Baylor University
Responses from the Student Interview
From a student who identifies as Majors: Supply Chain Management and Entrepreneurship double major
Minor: None
Student Self Identifies as: Pakistani Heterosexual Male
Summary
I’m rushing for a multicultural fraternity, and I’m part of the Indian Subcontinent Student Association (ISSA).
Background
Gender Identity: Male
Race/Ethnicity: Pakistani
Sexual Orientation: Heterosexual
Transferred in his sophomore after going to school in London his freshman year
High School Experience: Public high school in Los Angeles County, CA with a graduating class of about 800 students. There was a culture of going to college.
First-Generation College Student: No
Majors: Supply Chain Management and Entrepreneurship double major
Minor: None
Extracurricular Activities: I’m rushing for a multicultural fraternity, and I’m part of the Indian Subcontinent Student Association (ISSA).
Academic Experience
Can you describe your weekly coursework for your major?
In the business school, you’re required to take your general education courses, but, because I did that last year, this semester I’m taking mostly business courses. My major graded assignments are exams and we have regular homework assignments.
Is there anything you feel the business school does especially well or poorly?
One thing I like about the business school is they help you a lot after college. They have a lot of opportunities where companies come to campus through the business school. Their network is pretty large, so that is one of the most beneficial things for your life after Baylor. They also have good academic and career advising.
How would you describe the learning environment? Do you think it’s particularly competitive or collaborative?
Coming to Baylor, I thought the class sizes would be a lot bigger, but they’re a lot smaller than what I imagined. It’s super easy to get help, so the environment is pretty collaborative. [The average undergraduate class size is 26.]
How accessible are your professors?
All of my professors are really eager to help and want their students to succeed. They’ll do anything to help you.
What was your favorite class in your major?
My favorite class right now would have to be Business Statistics, because it’s my most business-focused class.
How was transitioning academically as a transfer student? Were there resources that helped you adapt?
My school in London was a lot easier than it is at Baylor. I did more work in two weeks at Baylor than I did in a semester in London. Work-wise it’s a lot harder, but it’s good because it’s preparing you for work outside of college.
Why did you pick your major? Are you happy with your choice?
My dad works in business, and before coming to Baylor I still didn’t know what emphasis I wanted to do in business. After talking to some business classes, my advisor recommended Supply Chain Management. I looked into it, chose it, and now I’m happy with my choice.
Reasons to Attend
1) Baylor has a very large network, and outside of college it’ll help you a lot. There are lots of resources, especially in the business school.
2) Academically Baylor is a good school and the professors are always there to help you. You have access to everything to help you succeed academically.
3) Socially, I love Baylor because there’s always something to do. It’s easy to meet people if you’re new.
Reasons Not to Attend
1) Baylor is a very Christian university and I’m Muslim. You’re required to take a couple of classes that revolve around the Christian faith. As a business major, I don’t see that helping me get my degree.
Around Campus
Where have you lived on and around campus?
Sophomore: Off-campus apartment with three roommates.
How was transitioning from Los Angeles to Waco, TX?
The location is very different. In L.A., there’s a lot happening outside of school. I don’t really see that in Waco outside of the Baylor Bubble.
Can you describe the level of safety you’ve experienced on and around campus?
This campus is very safe. I haven’t had any issues regarding safety in Waco.
Social Opportunities
What kind of weekend activities or nightlife do you like to participate in?
In my free time, I’ll go to my friend’s apartments and hang out. We’ll watch movies sometimes. On the weekends, I’ll usually be studying because I have a lot of work for my classes. For the club I’m in, there are events to get to know each other. We’ve had a picnic to get to know the other people in the club. Fraternity-wise there are also events to meet other brothers in the fraternity.
How happy are you with the weekend options? Is there anything you would change if you could?
I’m pretty happy with it. I’m a pretty low-key kind of guy and I don’t need much to satisfy myself. It’s keeping me busy along with school, so the time I have works out perfectly.
Campus Culture
How did you meet your closest friends?
When I was in London one of my friends was from Dallas. I told her I was going to Baylor she knew a few people here. When I got here I hit them up and we went out one day. Those people were very welcoming and have been my friends. Through them I met other people, it wasn’t a problem for me to meet new people.
How was it blending into the social environment as a transfer?
Coming from another college environment probably helped me a lot because I got the awkward stuff out of the way last year. I knew how to handle myself, and for me, being a social person, meeting people isn’t a problem.
How would you describe the overall social scene at Baylor?
Baylor is a very social place. Everywhere I go people are hanging out with each other people. There are always things to do on campus. Baylor will keep you busy with the events they have. I’m always with my friends if we’re studying or doing anything.
To what extent do you think people of different races and sexual orientations mix socially?
All the people with similar ethnicities as me hang out with each other, and that’s how the groups are in my opinion. [The undergraduate population is about 16% Hispanic, 6% Black, 63% White, and 7% Asian.]
How do you like the size of Baylor in terms of undergraduate enrollment? How was transitioning to a school with [about 14,000] students?
I think Baylor’s undergraduate size is really good. There are enough people to where it feels like a big campus and there are always people around, but it’s not so big to where if you need help it’s easily accessible. It has a big school feel, but academically it feels like a smaller school because of all the one-on-one attention you get from the faculty.
How would you describe the South Asian community on campus? How strong is it?
I wouldn’t say there are a lot of us, but there’s enough to keep us satisfied. It’s a predominantly White school so I’d say there are about 100 South East Asians and we’re all friends with each other. I never feel like I don’t belong. It’s a small, but tight-knit community. [About 26% of students identify as Baptist, 16% identify as Catholic, and 17% identify as Christian with no affiliation.]
How would you describe the student body?
I’ve met a lot of people from California. Coming in I thought it would be a majority Southern people, but after meeting a bunch of people it’s pretty diverse. [The largest out of state population at Baylor is from California, which is about 7% of the undergraduate population.]
How strong is the Christian presence on campus?
Because I’m new, I have to take Christian Heritage and Christian Scripture and go to chapel, so I feel it a lot more than other students because those are two of my classes here.
Careers
What have you used the career office for? How helpful have they been?
I went to one career fair, but most of the companies are looking for juniors or seniors. It was good to see that Baylor is doing all that, but as a sophomore, it wasn’t that impactful for me.
Have you learned any computer languages or software that will be helpful to you professionally?
Coding-wise, no, but we’re learning Excel in one of my business classes.