FAQs
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
Applications/Application Deadlines
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.
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.
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
- 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:
- Interdisciplinary Learning
- Primary Texts
- 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
The merit of graduating with honors is not linked to a student’s enrollment in an Honors College program but is based on the number of credits a student earns at Baylor University and his/her GPA. Students graduating in residence are eligible for the honors cum laude, magna cum laude, and summa cum laude under the following conditions:
94 credits earned at Baylor:
• Cum Laude: 3.75 GPA
• Magna Cum Laude: 3.85 GPA
• Summa Cum Laude: 3.95 GPA
61-93 credits earned at Baylor:
• Cum Laude: 3.80 GPA
• Magna Cum Laude: 3.90 GPA
60 credits earned at Baylor:
• Cum Laude: 3.85 GPA
• Magna Cum Laude: 3.95 GPA
In addition, satisfactory performance on a specified comprehensive examination may be required to confirm eligibility for graduation with honors.
Students earning a Baylor degree but taking the senior year in architecture, dentistry, forestry, clinical laboratory science, medicine, or optometry may qualify for graduation with honors if they have earned honors in Baylor and also in the professional program. The professional school must certify that they have qualified for honors on the work submitted for the senior year.
Honors College Programs
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).
- Can a student be enrolled in more than one Honors College program?/ Is it possible to integrate multiple programs into one degree plan?
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 an 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 four programs?
In addition to the people listed below, please access each program's Web site for more detailed contact information.
- Baylor Interdisciplinary Core
- Mr. Adam Moore or Dr. Melanie Nogalski, Program Coordinators
- Great Texts
- Dr. Phillip Donnelly, Director; or Ms. Jill Joos, Administrator
- The Honors Program
- Ms. Diane Haun, Office Coordinator; or Dr. Albert Beck, Admissions and Advising Coordinator
- University Scholars
Ms. Charmaine Dull, Office Manager
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)! The HRC even has “lifers” — those who’ve resided in the facility all four of their academic years as a student of the Honors College.
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.
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 and Line Camp
- What is Orientation, and is it mandatory to attend?
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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.
- 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. For more information, please visit https://www.baylor.edu/honorscollege/index.php?id=80088
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.