SMU? Really?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If he were a girl you’d be even more concerned. Do you want him to get a job down there and stay?

While I share your politics, as a parent who has sent two kids far from my home, people say this to me all the time. And what I say is "I hope they stay and make their own path. Nothing would make me happier than to know my kid created a new life for themselves with friends and a job they chose in a new city. Isn't that the point of all of this."

The point is hoping your kids never move close to home?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:That is really strange. Look at some other colleges. It’s too far away, too religiously conservative. And it’s Texas. No one will take him seriously.

Wow, there are bubbles and there are BUBBLES.

[Anonymous]

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.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:That is really strange. Look at some other colleges. It’s too far away, too religiously conservative. And it’s Texas. No one will take him seriously.

Wow, there are bubbles and there are BUBBLES.

No seriously. “Your child won’t be taking seriously going to a college in one of the most rapidly growing states in the US.” Like I hate Texas too, but that’s loved experience- doesn’t change the fact that a SMU degree is perfectly fine and won’t be an issue come time to find a job.

[Anonymous]

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).

[Anonymous]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Southern_Methodist_University_people

[Anonymous]

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.

[Anonymous]

I'm the poster who talked about texas school options - in terms of private schools, it's not like here where they are dozens of strong private schools in an 8 hour drive like it is here. In Texas, there's Rice which is nearly impossible to get into, Baylor is really religious; Trinity is San Antonio is a very good liberal arts college, then there's TCU and SMU - with the texas admissions system it's hard to get into UT outside of the guaranteed admissions system even for a very good student, and A&M is like 60k students - great schools in many way but is not going to appeal to a student who wants more of a mid-size school experience or is looking for more of a liberal arts education. And it's a big state!

[Anonymous]

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?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm the poster who talked about texas school options - in terms of private schools, it's not like here where they are dozens of strong private schools in an 8 hour drive like it is here. In Texas, there's Rice which is nearly impossible to get into, Baylor is really religious; Trinity is San Antonio is a very good liberal arts college, then there's TCU and SMU - with the texas admissions system it's hard to get into UT outside of the guaranteed admissions system even for a very good student, and A&M is like 60k students - great schools in many way but is not going to appeal to a student who wants more of a mid-size school experience or is looking for more of a liberal arts education. And it's a big state!

Is it? My very non-religious relative attends from OOS and other than the dry campus, doesn't find the school particularly religious.

Feels like how Georgetown is religious for Catholics (i.e., not very and plenty of non-Catholics attend) they way he describes it.

[Anonymous]

Friend’s child is there and loves it. Kid went to private high school and received FA there and at SMU. Had no trouble rushing a fraternity. There is a lot of wealth there but the concern here about wealth seems overblown.

[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?

See this is where the caveats. It’s top 6% for students to get automatic admission in COLA (college of liberal arts). Majoring in math or science or engineering or business or nursing or advertising or…? You will automatically get into COLA, but your major isn’t guaranteed. Mccombs, the business school, is half automatic admission half non auto admit, because UT recognizes that auto admit is objectively harder in magnet schools and small, competitive privates.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If he were a girl you’d be even more concerned. Do you want him to get a job down there and stay?

While I share your politics, as a parent who has sent two kids far from my home, people say this to me all the time. And what I say is "I hope they stay and make their own path. Nothing would make me happier than to know my kid created a new life for themselves with friends and a job they chose in a new city. Isn't that the point of all of this."

The point is hoping your kids never move close to home?

I can see why you would say that bc this is not fully explained. My point is that I want my kids to choose for themselves where they want to live. I don’t want them moving home because they were not successful at making contacts and relationships where they went. Or moving home because they lack the confidence to follow their dreams. But if they choose to move close to home, of course I would love that-but - it is not about me.

[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?

Yes it is. Not pp but I know this.
It depends a bit on major but if you are not in top 6 percent, very unlikely to get engineering, business or cs. We have one or two a year. If you are communications or education with a lot of ec in that field, can drop down to 10 percent or so.
Top 6 percent is going to top 5 percent next year
In state non auto admission rate is same as out of state rate.

[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?

Very hard. Also hard for private school kids.

Also it is top 6% not 7%. Next year it will be top 5%.