Baylor University

I don't know anything about the program. But here's an important question. Do you feel you'll be comfortable with the campus environment?

What are you implying about the campus environment? Baylor is a great school and well respected in the state. It is definitely more conservative than other universities but most people in Texas don't consider that a bad thing. Waco could be a little more exciting but considering some of the other locations of major universities it could be worse. Baylor has a great wholesome student body. On the baseball side, my son attended Junior days last year and was impressed with their coaches and facilities. Coach Thompson is a tireless recruiter and Coach Smith seemed to be a straight shooter. I know they did not live up to their preseason expectations last year but that happens from time to time. They did have quite a few players drafted last year.

coach smith was the pitching coach before taking the head job. he takes a hands on approach with the pitchers and usually has a good staff. they play in the big 12 which is one of the best conferences in the nation and will play teams like rice in non-conference games. mitch thompson and steve smith are easy to talk to and beat a lot of bushes on the recruiting trail. they also get a lot of kids drafted. young team with a big upside. biggest draw back seems to be that they bring a lot of kids in and have a history of not offering much money. very conservitive campus and very religious but a nice campus and facilities. half way between dallas and austin so it's in a good area. hope this helps and just my opinions.

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Originally posted by Burnt Orange:
What are you implying about the campus environment? Baylor is a great school and well respected in the state. It is definitely more conservative than other universities but most people in Texas don't consider that a bad thing. Waco could be a little more exciting but considering some of the other locations of major universities it could be worse. Baylor has a great wholesome student body. On the baseball side, my son attended Junior days last year and was impressed with their coaches and facilities. Coach Thompson is a tireless recruiter and Coach Smith seemed to be a straight shooter. I know they did not live up to their preseason expectations last year but that happens from time to time. They did have quite a few players drafted last year.

The campus environment is an important part of the college experience. If a kid goes to Baylor expecting it to be like any other college campus he's going to be in for a shock. It's not good or bad. It's just not the typical campus. That's why I commented.

Wouldn't it be better to ask these questions before committing?

Lefty22,
My daughter just started at Baylor and is loving it!
You have a PM.

Sorry RJM. I whole heartily agree it is definitely good to ask questions before you commit. I responded because you left it hanging about the campus environment and I wasn't sure what you were implying. Baylor may be more conservative than most places and it is a Southern Baptist university, but it is big enough that like anywhere else kids find their own kind. Although if the kid is into multiple piercings and Goth, he may be lonely. I know a few kids that are there now and quite a few graduates and they are no saints. They like to have fun like the rest of us. But what you do see there are good people, with an overall good moral compass. I could have taken a few more of those kind of people when I was in school rather than the group on the Drag.

If someone was asking about Cal-Berkley, I would suggest they ask themselves "do you feel you'll be comfortable with the campus environment?" too!

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Originally posted by Tx-Husker:
If someone was asking about Cal-Berkley, I would suggest they ask themselves "do you feel you'll be comfortable with the campus environment?" too!

When my daughter was doing visits, one was to an elite small college in New York. Part of the tour was a talk in a conference room. We were told they would strip the students of the morals and values taught by parents and teach the kids to think on their own. We got up and left. Others followed.

In a Baylor versus Cal debate, given I trust my kid's judgement I'd rather have them in a less restrictive environment than a more restrictive one. They can tune out the liberal BS. They see it for what it is.

My daughter is a college senior. She's learned from high school and college just fill the teacher/professor full of liberal BS, get the A and move on. It's all about the experience, the degree and the grades to do what you want to do next.

My daughter will be going to law school. She jokes about how she'll be viewed as a female, Republican lawyer.

That's a better example. I recall your post about that situation before. Just couldn't recall who said it or what school...so I substituted Cal-Berkley. The arrogance of that small college in NY is stunning. I guess there are lots of parents that want a school to do their job for them.

You're daughter will do well. Sounds like she's got the game figured out already!

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The arrogance of that small college in NY is stunning. I guess there are lots of parents that want a school to do their job for them.

Rhetorical questions:
Is it arrogant of the US service academies to instill a particular set of ethical values on the students, regardless of the parents' values? Do kids need to go to these academies because the parents didn't do their job?

The point is that there is nothing wrong or arrogant about a college having a philoshophy of education, even if it isn't popular. Everybody is free to take it or leave it.

We're talking about a college thinking they are more capable to teach morals and values than a parent is. They are not. I do admit the military academy is more capable of teaching how to kill in a war. Apples and oranges, 3 finger. It is arrogant....but you are right people are free to take it or leave it.

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female, Republican lawyer.

never seen one of those

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Originally posted by go pirates:

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female, Republican lawyer.

never seen one of those

My daughter was awarded a free two week internship worth one course credit during the inauguration on presidential transition. It included seats at the inauguration. She turned it down.

