I have a son that is looking at housing options at Baylor. Could someone share their experiences or their student’s experiences at the Honors Residential College and the Brooks Residential Colleges.
My daughter is a Freshman this year and she was also torn between HRC and Brooks. She eventually opted for Brooks because she was honestly concerned that HRC might be a little too nerdy for her, and she really loved the idea of the community focus of Brooks. She visited both dorms prior to making her decision and felt good about her choice, but this fall she quickly realized that if she had to do it again, she would have chosen HRC instead. She says that while she’s made some great friends at Brooks, the students at HRC are much more of a community than what she’s experienced at Brooks. In addition, there are special Honors class sections with fabulous professors that are only offered to students who live in the HRC, the location is ideal, and she thinks the food is better at Memo. 
She has many friends at HRC, and while she was right that there are some students who do nothing but study, the majority are well-balanced kids who are involved in many activities, in addition to being serious about their school work.
Thank you! That is helpful to know.
I spent my first two years at Baylor as a resident of Alexander Residence Hall and the Honors Residential College and had a great experience. I mostly chose Alexander/HRC over Penland/Martin because of the room configuration and I wanted to be around other students in the same programs as me (BIC/Honors).
The choice between the two at first looks like picking an apple from another apple: both of them are basically in the same quadrant of campus, have a dining hall, classrooms, a chapel, and typically house a certain “type” of student (studious, involved on campus). The difference really lies within the actual buildings and the community aspect.
Brooks is a newer construction and a newer residential college than the HRC. The facility at Brooks is outstanding, and I think it sort of set the model for the other residential colleges/communities that popped up in more recent years. It’s a fun experience to live in such a beautiful, modern, residential college with great common areas. I loved eating at Brooks Dining Hall, it was much quieter and a great place to have conversations with people than Memo or Penland. For Brooks residents, Brooks Dining Hall also doubles as a study space for Brooks residents after it closes, as a bonus.
And while the Brooks Community Leaders/RAs do a great job of facilitating community there, I will say that community felt more tight-knit at the HRC. Brooks does not really establish any program-specific requirement for anyone to apply there, compared to the HRC where its backing depends on being in an honors program. It’s often the case that HRC residents are going to class together, and then living in the same spaces. And even for non-HRC residents that are in an honors program, a lot of Honors College events take place in the Alexander Study Room or the Memorial Drawing Room, so the residential space also doubles as a community hub.
I will say though, the HRC culture can be a lot to take in at times. Nerdy is definitely a good word to describe it. It can also be intimidating, as it was for me - I was a first generation college student who came from a rural high school - but even so, I made great friends there and got very involved. Hope this helps!
@clubmaster Thank you! Your comments are very helpful!