<p>To my understanding smu is known for being a school of the rich and wealthy...a friend told me that they pride themselves on having an elite business school and most of the students drive expensive cars and wont think twice about speaking to you if dont have an equivalent stock portofolio/net worth...is there any truth to this</p>
<p>I sure hope not, because my son will be attending there and does not fit that stereotype! I do think there are some students like that, but not the majority! I see that the dorms are priced according to how recently renovated, so I figure we should stay clear of the more expensive ones, to avoid the type of people you are referring to!</p>
<p>HI. I transferred into SMU (OK 30 years ago), but even at that time it had the same reputation of wealth and snob appeal. I arrived with an old beat-up volkswagen beetle and was pretty amused when students with the latest Saabs, BMWs etc. actually preferred piling into my car to head over to Greenville avenue. I still keep in touch with many of my professors and a handful of classmates from both undergrad and grad school. And I very much enjoyed teaching there as well as a young teaching fellow. </p>
<p>If your son is attending for the right reasons--a particular wll-reputed academic department and/or professor, sports team, climate, urban school, "feeling", etc... then SMU will do just fine. If it's to be with friends from high school, that's less of a good reason, but not too uncommon. I now teach and work overseas in a European university. The world is one's oyster as they say (not sure who actually), so it's wise to think big!</p>
<p>SMU is in conveniently placed within the neighborhood of Highland Park. I went to go visit the place only to discover Hummers, BMW's, and get this: an Aston Martin</p>
<p>There is an article about SMU in the latest issue of Texas Monthly that discusses some dark aspects of student life, including the lifestyles of some very wealthy students. The article discusses SMU student deaths due to drug and/or alcohol abuse and the alleged cover up by SMU leadership to protect the reputation of the university and of the families of some wealthy students. </p>
<p>D was accepted to SMU last year but decided not to attend. After reading this article I am glad that she chose another school.</p>
<p>Yes, I saw this article. This was very sad and happened 2 years ago. I feel so bad for the parents. It appears that SMU has taken action with some Drug programs in recent years. Drugs seem to be a problem in most colleges.</p>
<p>True, but with a school like SMU: rich kids, relatively average acceptance rate= lots of drugs! Particularly cocaine and ADHD medication.</p>
<p>ATX-As a student at UT-Austin you must know that there are plenty of drugs there as well, as there are at all colleges, unfortunately.</p>
<p>HA! All the drug talk and scare of students dying at SMU is ignorant and almost comical. EVERY university is going to have problems with drugs, and EVERY university is going to have students die for various reasons, including drugs and alcohol. </p>
<p>I transferred to SMU from a state university in Texas, and I was around drugs ALOT more at the state unviversity. While at the state university, I heard (from newspaper articles and valid sources) about someone killing himself while on drugs, someone drowning in river raft while intoxicated, and someone dying in their apartment complex for unkown drug-related reasons. </p>
<p>THIS IS COLLLEGE! SMU is just talked about more because it’s obviously a more recognized school. It’s silly to think that SMU is the only one with this problem though.</p>
<p>P.S - SMU’s acceptance rate is 50% for fall 2009. Less than UT or A&M.</p>