Perspective from an SMU Junior

Colleges and Universities A-Z Southern Methodist University
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To all those interested in SMU,

I’m currently a Junior at SMU. My current definition of a great university is very different to how I would’ve defined it when I was a high school senior. I suspect my view in high school is similar to those choosing colleges right now, so allow me to share my perspective.

It’s important to keep in mind that anybody’s goal in college is to maximize their well being (in terms of current well being and future well being). It makes sense that prospective students want all the best aspect of a University - good education, housing, meal plan, beautiful campus, student population, internships, etc. However, it’s important to understand what aspect deserve the most weight for making such an important decision.

A person’s well being is often determined by their career satisfaction. A student’s college year are really important, but its all intended to prepare for the next 40 years. For many, one of the most important determinants of their career is their first real job/internship. Since positions rely on qualifications, you first job will act as you first stepping stone. It sets you up for the next job or promotion. Of course it’s not as clear cut as this, but it’s important to keep in mind that the first job matters.

SO how do you get the most ideal first job? Go to a University that has an excellent education, provides connections, and helps you get excellent internships and jobs. (Keep in mind, any 4 year degree will get you a job, but you’re trying to get the best job.) All the extra stuff like housing arrangements, food service, student population, etc. are all temporary and shouldn’t be the focus of choosing the right school. Location is a bit more important, as your post-graduation job may be in the same city as your school. State economics play a role as well.

So what stats should you be looking at? Look at how many grads are getting jobs, and how much these jobs are paying? The super rich “famous alumni” are fun to look at, but they’re outliers and shouldn’t define a school.

From what I’ve seen at SMU, student can go very far and get well-paying jobs that make them very happy. I’m in the Cox School of Business, so I’m naturally biased. However, I’ve spend adequate time in Simmons, Meadows, and Lyle to understand that professor sand advisers will use their connections for your benefits (if you’re a good student of course).

Overwhelmingly, a student’s success in college is up to them. While searching for college, I asked myself, “What college is going to make me the happiest?” I should’ve been asking, “How can I make myself the happiest, and what college helps me do this?”

A very common worry for attending SMU is the student population/diversity. Keep in mind, there are thousands of students at every university. If finding friends is a worry for somebody, they should be more proactive in finding friends. I was an RA at SMU and have interacted with all types of students. The few unhappy students have an expectation that SMU is here to serve them. That’s not the case. Students will be rewarded for working hard by their University. Your happiness in college is up to you, so it’s important to find a school that will provide you with the best opportunities that can be taken advantage of and used to to boost future success.

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What a thoughtful and beautifully written post. It made my morning.

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Hey, if you wouldn’t mind answering a few questions, I am a senior in HS and looking at smu as an option for next year. Currently the only thing holding me back from committing is the hefty price tag that comes with smu. How did/are you paying for it? Are there abundant scholarship opportunities? And is it really worth the total cost to attend vs. state schools?

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Juniorjumper19 - In order from most to least, my school is being paid for by merit scholarship, parental support, RA scholarship, part-time work, and possibly loans. The most common merit scholarship is around 22,500-25,000 per year, and a majority of students are on scholarship.

While I can’t speak specifically to your SMU vs state school decision, I can say this. I was deciding between graduating debt-free at my preferred state school (University of Iowa) vs paying about $50k in loans at SMU. I desperately wanted to leave the Midwest area and explore the world more. After visiting SMU and the Cox School of Business, I knew that I would be well prepared for a great paying job which could quickly pay off my debt with proper money management. My state school seemed good, but SMU was outstanding. I plan to graduate near debt-free at SMU for a range of reasons - the main one being RA scholarship. This paid for room and board (~17k/yr).

College applications are a lot of work, so many students want to take a break after applications. However, college admissions follow ups can save you a lot of money. Contact admissions via phone after you get accepted and build personal relations. Tell a few jokes, and do whatever you can to make them like you. Then negotiate any scholarships. One of my friends received an extra 10k/yr through negotiating. You’re SMU’s customer, and can request better pricing for education. This type of stuff can save you tens of thousands of dollars, so it’s certainly worth your time. Skip your high school classes if you need time!

