The personalized private alternative to Texas-sized state universities. Tuition is less, and the student body less affluent, than that at archrival SMU. Though affiliated with the Disciples of Christ, TCU goes lighter on religion than, say, Baylor. Strengths include business, communication, and the fine arts. Strong sense of community and school spirit.

You know a school has spirit (if that’s the right word) when its students paint themselves purple to cheer raucously for a spiky toad. Although outsiders might be baffled by such a display, Texans know these folks are TCU fans cheering for the home team (officially known as the Texas Christian University Horned Frogs) at a Saturday afternoon football game. There’s a true sense of school spirit and solidarity here. And while TCU is more selective than rivals Southern Methodist and Baylor, it has a reputation for being more accessible.

The spacious 291-acre campus is kept in almost perfect condition and features tree-lined walkways and grassy areas. Nearby is a lovely residential neighborhood not too far from the shops and restaurants of downtown Fort Worth. The campus, which dates to 1873, boasts an eclectic mix of architecture, ranging from neo-Georgian to contemporary. Notable facilities include the Walsh Center for Performing Arts, a 56,000-square-foot performance hall and theater complex, as well as the new Hays Business Commons.

Students choose their majors from 117 disciplines, with the core curriculum embodying the base of the liberal arts education. The core emphasizes critical thinking and is divided into three areas: essential competencies; human experience and endeavors; and heritage, mission, vision, and values. There are freshman seminar courses, along with a student orientation and Frog Camp (an optional summer camp that emphasizes team building and school spirit). TCU’s standout programs are business, nursing, biology, communication, education, and fine arts. The most popular majors are nursing, finance, strategic communication, and communication studies. In the Neeley School of Business, some students manage a $1.5 million investment portfolio that is one of the largest student-run investment funds in the nation. The university also offers an innovative dance program with a ballet major, a strong theatre internship program, and majors in ranch management and comparative race and ethnic studies.

“The academic climate is challenging but encouraging,” reports a journalism major. “There is tremendous support from peers, faculty, and staff.” Classes are often small, with 40 percent enrolling fewer than 20 students, which according to a senior makes for “an inclusive and comfortable classroom setting.” Professors often take on the role of mentors, as do academic advisors. “My advisor is so eager to help,” says a student. “I think he really enjoys giving me advice.”

Top achievers may be invited to join the honors college, living together in the honors dorm their first year and pursuing individual research opportunities as part of their honors thesis senior year. “Honors classes are focused more on critical thinking, ethics, and human connections rather than definitions and formulas,” explains one participant. Globally minded students can travel to 33 countries to study abroad in more than 250 programs, including 47 led by TCU faculty; 44 percent do so. Career services, which are specific to each college, get high marks, and students also recommend getting involved with leadership opportunities offered through Student Development Services and the Leadership Center.

“Students at TCU have a healthy balance of kindness and competitive spirit,” comments a neuroscience major. The student body is fairly homogeneous; 48 percent are from Texas, many from affluent, conservative families. African Americans account for 5 percent of the student body, Hispanics 15 percent, Asian Americans 3 percent, and multiracial students 2 percent; 4 percent of students are international. Lack of diversity is a top concern among students, but a junior notes that TCU has been “taking a lot more interest in diversity and inclusion efforts within everything from recruitment and admissions to first-year experience programs.” This is hardly an activist campus, and although TCU is affiliated with the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), the atmosphere is not overtly religious. TCU offers merit awards averaging $19,100 and 232 athletic scholarships.

Fifty-two percent of the student body lives on campus. Dorm life is a good experience, with up-to-date facilities and helpful staff. “TCU works to make such an amazing community that I would live in Milton, my freshman dorm, forever if I could,” enthuses a biology major. Most juniors and seniors, however, move off campus, and fraternity and sorority members may live in their Greek houses after freshman year. Campus meals receive average reviews, except for Sunday brunch. “No one misses Sunday brunch,” says a salivating finance major. “Lobster macaroni and cheese, chocolate fountains, pastries, mountains of fruit, I could go on for days.” An evening transportation service, Froggy Five-O, takes you wherever you want to go on campus, and students say they feel safe. The annual, weeklong It’s On Us campaign works to raise awareness of sexual assault, and a senior says, “I am proud of TCU for addressing it head-on.”

Greek life is important at TCU; 18 percent of the men and 32 percent of the women join Greek organizations. They party in the esprit de corps tradition, but there’s plenty of fun left on campus and in Fort Worth to keep the non-Greek Frogs hopping. “Alcohol violations are a big deal,” says a student, and involve a three-strike system. Students look forward to the annual fall concert that brings big-name acts to campus, and the traditional lighting of the Christmas tree (featuring carols, hot chocolate, cookies, Santa, reindeer, and even fireworks) is always a special event. “Fort Worth is cultured and has plenty of things to do,” says a senior. “The stockyards let you get in touch with the inner country in you, and no one should miss a visit to Billy Bob’s, the world’s largest honky-tonk.” Dallas is only 45 minutes to the east, and other road trips include Austin, San Antonio, the Gulf Coast, and Shreveport, Louisiana.

TCU fields 21 athletic programs, which compete in the tough Big 12 Conference. The Horned Frog women’s rifle team won the national championship in 2019. Nine TCU teams were nationally ranked in the 2019–20 season, with football, baseball, men’s tennis, and men’s and women’s track and field performing particularly well. Intramurals are a popular choice with students as well.

From its student-friendly admissions process to its dedication to supporting and developing students once they hop onto campus, TCU is an accessible university offering a personalized educational experience. The school’s warm students have no shortage of purple pride. As one junior says, “TCU is full of rah-rah school spirit and a student body that never fails to say, ‘Go Frogs!’”

-Fiske Guide