I am an African-American senior from Chicago, and I will be attending one of these two universities. Both fall around the same price for me, so it’s come down to which has the most to offer. I plan to study marketing and have been accepted to both universities’ business schools.
SMU’s Cox School of Business has a great reputation, but I have of course heard of what the stereotypical SMU student is like. As a minority student that doesn’t come from a wealthy family, I’ve been worried about if the adjustment would detract from my experience. I have never been to the campus, but from what I’ve seen in pictures, it looks like a place I could see myself enjoying for the next four years, IF I’m able to adjust. Do the “Southern Millionaire’s University” stereotypes hold true, and would they have a large impact on my experience?
On the other hand, while DePaul doesn’t have the same prestige as SMU, their business school is still excellent from my understanding. I have friends going to this school, and being close to home would also be a pro in some ways (aside from terrible Chicago weather). With DePaul, I’ve just heard a lot about it being a commuter school, and that students transfer out a lot. If the school really has no sense of community, then I may be better off at SMU. Are these judgements about DePaul accurate?
Ultimately, I’m simply seeking any input from anyone with more information or experience than I have. Where would my education be in good hands for the next four years?