<p>My sister goes to SMU, and it is a very pretty college. I love the campus, the happiness of the students, and the party scene, but I'm looking for a school that is not so conservative and has better academics (yet still has a big greek life, and lots of pretty happy students haha). </p>
<p>Any suggestions on schools similar yet different to SMU?</p>
<p>Any Southern school will usually do you good as far as the Greek and party scene, but you said you didn't want conservative. I'm not as good of a resource for liberal schools, but overlaps with SMU from my school are Vandy, Wake, W&L, Georgia, etc.</p>
<p>TCU is similar, but stronger academically.</p>
<p>SMU is superior to TCU academically
also look at tulane</p>
<p>Yeah, I used to think that I'd never want to go to a rich southern school because I'm pretty liberal, but going and visiting makes you realize that just because people have different political views doesn't mean they are bad people.</p>
<p>I know that may seem dumb, but maybe some of you understand where I'm coming from..</p>
<p>Dickinson? Colgate?</p>
<p>Really? I had always heard that TCU was superior. I suppose they're peer schools, if anything. </p>
<p>Anyway, I agree that Tulane could be good. </p>
<p>Maybe Florida State? It's a party school, with southern charm and relatively liberal view points.</p>
<p>Rhodes?</p>
<p>UTD maybe?
UTD is wayyyyy more academic then SMU... but doesn't have a name...
SMU is one of a kind... in sort of a bad way... USC and Vanderbilt maybe?</p>
<p>Lehigh, Virginia, Bucknell, Lafayette, Miami U (ohio), Davidson, Dartmouth, Kansas.</p>
<p>Who would WANT a school similar to SMU? Sorry- I'm not a fan. After 28 years of living very close to SMU, I see it (with the exception of a few strong programs) as Grade 13 for the wealthy public high school directly to the south of campus.</p>
<p>^ Forbes Magazine would disagree - they say that SMU is the 13th best National University, just ahead of Cornell, Duke, and MIT.</p>
<p>^^ Yeah, well, if you believe that can I sell you some real estate???</p>
<p>I believe SMU's cross admit data with those schools is about .6% to 99.4%.</p>
<p>every student who i've ever talked to who attends or has attended SMU said they loved it</p>
<p>I'm sure they do. It's a very homogenous student body. Most are extremely preppy and the frat/sorority scene is big. Many are triple legacies in their frats or sororities and have been slated to be a Kappa (or whatever) at SMU since birth. The school offers some great merit money to attract high scorers, but most don't take the offers. Graduate business school is good and a lot of the arts/music programs are good. Sports have pretty much disappeared (remember the 80s and all the scandals?). If you aren't extremely attractive and/or have an eating disorder or were the star of your high school lacrosse team, you might not like the school as well.</p>
<p>Since you are looking for SMU's party culture and its social benefits, yet seek to experience a better academic envrionment, schools like Vanderbilt, USC, UVa all perfectly fit into your description. All these schools have top notch academics, yet have huge greek scenes with very beautiful campuses. Not to mention, very attractive student body as well.</p>
<p>Thanks alot.</p>
<p>USC has always been at the top of my list, I just don't know if I could get it.
Only a sophomore, but I'll probably end up with about a 3.3 and a 1400 or so.</p>
<p>Definitely Tulane! Great social life, Greek scene (if that's your kinda thing), AMAZINGLY BEAUTIFUL campus yet it's a much better school and is a lot less conservative. The perfect option, IMO.</p>
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Who would WANT a school similar to SMU? Sorry- I'm not a fan. After 28 years of living very close to SMU, I see it (with the exception of a few strong programs) as Grade 13 for the wealthy public high school directly to the south of campus.
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<p>Every time SMU comes up, you trash it. Why? How exactly is it any different from Southern state schools (UGA, SC, TN, etc. tend to be white and preppy) or Vandy or any other school with these qualities?</p>