I have been accepted to both of these universities as a transfer but I was wondering if anyone knew what the pros and cons are being a student. I have visited both campuses and liked them both, but since I am not from around here, I don’t have friends that know much about them. I am pre-law.
I’m not sure about SMU but TCU is amazing. The campus is beautiful and the people are friendly. Small class sizes (around 27 students) and great athletic program… Also, the Greek life at TCU is great!
It depends greatly on what type of experience you’re seeking. My child was accepted - with merit scholarships - at both of the schools you mentioned, as well as UT Austin. S/he chose SMU probably due to the slick marketing and the fact that they basically “threw money” at him/her until s/he finally caved. Ultimately s/he feels UT would have been a far better choice, but again, it depends on what you study and what sort of environment you will enjoy. That being said, the SMU business school is well-repected and well-connected. The law school also has a very good reputation. My child was neither pre-law nor in the business school, but the one business class s/he took had an excellent professor. Another stand-out was the music department. If you plan to attend Cox or Meadows, you will likely have a good academic experience at SMU. Based on my child’s experience combined with feedback from his/her friends and classmates I’ve had the opportunity to visit with, I would say definitely do not attend SMU for statistics (one classmate had to change from a stat major simply because the school did not offer sufficient classes), physics (the department chair does not hold a physics PhD, plus there are few professors in the department), pre-med (no consistency with advisors…), or biology (poor quality in teaching staff). Lyle School of Engineering, however, has received better reviews from the SMU students I’ve visited with. The math department seems enthusiastic, although small. The rumors of Greek life and partying surrounding SMU are true. The campus is pretty and construction and improvements seem to be constantly underway. Some students feel the money could be better spent, but who is to say? Parking can be a nightmare, but this is a common issue on most university campuses. Most classes are small and most professors are quite accessible. Study abroad is popular. Research opportunities exist. Hope this helps.
Baylor has a great law school I have read so I would check them out too. Less greek nonsense too unless you are into that.