Texas Christian University in Fort Worth, Texas, is growing. There are currently about 10,500 undergraduates on its campus, and there’s a 10-year strategic plan with the goal of increasing that number to 15,000 by 2030. There’s a lot of construction underway to prepare for that, including two large residence hall developments. Coming soon will also be a new biosciences center, buildings to support its medical school that opened in 2019, and renovations and expansions to other existing buildings. Given plans to renovate at least one parking garage, freshmen will not be permitted to have cars on campus next year. You can read about the plans here: https://lnkd.in/eRTnKiyw... It’s heartening to hear of institutions that are in a financial position to grow despite the impending demographic cliff.

TCU has been cited by Princeton review for a number of things including #5 for Best Athletic Facilities, #4 for Most Beautiful Campus, #3 for Best-Run Colleges, #2 for Best Quality of Life, and #1 for Happiest Students. Despite its name, it’s not really a “Christian” college, and although one religion class is required, more than 60 faith traditions are represented on campus. Greek life is huge here, with 50% of all students involved, and 60% of females involved. Sorority recruitment begins a week before school starts in the fall.
Sports is also a big deal here; TCU is a member of the Big 12 Conference, and games are free for students.
Academics are strong; TCU has produced 39 Fulbright scholars since 2012. There are lots of majors across several schools and colleges, including Deaf & Hard of Hearing Studies, Food Management, Child Development, Fashion Merchandising, Strategic Communication, Computer Information Technology, Nutrition, Ranch Management, Design Studies, Digital Culture and Data Analytics, and Youth Advocacy & Educational Studies. I just love finding these niche majors! TCU is also very strong in the fine arts, with BFA programs in Theatre, Studio Art, Interior Design, Dance, and Art Education, and various Bachelor of Music degrees as well in the College of Fine Arts. It’s important to note that Business and Nursing, two competitive majors, are both direct entry.

My students who want warm weather, a beautiful campus, access to a major city, strong academics, and a slightly conservative culture love TCU. A little over half of the students come from outside Texas, and as southern institutions continue to become more and more popular, I wouldn’t be surprised if that number rises.