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thanks for your insights…we visited SMU today and I really liked it.

question for you - how many are in the Greek system? I like to have a good time, but am not a big partier so I don’t see myself in a fraternity etc…am hopeful to be considered for a BBA Scholar to make the cost more reasonable, hopefully have a chance with a 4.2 GPA and 35 ACT. Will see, really like SMU though.

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@adamfromiowa thank you for your input. My daughter was accepted at SMU, is very excited but we currently don’t have any merit scholarship, only FA. The price tag is still hefty. if you are able to email me, I am interested in how you were able to negotiate scholarship monies: bulldogagent@gmail.com

Thank you so much.

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@DG About 40% of students are in greek life, although it’s worth double checking from other sources.

Here’s the rundown of greek life at SMU. A lot of students go to parties during the first semester. SMU has spring rush, so freshman don’t belong to certain fraternities/sororities during the first semester. The parties are ‘open’, so all freshman are welcome. Rush occurs right after winter break, and all parties after this are closed. There are lots of mixers which are social events between certain sororities and fraternities. It’s pretty difficult to find a party if you aren’t in a fraternity or sorority during the first half of spring semester. During fall semester of sophomore year, it’s pretty easy to go to parties because they are still ‘open’, although fraternities really want freshmen to come. By spring semester of sophomore year, there’s much less focus on greek life. By junior year, most students are happily focused on their academics and the idea of fraternity/sorority exclusiveness fades away.

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So, are there more laid back or nerdy types at SMU? We went to an admitted students reception in Austin and felt a bit out of place around the dressed up families and administrators. We were in our usual Austin casual. My son will be at the Destination SMU event this coming Monday.

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Great post. I might look into SMU–I know they have a full tuition scholarship program (right? I’m not mixing this up with another school?). My area of interest is music, particularly choral/early/sacred music and music education. However, I really want to double-major, if possible, in math. What is your impression of the music program? Math program? How easy would it be to double-major?

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My daughter and I attended a reception in Los Angeles a couple of months ago. My daughter left the event feeling that everybody was much more “preppy” than she has ever seen. My daughter has attended public schools, and after talking with a few others at the event, I understand that a SMU is more popular among those who attend private schools.

My daughter attended a Destination event 2 weeks ago and felt less out of place than she did at the reception. I’d be interested in hearing whether you have a similar experience after you attend the Destination event.

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@ultimom SMU has many types of students. There are definitely laid back and more nerdy people at SMU, but I wouldn’t describe the general student population that way. Many SMU students are very social and stay busy through extracurriculars, double majoring, and working part-time jobs/internships. During SMU events, parents and students generally act more preppy and dress up. How was your Destination SMU experience?

@Racingfan53 SMU Presidential Scholars receive full tuition, room, and board along with some other benefits (from what I know). There are many double majors at SMU. The music program is more of a tight-knit group, along with other Meadows programs. Also, if you plan in being in the marching band, negotiate your scholarship. The guy in charge of scholarship allocation will likely give you a few thousand more if you act like you need it. I haven’t heard much about the math program, although it’s somewhat common for double majors in business and math.

@octrojan After attending Destination SMU and AARO, I was somewhat nervous that SMU wouldn’t be the right fit. Many people were talking about famous people they knew along with other impressive things they’ve done. Coming from a small town, I couldn’t relate at all. However, these conversations fade away once classes start because it provides something to talk about (compared to people just talking about themselves).

Hope this helps.

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@adamfromiowa thank you for your reply. I have a few more questions if you don’t mind. Do you know any music majors personally? What is your impression of the music program’s rigor?

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@adamfromiowa Can you speak a little in regards to internship opportunities OUTSIDE of the Dallas and all of Texas? Are Cox’s connections and reputation enough for students to gain internships and jobs in other areas of the country?

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There truly are a lot of scholarship opportunities at SMU, especially for athletes and high school students with high GPAs. I think over 70% of the student body has some kind of scholarship. Don’t let the price tag scare you from applying.