I told her she should go for the historical aspect of it. She said Obama winning wasn't the issue. She said it was having to sit with a bunch of college students for two weeks who voted for Obama because he's hip. She thought that was ignorant. Very few of the students she knew had political reasons for voting for Obama other than change (and hip).

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Originally posted by 3FingeredGlove:

quote:

The arrogance of that small college in NY is stunning. I guess there are lots of parents that want a school to do their job for them.

Rhetorical questions:
Is it arrogant of the US service academies to instill a particular set of ethical values on the students, regardless of the parents' values? Do kids need to go to these academies because the parents didn't do their job?

The point is that there is nothing wrong or arrogant about a college having a philoshophy of education, even if it isn't popular. Everybody is free to take it or leave it.

Military academies teach a style of morals and values that minimizes their students getting killed in combat. But the way the campus operates would fall under the structured, disciplined category like Baylor of, "Do you know what you're getting into? This isn't the norm." It's not for all kids.

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But the way the campus operates would fall under the structured, disciplined category like Baylor

I beg to differ. Baylor is much more mainstream than you might think. While drinking and dancing and other activities may not be condoned by the school, let me assure you that they occur - and on a fairly frequent basis. The vast majority of science professors teach evolution and the overall tenor of teaching is quite similar to that at most other Texas universities. My son's summer teammate -- who has a Catholic background but never attends church -- plays at Baylor and feels quite comfortable there. There are a few Christian colleges out there that offer structure and discipline (Bob Jones University, for example), but Baylor is not one of them.

RJM - I am curious, have you visited Baylor? It is in a relatively small conservative town (population approx. 125k) but I believe the students attending the university are much more main stream than you have indicated. I think it a traditional southern university, it may not have as big of a party reputation as some of the other southern schools have but that is not necessarily a bad thing either.

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any info on the Bears' baseball program?

Baylor was in a the same NCAA regional as National Champions LSU last year. In fact, LSU defeated Baylor 3-2 in 10 innings in that regional. Baylor beat Texas (National Runnerup) in the Big 12 Championship. Baylor makes the NCAA tournament nearly every year and has appeared in the College World Series a few times. They would be considered one of the top 25 baseball programs in the country over the past decade or longer and top 5 or 10 in some years. They recruit and develop outstanding talent and they have a reputation for producing lots of academic all conference and All Americans. They also produce many MLB draft picks.

The coaching staff is outstanding as is the facilities and school. I actually like Waco. I wouldn’t call it a small town at all. Not sure what the population is. We have spent time at Baylor and it appears much like any other college.

Any player recruited by Baylor would be extremely talented and should “seriously” consider going there. It’s about as good as it gets! The players there will have a great chance to develop into good draft picks and they will enjoy the entire college baseball experience. Most important, they will get a great education while being around some very outstanding high class people who know what they’re doing.

The original OP asked about the baseball program, but I agree that when considering a program, all aspects should be considered before making a decision, campus environment one of them.

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Originally posted by cheapseats:
RJM - I am curious, have you visited Baylor? It is in a relatively small conservative town (population approx. 125k) but I believe the students attending the university are much more main stream than you have indicated. I think it a traditional southern university, it may not have as big of a party reputation as some of the other southern schools have but that is not necessarily a bad thing either.

I didn't say the situation is good or bad. I said it's different. It's an important consideration. I've seen kids unhappy at colleges for various reasons they didn't consider before attending. And yes, I've been on the campus. I spent a lot of time in Texas one year opening up a region for a company.

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Originally posted by 3FingeredGlove:

quote:

The arrogance of that small college in NY is stunning. I guess there are lots of parents that want a school to do their job for them.

Rhetorical questions:
Is it arrogant of the US service academies to instill a particular set of ethical values on the students, regardless of the parents' values? Do kids need to go to these academies because the parents didn't do their job?

The point is that there is nothing wrong or arrogant about a college having a philoshophy of education, even if it isn't popular. Everybody is free to take it or leave it.

Context is everything. In RJM's example, the college was intending to strip away learned values to supposedly allow the students to find their own moral compass. This is creating an almost anarchtic freedom at face value. But reality dictates that this never truly happens, as the same people that wish to strip away, also have an idea of what the "proper" new mold should resemble. There is no such thing as total lack of ideology.

On the other hand, SA's (Service Academies), use a well accepted set of values, and strictly enforce them. For example, the cadet code at West Point: A Cadet will not Lie, Cheat or Steal, or tolerate others that do. And then there's the famous credo, Duty, Honor, Country. With the exception of a minor debate on the toleration prose, these are widely consider virtuous attributes and encouraged by society at large. They do not either diminish or wish to purge familial teachings, nor do they inhibit freedom of thought, growth as an individual, or expressiveness.