Baylor University

I want to warn prospective students about a possible deceptive trade practice on the part of Baylor. Our unresolvable issue with Baylor concerning my son, T.M.: He attended Baylor for 5 consecutive years and Baylor refuses to award him his degree. Grades are excellent. The short version of the story is that he received almost no guidance in choosing an initial major Freshman year , switched majors, attended community college in the summer before his Baylor senior year to satisfy freshman level "basics" for his degree requirements. Now Baylor refuses to award him his degree because "the rule is the last 30 hours must be taken at Baylor". Our son took 12 hours of freshman basics at community college before entering Baylor's senior year instead of the 9 allowed. This is insane! I remember when I attended college, my (UofM) university did not allow students to enroll in upper level courses until freshman basics were satisfied! I am beyond frustrated and disappointed in the Baylor administration.

I realize we can't change anything in my son's situation, but perhaps I can pass this to as many parents and students as possible to forewarn them and prevent this from happening to other students. I'd like to give Baylor the benefit of the doubt that this is not an intentional "oversight", or a snare to lure students to satisfy basic prerequisites at Baylor (instead of opting for community college)in their senior year. That would be too conniving and underhanded for a fine, Christian university such as Baylor. Perhaps we parents may check in with our children to ensure they were not actually, even subtlety ENCOURAGED to take upper level courses during the first Freshman-Sophmore years.

I am baffled as to why Baylor students are encouraged to declare a major Freshman year. Most Freshman don't know what they want to major in.

Be warned, all parents and prospective students please. Don't let this happen to other families.