The ability for a university to provide extensive student opportunities from research to community service, an interdisciplinary approach to learning, and a supportive, friendly atmosphere are the ingredients that must be mixed together to produce a perfect recipe – Baylor University. The common vision that Baylor University and I share is the inherent reason I want to attend this prestigious university. Like Baylor University, I strive to engage in intellectual activity which springs from disciplined habits of the heart and inspires action on behalf of the world.
Baylor’s strong academic programs, which are complemented by the wide variety of research opportunities available strongly allures me to attend this institution. Specifically, Baylor’s Honors Program provides students the ability to be fully immersed in an academically challenging environment and allows them to progress as far as their curiosity, motivation, and work ethic will allow them to through the multitude of in-depth classes provided as well as the ability to partake in a senior thesis. With a focus on interdisciplinary approach, Baylor’s academic programs will allow me to explore individual subject matters across a range of courses, thereby making me a more well rounded student. In addition, through this unique teaching method, I will develop stronger critical thinking skills as I will be involved in different disciplinary areas and must ascertain similarities and differences across subject areas. Even more so as Baylor University is inherently collaborative as demonstrated by the emphasis on classroom discussions, I will be able to merge my thought pattern with my peer’s, resulting in a greater overall understanding of any issues that I or the classroom may have. Due to this distinctive collaborative environment, I will be given a valuable opportunity to improve my communication skills. As a result, I will develop proper communication skills allowing me to readily establish a good doctor-patient relationship in regards to my career goal of being a physician.
In addition, being an amateur scientist, since I could first lay my hands on an object, the undergraduate research opportunities provided by Baylor cements my strong interest in this university. Through the Baylor Undergraduate Research in Science and Technology (BURST), I will be able to pursue my strong interest in medicine. The research opportunities will expose me to novel research techniques and fulfill my academic goal of gaining knowledge in health science research as well as growing analytical skills. Moreover, the research experiences provided will allow me to gain an understanding of the type of work environment and culture that I want to pursue as my career goal. In addition, the research experiences will help me in my pursuit of a career in medicine because it serves as an immeasurable aid in gauging how my skills, emotional quotient, and interests mesh with this professional field.
Apart from academic incentives that Baylor University provides, the ability to engage in community service opportunities through the Community Service and Engagement Program at Baylor fulfills my deep passion for helping others. Living in an era where egocentrism and self-centeredness dominate, selflessness is often a missing virtue. Realizing this, I founded a nonprofit 501(c)3 organization during my freshman year as a testament to fulfilling both my civic concern and support of economically disadvantaged students. I am certain that I can positively impact the Baylor community through integrating my nonprofit organization on a larger scale, thereby reaching a larger audience, while simultaneously instilling values of benevolence and compassion within the student body.
On a side note, Baylor University’s increasing ethnic and cultural diversity is seconded by its ability to create a niche for every student on campus. Through this, interactions between various departments and individuals occur whether they are related to classroom studies, research projects, or community service, allowing me to be within an environment that mimics the real world. Incidentally, through the challenging curriculum I have taken during my high school tenure, I have developed an intellectual eagerness and academically zealous personality, which I know I can integrate within Baylor University to further develop the real world scholarly atmosphere already present.
As Einstein famously said, “The only source of knowledge is experience.” I firmly believe the research and community service experiences and the unique academic setting provided by Baylor will better equip me towards my career goal in medicine. Therefore, Baylor University is not only the perfect place for me, but rather the only place for me.
