Baylor in Demand

From athletics to academics, Baylor’s profile is on the rise. More students than ever want to be a part of the Baylor experience — so much so that Baylor is preparing to welcome its largest class in the University’s 176-year history.

While many universities across the country experienced significant declines in applications for their 2021 entering class, Baylor saw strong application numbers and record-setting student commitment. The University is now focused on innovative ways to prepare students for their transition and welcome them to the Baylor Family.

Year-over-year deposits, an indicator of which incoming students will enroll, have surged nearly 16 percent. Among these, minority student and out-of-state student deposits have shown significant increases, underscoring the strong and growing diversity of student backgrounds and experiences on Baylor’s campus.

Jennfier Carron, associate vice president for enrollment management, said recognition the University has received on the academic, athletic and research fronts has demand for a Baylor education at an all-time high. 

“We found that prospective students are especially interested in Baylor due to the opportunities to engage in meaningful, discipline-related undergraduate research within a caring Christian community,” Carron said. “Waco being on the radar as a destination city has also helped make Baylor an even more attractive option for incoming students, especially those from out of state.”

Incoming first-year students also registered in record numbers for in-person Orientation and Baylor Line Camp summer experiences. The campus will host students through the summer while continuing to offer a virtual Orientation option to those who need or prefer that format.

Nathan Shelburne, M.S.Ed. ’07, Ph.D., director of new student programs, said Baylor Line Camp will welcome more than 3,000 new students this year. The previous high was 2,300 students.

“We were so pleased to see eagerness to participate in both Orientation and Baylor Line Camp from so many incoming students,” Shelburne said. “Plans were already in place to grow Baylor Line Camp this summer, and yet strong demand prompted adding even more sessions in order to provide the experience to as many students as possible.”

Along with a virtual Orientation, the University has introduced Kickstart, an early move-in and new-student experience for those who were not a part of an on-campus summer experience. Welcome Week — the long-standing tradition of bringing students together to connect and acclimate to campus — will again take place the Thursday through Sunday prior to the first day of classes.

“Welcome Week represents the official beginning of the Baylor experience, when all entering students come together both to join and shape their new community,” Shelburne said. “This year, we wanted to provide additional programming through Kickstart to ensure that all incoming students had multiple opportunities to connect with the University and with each other in significant ways.”