Baylor was chartered in 1845 by the
Republic of Texas, making it the oldest
institution of
higher learning in
Texas.
Baylor is a
private university, and the largest
Baptist university in the world with more than 13,000 students. The school colors are
green and
gold, and the
mascots are live
North American Black Bears that live on campus in a complex near the
University Bookstore.
The buildings here are incredibly old and very lovely. The campus, located in Waco, TX, is somewhat cut off from the surrounding community. This is just as well, because Waco isn't exactly the most wonderful place to be. In fact, Baylor is pretty much the only thing that really keeps the city alive.
Campus, however, is a very friendly place. The people here are incredibly nice, and people passing each other on the sidewalk usually share a greeting whether they've ever seen one another before in their lives or not. Since Baylor is hideously expensive compared to state schools, the majority of the students come from wealthier families. The parking lots are full of shiny new cars, and I'm often shocked by the frequent display of disregard for economical prudence.
Baylor has excellent academic opportunies, including the Honors Program and University Scholars Program, in both of which I am involved, and the Baylor Interdisciplinary Core. There are also many sororities and fraternities, and an abundance of service organizations and other religious clubs.
I never go to sporting events, but I do know that Baylor's football team is supposedly very bad. People here think of Texas A&M as their biggest rival, and get very hyped up whenever we are scheduled to play against them. I find this hilarious, because having grown up near Aggieland, I know that the Aggies are extremely competitive toward the Longhorns and couldn't care less about the Bears.
I like the manageably-sized, quiet, beautiful campus, the dignified academic programs, and the religious atmosphere here at Baylor. But I still go home every weekend, and often visit College Station, the home of the Aggies, as well.
factual information in the first paragraph gleaned from Baylor's website