<p>SMU is right on A&M’s tail in the USNews rankings, but I bet if you just went around asking what were the best 3 schools in Texas, everyone would say “Rice, UT, and A&M”. I havent heard anyone put SMU in front of A&M.</p>
<p>That is true, Vyse. But, I have to add that SMU is highly respected around the country. Many people go there from the upper east coast, the Chicago area, and the west coast. When I was there, my 3 roommates were from Greenwich, CN, Pensacola, FL, and Lake Forest, IL.</p>
<p>It’s not considered some regional hick school, and is probably more well respected outside of Texas than inside for whatever reason. ;)</p>
<p>I have. I know quite a few people who chose SMU over A&M, because they are doing business (cox ranks higher), AND they prefer a private school . UT and A&M are more popular in Texas because they are bigger state schools, they automatically accept top 10percent, they are cheaper, and the football is big. I have several friends who go to A&M and have no idea what SMU is, but they also hadnt heard of Vanderbilt, Villanova or Tulane (for example). Perhaps, those three are the best in some people’s opinion. Fine. BUT, I think a lot of people who would say those three schools in Texas are only niave.</p>
<p>I’m from Texas, and I had heard of all the schools before applying. I did my research, and visited campuses, and I only applied to SMU out of those. </p>
<p>So I guess in the end, everyone has their opinion, but my point is, not EVERYONE would say that, vyse.</p>
<p>The three Teir 1 schools in Texas are A&M, UT, & Rice… sorry SMU is not on the list of Tier1’s… </p>
<p>I am not saying SMU is not a good school… it is not a Tier 1 school. That isn’t an opinion… it is simply a fact, look it up…</p>
<p>SMU isn’t even on the Texas Ledislatures list to become a Tier 1 school…</p>
<p>The Texas House passed a bill April 24 designed to providing research funding for Texas’ seven “emerging research universities,” while a similar measure in the Senate continues to move forward. </p>
<p>The funding for bill – estimated at $500 million over the next two years – remains an issue in this cash-strapped session. A similar bill in the Texas Senate is moving forward, according to a spokeswoman for Sen. Judith Zaffirini, D. - Laredo, the key sponsor of that bill. </p>
<p>The House version of the bill, authored by Rep. Dan Branch, R-Dallas, was approved unanimously. The bill would create three funding pools to provide grant funds for the seven state universities that are seen as “emerging research universities,” including the University of Texas at Arlington, the University of North Texas, the University of Texas at Dallas, the University of Texas at El Paso, the University of Texas at San Antonio, the University of Houston and Texas Tech University. </p>
<p>The three funding pools would be designated the Research University Development Fund, the Texas Research Incentive Program and the National Research University Benchmark Fund. </p>
<p>Supporters of the push for more research funding for state universities say the state must increase research funding to keep Texas economically competitive. Three universities in the state – the University of Texas, Texas A&M and Rice University – are already considered Tier 1 research universities. Tier 1 research universities are generally defined as schools with annual research expenditures of more than $100 million. </p>
<p>While the concept has plenty of supporters, the current economic situation has left the state with a tight budget and that may hamper funding of the Tier 1 research university effort.</p>
<p>“Weighted more to the undergraduate experience, U.S. News & World Report ranks the top 100 Tier 1 national universities. On this list are Rice, Texas A&M, UT Austin—and SMU.”</p>
<p>Right out of D Magazine:
[D</a> Magazine: SMU Goes for the Top - SMU](<a href=“http://www.smu.edu/News/2008/smu-dmagazine-20nov2008.aspx]D”>D Magazine: SMU Goes for the Top)</p>
<p>Now, I don’t know if different websites, research programs or organizations have different standards for different tiers, but I DO know that many consider SMU Tier 1. </p>
<p>Maybe when you’re talking about research, SMU is not tier 1. I don’t know. But … sources clash because I have seen it listed as a tier 1 university.</p>
<p>The Texas State Ledislature does not consider SMU a Tier 1 school. SMU does not receive any Tier 1 money from the State of Texas, only Rice, A&M, and UT do.</p>
<p>SMU is a wonderful school, No Question. It is a highly ranked, highly reguarded school.</p>
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<p>While Rice is considered a Tier 1 University, it does not get any state funding from Texas - it is a private university, just as SMU is (albeit ranked much higher in US News). The Tier 1 funding initiative that is being taken by the state legislature is to add funding dollars to emerging PUBLIC universities in th state of Texas, ie. UT Arlington, UT Dallas, UTEP, University of Houston, etc. </p>
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</p>
<p>The only publice dollars that Rice gets is in the form of grants, specifically - national grants from departments such as Defense or Health and Human Services, in order to fund specific projects and research.</p>
<p>Rice isn’t and has never been part of the public university system in Texas, nor do they want to be…</p>
<p>Neither is SMU, TCU, Trinity, Austin College, etc.</p>
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<p>yes i agree with you 100%
