How to Write the Baylor University Essay 2022-2023
Founded in 1845, Baylor University has a long history as the largest Baptist university in the world. Baylor takes pride in the fact that it uniquely incorporates strong religious values into an already rich academic curriculum and top-tier athletics division. Baylor students mirror the school’s commitment to service as well as education, spending much of their free time volunteering in the local community or utilizing their skills abroad in one of the university’s popular Global Missions programs.
With 125 majors and the resources of a nationally ranked research institution at their fingertips, the students of Baylor University are given the opportunity to really customize their college experience and explore all facets of their interests. They are not just talented scholars, but also curious researchers, passionate athletes, and above all, global citizens.
Admission to Baylor is competitive, so writing strong essays is important to help your application stand out. CollegeVine, however, is here to provide a few tips on how to tackle the application essays. Without further ado, let’s dive into the application prompt for this cycle and identify ways to make an impact on the admissions staff with your essay!
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Baylor University Supplemental Essay Prompt
What are you looking for in a university, why do you want to attend Baylor, and how do you see yourself contributing to the Baylor community? (450 words)
While this is an optional prompt, here at CollegeVine we believe that essays are a great way for students to add a personal voice and tell the admissions counselors about things that may not be so apparent in the rest of their materials. Therefore, submitting this essay with the rest of your application will help you stand out among the many other talented applicants trying to gain admission.
At first glance, the prompt may look like one simple question, but we can further divide it into three smaller parts — and it’s important that you remember to address all three in your response. Let’s look at the breakdown.
First Part: What are you looking for in a university?
What we see is a pretty standard question that serves as the overarching theme of the whole college process. However, the challenge of answering this question comes largely from how general it is. Here, Baylor truly wants to know what you are looking for in your higher education experience. It’s important to keep in mind that you are just as much choosing a college as they are selecting the people that make up their community.
You should be genuine with what you are looking for, so whether that’s going to an institution that balances both research and religion or a school that competes in a Division I conference, you can include that in this essay. Once you have identified the key factors that drew you to consider Baylor in the first place, the next part of the prompt will be a lot easier to answer.
Second Part: Why do you want to attend Baylor University?
If you are applying to Baylor University, it should be true that you want to be in a noticeably religious environment, and that your past experiences and interests tie in with the mission of the college. Things to emphasize would be any community service or religious missions, if you’ve done them. This next question requires some research into the school, as they want to know why, out of other similar universities, Baylor is the one that stands out.
Of course, while you are doing your research, make sure that you don’t simply repeat the information that you find. The aim of your answer is to include specific programs and resources that fit in with your profile. For example, if you enjoy working with local volunteer organizations, then you would mention how Baylor’s emphasis on service will help connect you with more opportunities for action. If gaining access to undergraduate research is important to you, you can also mention how the Baylor Undergraduate Research in Science and Technology organization will provide you with the support and access needed to get started as early as freshman year.
Additionally, Baylor offers many different programs and unique majors, such as the Honors Program that provides students with more in-depth classes and the guidance necessary to complete a senior thesis. While you don’t need to decide your major or involvements right now, it’s still good to look through the offerings and mention the things that caught your eye.
Third Part: How do you see yourself contributing to the Baylor community?
This final piece is what we would consider the most important question. There is not “one right answer,” as it would be highly personal to each individual. The way to approach this is to be as specific with your involvements and passions as possible. Make sure however, that you can back up whatever you say with the rest of your application. You do not have to try and find something unique that you think would make you different if it’s not something that really represents who you are as a person.
For example, if you really enjoyed writing for your high school newspaper, then you could mention how you want to continue that passion by applying for a position on the Baylor Lariat, the university’s newspaper focusing on events happening both on and off campus. Whatever it is that you want to continue doing in college, try to find the corresponding club or organization within Baylor that you would join. Once again, this will help tie your individual goals with that of the university and show that you really spent time looking into them.
Having more information about Baylor University will not only help you solidify your own reasons for applying, but it will also show the admissions team that the school is a good fit for you. We hope that this guide was helpful, and wish you the best of luck with your writing!
Where to Get Your Baylor Essay Edited
Do you want feedback on your Baylor essay? After rereading your essays countless times, it can be difficult to evaluate your writing objectively. That’s why we created our free Peer Essay Review tool, where you can get a free review of your essay from another student. You can also improve your own writing skills by reviewing other students’ essays.
If you want a college admissions expert to review your essay, advisors on CollegeVine have helped students refine their writing and submit successful applications to top schools. Find the right advisor for you to improve your chances of getting into your dream school!
