney DePalma at Courtney_DePalma@baylor.edu.

7. What makes the HRC unique to other dormitories or on-campus communities?

The HRC is one of three residential colleges on campus; it is the only community specifically designed with honors students in mind. Modeled after the college systems of Oxford and Cambridge in England, the HRC emphasizes student and staff faculty involvement within the community, special programs and lectures offered to its residents, as well as greater attention to the holistic formation of students.

Orientation

1. What is Orientation, and is it mandatory to attend?

Orientation is a two-day program that's essential for all incoming and transfer students. During orientation, you'll meet with an advisor to discuss your degree plan and register for classes, but there is so much more. It is an opportunity to explore academics, campus life, and begin developing important relationships with faculty, staff, and students. There are also opportunities to hear important information and have all of your questions answered.

• Baylor Orientation
• Orientation Dates

2. What is Honors Line Camp and is it mandatory to attend?

Incoming honors students are invited to attend Honors Line Camp, a four-day summer camp in which they will meet other honors students, partake in well-loved Baylor traditions, and engage in community and friendship-building experiences. Line Camp is not mandatory but recommended. Line Camp can also be combined with Orientation.

More Information:
More Information: https://www.baylor.edu/nsp/index.php?id=956477

Scholarships

1. Does the Honors College offer scholarships for incoming/current students?

The Honors College offers scholarships for both incoming and current students. For more information about our scholarships, visit www.baylor.edu/honorscollege/scholarships.

More Information: https://www.baylor.edu/honorscollege/scholarships