SMU isnt in any average student’s eyes because it is small and selective. many people in the bush circles attended SMU and it is very well respected among the blue bloods in the bible belt. SMU is a Tier 1 school:</p>
<p>[Southern</a> Methodist University - Best Colleges - Education - US News and World Report](<a href=“http://colleges.usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/college/items/3613]Southern”>http://colleges.usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/college/items/3613) </p>
<p>it’s comparable to baylor and tulane! TAMU is better at the sciences b/c it is a land grant research university but that doesnt mean SMU doesnt do any research. </p>
<p>either choice cant go wrong.</p>
<p>Just one more thing: I’d dispute that SMU’s business school is any better than A&M’s, at least academically. It may have better access to firms in Dallas, but the Aggie network reaches across the whole state.</p>
<p>I don’t think SMU’s network is limited to Dallas firms. Cox is nationally recognized. I was actually in a business finance class today at SMU (Markets and Freedoms), and I was one of 4 people from Texas in the classroom. Not to mention, a good chunk of students were from a different country. There are about 50 or 60 students total. You might think A&M is a better school, that is your opinion, but COX isn’t only recognized in Dallas, or Texas.</p>
<p>And what do you define as prestige, Vyse? There is no doubt A&M is a wonderful school. Academically, I think A&M is among the best in Texas. BUT I don’t think good academics always comes with prestige. </p>
<p>Just curious, what makes a school prestigious is your opinion?</p>
<p>Vyse - several national rankings list SMU’s Cox Business School higher than A&M’s Mays. See article below from businessweek.</p>
<p>[Business</a> School Rankings and Profiles: EMBA, Executive Education, MBA, Part-time MBA, Distance MBA](<a href=“Bloomberg Businessweek - Bloomberg”>Bloomberg Businessweek - Bloomberg)</p>
<p>(Be careful and don’t fall for some of the propoganda A&M puts out about having such a wonderful “aggie network” - it is good but no better than networks from other tier 1 universities).</p>
<p>you gotta watch thoes aggies and their propaganda… really?</p>
<p>this is the A&M board, eledia why are you even here?</p>
<p>I will give you one good example of the famous Aggie Network.<br>
The County A&M Club where we live gave 6 scholarships to kids going to A&M from my daughters High School. My daughter got one of them. We are a town under 15K in population…
Not one other university “former student club” gave any kid anything. Not one, and we live in a college town…
NOT ONE
We live over 200 miles from College Station.
NOT ONE
we have kids going to UT, Baylor, UNT, Texas State, UTA, Tarleton State (hometown college), Sam Houston State, OU, OSU, TCU, SMU, San Angelo State, … +
NOT ONE</p>
<p>and that is
THE BEGINNING of The Famous Aggie Network in action
Gig’em!</p>
<p>Klparker312, her comment really seemed to get under your skin. She is probably on this board because someone else asked, “A&M or SMU?” Makes sense, right?</p>
<p>The fact that “The County A&M Club” gave your daughter and six others in your small town, doesn’t really help any argument that A&M’s network is bigger and better than SMU’s, or any other schools.</p>
<p>You live in Texas … so you’re really not showing how A&M can network outside of the state either. </p>
<p>I’m not sure If you really made a clear point here.</p>
<p>I believe it would eledia’s job to prove their point - If I had made this statement on the SMU board then I would supply supporting evidence. </p>
<p>I do not have to defend the Aggie Network on the A&M University board. </p>
<p>And yes, it does get to me when someone comes to another school’s board and slams the school. It shows disrespect. Disrespect bothers me, big time.</p>
<p><a href=“Be%20careful%20and%20don’t%20fall%20for%20some%20of%20the%20propoganda%20A&M%20puts%20out%20about%20having%20such%20a%20wonderful%20%22aggie%20network%22%20-%20it%20is%20good%20but%20no%20better%20than%20networks%20from%20other%20tier%201%20universities”>quote=‘eledia’</a>.
[/quote]
</p>
<p>Be careful, even arrogant longhorns admit A&M has a better alumni network. </p>
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[QUOTE=KyleField555]
You live in Texas … so you’re really not showing how A&M can network outside of the state either.
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<p>And your example of the amount of out of state people in one class in SMU fails to show how the Cox School of Business is well-known outside of the state. That sample size is much too small. Not to mention there’s a reason why, generally, private schools attract out of staters more often than public schools: it’s called scholarships. And in Texas, private schools have the advantage of no top 10% rule.</p>
<p>Propaganda was obviously too controversial a word to use. My apologies for the implications. Just trying to make a point that most major schools have major networks - not all promote it as much. Sorry!</p>
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<p>What? When did I say your usage of the word propaganda was offensive? You didn’t think it was your egotistical assumption that you knew anything regarding this school? A&M doesn’t “put out” anything but fine graduates, research, and dollars. Everything else is a byproduct of the people here. It’s the students who have made the network the success that it is today, not the school. Where else can you get a job simply because you wear a specific ring? That’s power, power that “most major schools” do NOT have.</p>