SMU? Really?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:DD and I really loved the school and felt it had the best vibes of anywhere we visited. Students are more "traditional" so that may be a concern. Would not recommend a liberal student go to SMU, even though Dallas is very liberal.

I would not describe Dallas as "very liberal".

It is a solidly blue place. Not really Dallas's fault that Texas surrounds it.

You clearly haven't lived in places like NYC, or compared it to colleges like Columbia. Dallas and SMU are extremely NOT liberal in comparison to the NE and the schools there.

[Anonymous]

I think Cox is one of the elusive 'hidden gems' that people sometimes ask about here, especially because it is in Dallas. I personally dislike Dallas because I find it soulless and corporate, but if you are business school student you have unlimited opportunities for internships and connections, especially coming from Cox.

[Anonymous]

I'm surprised that the OP has such a low opinion of SMU. It's not Harvard, but with the wokeness taking over the Ivy League and other "top" schools, they are no longer such a great place to go and do not carry the kind of prestige that they did for our generation.

SMU is exactly the kind of school that kids from the DC area are now looking at in place of the Ivies and formerly elite colleges.

It is nationally known.
Good business school.
Very respected in Texas and the neighboring states.
Football team is back to national prominence.
Women students are beautiful.
Wealthy, conservative student body.

You could do a lot worse.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm surprised that the OP has such a low opinion of SMU. It's not Harvard, but with the wokeness taking over the Ivy League and other "top" schools, they are no longer such a great place to go and do not carry the kind of prestige that they did for our generation.

SMU is exactly the kind of school that kids from the DC area are now looking at in place of the Ivies and formerly elite colleges.

It is nationally known.
Good business school.
Very respected in Texas and the neighboring states.
Football team is back to national prominence.
Women students are beautiful.
Wealthy, conservative student body.

You could do a lot worse.

One look at the A2C Reddit says otherwise. Students nationwide and internationally are breaking their necks trying to get in.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Most of TX is horrible. SMU is for frat bros. Have him go elsewhere

Sorry you didn't get a bid.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:SMU is strong academically and leads to great career options. The problem for me, as someone with several family members and friends who attended and now friends with kids who attend, is their drug culture is next level. Coke is as prevalent at SMU as beer is at other schools. I know kids who were goody-goodies in HS, who would be the last one you’d think would try drugs, go to SMU and start dabbling in hard drugs. DS’s psychiatrist (who he sees for ADHD) told us he’s seen so many addictions start at that school that he’d never send a kid there.

TCU has become the preferred in-state private school for UMC and wealthy Texas families because it’s more down-to-earth, less flashy wealth and less of a drug culture. SMU is drawing a lot of wealthy California types.

+1 to the bolded. TCU also attracts CA students.

[Anonymous]

Since OP seems mostly concerned about the possibility of her kid attending a school that has a 50% admissions rate, that issue may get resolved somewhat since SMU announced several weeks ago that applications are already up 50% for 2025. I suspect there are a lot of kids counting on SMU as a safety that may get a surprise.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:SMU is strong academically and leads to great career options. The problem for me, as someone with several family members and friends who attended and now friends with kids who attend, is their drug culture is next level. Coke is as prevalent at SMU as beer is at other schools. I know kids who were goody-goodies in HS, who would be the last one you’d think would try drugs, go to SMU and start dabbling in hard drugs. DS’s psychiatrist (who he sees for ADHD) told us he’s seen so many addictions start at that school that he’d never send a kid there.

TCU has become the preferred in-state private school for UMC and wealthy Texas families because it’s more down-to-earth, less flashy wealth and less of a drug culture. SMU is drawing a lot of wealthy California types.

TCU is a perfectly fine school, but this just isn't true.

[Anonymous]

The rankings of SMU alongside Rutgers-Newark (not evey the flagship Rutgers), Temple, Cal State Long Beach may be fair from an academic standpoint, but you get a better experience at SMU because it is private.

Just because it has a high admission rate doesn't mean it isn't a good school. Not every school is going to be a T50 let alone an Ivy so there are schools for all different students.

SMU caters to the slightly above average student who is looking for a more comfortable environment. If people want to pay for that, let them without casting aspersions.

[Anonymous]

10 pages of this?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:10 pages of this?

People create their own discussions. No big deal. You can scroll on now.

[Anonymous]

Are people really equating SMU with Ivy League schools? Just stop. It isn't even a T100 school. The insanity here keeps growing.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I grew up in Texas and have a sibling who went there; SMU has a good reputation in Texas and regionally, strong alumni network. This "oh it's a bunch of rich kids" is hysterical - like any top 20 is different?? Give me a break. There are fewer options in Texas for colleges generally, so SMU pulls a wider swath of kids in terms of ability than you might think, and many kids who can't get into UT now that you have to be top 5% of class basically. The sorority culture and pressure to look good for girls is I think the only big con - make sure your daughter will be comfortable with that. Very good option for a business major or pre-med; I bet she'll get merit aid. Very high chance she would stay in Texas though - there is just lots of gravity to stay there with network and most kids are going to be from there. There are lots of incredibly interesting smart educated liberal people in any Texas city. My friend base there is just as liberal and educated as my friend base here after 15 years in DC.

Curious compared to what...California? You have the UT system, Texas A&M (and it's orbit), SMU, TCU, etc.

SMU and TCU seem to need to pull quite a few kids from OOS, so seems like there are plenty of options for kids from Texas (and plenty of kids from Texas that end up going OOS).

Texas family and it’s a very common sentiment. If you’re liberal, it’s really just UT that is an overwhelmingly liberal campus, so all the kids from the city try to go to UT, but it’s a very tough admit for most applicants. The rest of the UT system is notably worse than Austin, so then you have TAMU which is pretty :/ for a liberal.

UT is auto admit if you are top 7% of your class...but is it really that hard in state if say you are in top 20% and have good grades and test scores?

UT Austin is top 6% autoadmit. Moving to top 5% starting next year. The in state acceptance rate for kids not in top 6% was 11% last cycle. (Carnegie Mellon has an 11% acceptance rate, Notre Dame was 12% last year).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Several kids from our Bethesda k-8 ended up going to SMU. I do find it odd considering there are lots of closer schools that are just as good.

Clearly, you do not understand the appeal of SMU and of Dallas, Texas. Wake Forest students are most similar to SMU students, but Dallas is a far better city than Winston Salem.

This is a stretch, there is a significant difference between the stats of kids at these two schools.

Auburn, FSU and TCU are good comparisons to SMU.

NP here. Wake and SMU students are very similar in feels and vibes. Much moreso than Auburn and TCU. I'd throw UMiami in there instead of FSU. We're not talking about SAT scores in this sub.

Kid was offered full ride to SMU and I think he would've accepted had he not been admitted to vandy. I think he dodged a bullet, though, because I don't think he would've fit in at SMU. Too earnest, too basic UMC and no game.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Are people really equating SMU with Ivy League schools? Just stop. It isn't even a T100 school. The insanity here keeps growing.

It has always been a T100 school.