Thousands of college-age members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints attend a church-owned university, and thousands more high school seniors are preparing to apply for admittance next fall. At every Church-owned university, the Holy Ghost is present on campus, and students learn both spiritual and secular truths side by side.
But for all their similarities, Brigham Young University, BYU–Idaho and BYU–Hawaii have just as many differences. High school seniors who want to attend a Church school have a lot to consider. Here’s a comparison of the Church’s three four-year universities, with everything from admission statistics, campus life, distance from a temple and average daily temperature taken into account.
1. Number of students on campus every semester
BYU: 24,800 (undergraduate)
BYU–Idaho: 15,000
BYU–Hawaii: 2,500
2. Approximate number of applicants yearly
BYU: 11,600
BYU–Idaho: 7,000
BYU–Hawaii: 2,800
3. Ratio of male to female students
BYU: 55% male, 45% female
BYU–Idaho: 43% male, 57% female
BYU–Hawaii: 46% male, 54% female
4. Percentage of applicants accepted
BYU: 49%
BYU–Idaho: 99%
BYU–Hawaii: 29%
5. Average daily temperature (September through April)
BYU: Begins school year in low 80s, drops down to 40s during the winter
BYU–Idaho: Begins school year in low 70s, drops down to an average of 30 degrees in December and January
BYU–Hawaii: Remains in the low- to mid-70s throughout school year
6. Distance from a temple
BYU: Adjacent to Provo Utah Temple
BYU–Idaho: Adjacent to Rexburg Idaho Temple
BYU–Hawaii: Adjacent to Laie Hawaii Temple
7. Notable campus attractions
BYU: Provo Missionary Training Center
BYU–Idaho: None
BYU–Hawaii: Polynesian Cultural Center
8. Most popular majors
BYU: 1. Management, 2. Communication, 3. Exercise Science, 4. Mechanical Engineering, 5. Psychology
BYU–Idaho: (1) Business Management, (2) Exercise Physiology, (3) Biology, (4) Communication, (5) Elementary Education
BYU–Hawaii: (1) Business Management, (2) Biological Science, (3) Accounting, (4) Exercise & Sport Science, (5) International Cultural Studies
9. Availability of post-graduate degrees
BYU: Post-graduate degrees offered
BYU–Idaho: Associate’s and Bachelor’s degrees only
BYU–Hawaii: Associate’s and Bachelor’s degrees only
10. Percentage of international students
BYU: 6%
BYU–Idaho: 4%
BYU–Hawaii: 40%
11. Size of surrounding town
BYU: 116,000
BYU–Idaho: 28,000
BYU–Hawaii: 6,100
12. Things to do around town
BYU: Local businesses, Provo Canyon, local Wasatch Mountain Range, Salt Lake City within driving distance
BYU–Idaho: Yellowstone National Park, Grand Teton National Park, and Jackson Hole within driving distance
BYU–Hawaii: Nearby Honolulu, Pearl Harbor historic site, nearby beaches
13. Variations in dress and grooming standards
BYU: Standard CES dress and grooming standards
BYU–Idaho: CES dress and grooming standards, with additional restrictions on pants shorter than ankle length, flip-flops and an emphasis on avoiding casual attire
BYU–Hawaii: Standard CES dress and grooming standards
14. Type of athletic program
BYU: Division I NCAA
BYU–Idaho: No intercollegiate athletic teams
BYU–Hawaii: Phasing out its athletic program over the next three years
15. Number of majors offered
BYU: 180 (for bachelor’s candidates)
BYU–Idaho: 80
BYU–Hawaii: 52
16. Year founded
BYU: 1875
BYU–Idaho: 1888
BYU–Hawaii: 1955
17. University president
BYU: Kevin J. Worthen
BYU–Idaho: Kim B. Clark
BYU–Hawaii: Steven C. Wheelwright
18. Tuition
BYU: Undergraduate LDS: $2,425; undergraduate non-LDS: $4,850; graduate LDS: $3,065; graduate non-LDS: $6,130; Law/Business schools LDS: $5,640; Law/Business schools non-LDS: $11,280
BYU–Idaho: Undergraduate LDS: $1,875; undergraduate non-LDS: $3,750 (no graduate degrees offered)
BYU–Hawaii: Undergraduate LDS: $2,470; undergraduate non-LDS: $$4,940 (no graduate degrees offered)
19. Diversity among students
BYU: All 50 states, the District of Columbia and 110 countries represented
BYU–Idaho: All 50 states and more than 70 countries represented
BYU–Hawaii: 70 different countries represented (number of states not available)
20. Mascot
BYU: Cosmo the Cougar
BYU–Idaho: Thor the Viking (formerly)
BYU–Hawaii: Seasiders