Brigham Young University, Hawaii Admission
Brigham Young University, Hawaii Undergraduate Program
Brigham Young University, Hawaii Application

The Facts

Brigham Young University is a rather small, private institution run by and closely linked with the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, colloquially known as the Mormon Church. The university is located in the small, yet gorgeous town of Laie, about 30 minutes from the city of Honolulu, and is home to over 2,450 undergraduate students and approximately 270 part-time professional students. These students can take classes in one of the 3 undergraduate schools that offer academic programs in the areas of the liberal arts, business, and education. These undergraduate programs offer broad majors in the areas of biological science, business (which includes a popular tourism management program), communications and the arts, computer and physical science, education, health professions, as well as social science (which includes an interesting division of Hawaiian studies). BYU Hawaii offers its students a wide variety of majors in both the liberal arts and in preprofessional disciplines, however, some of the most popular with students include majors in the areas of international business management, information systems, as well as psychology.

Admission to Brigham Young University is extremely competitive, particularly for those students who are not members of the Mormon Church, as members automatically get priority for admission. Last year, over 3,000 students applied for admission, and approximately 860 of those students were admitted. Eventually however, only about 225 of the admitted students actually enrolled for the coming Fall semester. The admitted students had an average combined SAT score ranging from 1200 to 1400, and an average comprehensive ACT score ranging from 24 to 32. Additionally, more than 75% of those admitted were ranked in the top 25% of their high school graduating class with an average high school GPA of about a 3.8.

Brigham Young University, Hawaii has a very manageable student to faculty ratio of 20:1, and most students say that one of the best qualities of attending the school is the large amount of one on one attention they receive from their professors. Most of the classes are under 20 students, and are discussion based. There are some general education lectures, but they aren’t massive, and are usually supplemented by small seminar groups.

The Social Scene

Hawaii is an amazing place, and even though the town of Laie is quite small, there is plenty to do. Surfing, rock climbing, snorkeling, swimming, lounging on the beach; all these activities go hand in hand with daily life and routine for BYU Hawaii students. Honolulu is also very close, about a 30 minute drive away, so when students want a bit more urban experience, they can easily head into the city. BYU has very strict rules that coincide with the Mormon faith, having to do with alcohol, segregation of the sexes, and even caffeine. If you are a late-night party animal, BYU is probably not the place for you. However, if you like a familial, wholesome, academic environment centered on service, BYU is right up your alley.

The dating scene is an interesting one; Mormons tend to get married very young, and promiscuity is not encouraged... expect to find your husband in the first few months...

What’s Good

“The teachers and administration here really do care about you, and you feel that from them 24-7.”

“The people here are very welcoming and make you instantly feel like you’re a part of the family.”

“There is so much to do here, it’s incredible. You’re basically going to school in a paradise.”

What’s Bad

“If you want to do any drinking, any partying, any “sleep overs,” forget it.”

“Yeah, you have the beach nearby and everything, but there’s a lot of work to do, and you get bored fairly easily.”

“You are always being watched by ‘big brother,’ and if you are spotted doing anything slightly rebellious, you can expect to be promptly booted out.”

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