<p>This forum is entirely dead compared to other school forums! Let's get some more comments and interesting topics of discussion! Anything from academics, parties, sports, activities, Dallas, to housing. ANYTHING! PLEASE! I really would appreciate all the information I can get before making a choice for college.</p>
<p>Hundred of viewers, but no replies? Come on, I KNOW you want to contribute something to these discussions.</p>
<p>well.....there is really nothing else anyone wants to know...</p>
<p>Ok, here, maybe this will spark some discussion: </p>
<ol>
<li><p>For those of you who attend SMU or those planning to attend, why did you choose to go to SMU? Please explain.</p></li>
<li><p>Top three things you like about SMU.</p></li>
<li><p>Top three things you dislike about SMU.</p></li>
<li><p>Rank the friendliness of the general student body, 1-5. 1 being the least friendly, 5 being the most. </p></li>
<li><p>Which dorms are the best for first-years to meet other first-years?</p></li>
<li><p>How common is it for first-years to get a suite-style dorm?</p></li>
<li><p>How helpful are the professors? Please explain or give a personal example.</p></li>
<li><p>How is the partying scene? </p></li>
<li><p>If you don't join a frat/sorority, are you looked down upon by those who have joined?</p></li>
<li><p>Please rank the general enthusiasm and spirit among students for the school, 1-5. 1 being the lame and boring, 5 being lively, happy, spirited.</p></li>
<li><p>Additional comments/stories/experiences. </p></li>
</ol>
<p>I'M REALLY TRYING TO CONTACT STUDENTS WHO ACTUALLY GO TO SMU. I'D LIKE SOME INFORMATION FROM A STUDENT STANDPOINT REGARDING THE TOPICS MENTIONED ABOVE. Any help would be great! Thanks!</p>
<p>wow...you were serious...well i don't think you will find many existing students on this board, since it mainly a college search board.</p>
<p>Most of these questions can be answered by your admissions counselor (thats why they are there). Your admissions counselor can also put you intouch with a few existing students as well.</p>
<p>why a suite-style dorm??</p>
<p>I'm interested in suite-style dorms, that's why. </p>
<p>Additionally, collegeconfidential is not just a college search board. On other forums, many students who attend a school or are planning to attend that school ask questions, talk to people, so that they can make the right decision for their life. But obviously, it seems that no one here is interested in even answering some simple questions. </p>
<p>"well.....there is really nothing else anyone wants to know..."
There's always something that someone wants to know. </p>
<p>Admissions counselors are there, yes. But I want a student perspective of the school. Admissions counselors cannot answer such questions as regards to an actual personal experience, parties, overall student attitude towards the school, etc. It's pretty sad that not even ONE person will reply to any of these questions. Is it that no one is really enthusiastic about SMU or just apathetic? Wait, why bother even asking questions?</p>
<p>as I said before....call your admissions counselor and they can put you intouch with a current student there. People at SMU are too busy partying to answer some questions.</p>
<p>I'm not a current student, but I've visited several times, done theatre plays over the summer there, and I live in Dallas anyway. Hopefully, I can try and answer some questions.</p>
<ol>
<li><p>For those of you who attend SMU or those planning to attend, why did
you choose to go to SMU? Please explain.
Well, I haven't decided to go yet, but I'll probably have to because of the
insane scholarships they've given me.</p></li>
<li><p>Top three things you like about SMU.</p>
<ol>
<li>Everyone there is SO nice.</li>
<li>Meadows is amazing for theatre.</li>
<li>Dallas is a vibrant community with a lot to do and explore (it's no New
York or Los Angeles, but it's a lot cheaper)</li>
</ol></li>
<li><p>Top three things you dislike about SMU.</p>
<ol>
<li>They are not as intellectually challenging as I would like (even with the<br>
Honors program)</li>
<li>They don't offer what I want to double major in (Comparative Literature)</li>
<li>There's too much of a sorority/frat scene for me.</li>
</ol></li>
<li><p>Rank the friendliness of the general student body, 1-5. 1 being the least
friendly, 5 being the most.
I guess 4? I mean, the people whose dorms I stayed in were super-nice
and incredible, but it's not like random people helped me out when I
needed somehting. At USC (just for comparison), a ton of people came
and talked to me at random times, showed me where everything was, or
just saw me walking and invited me to have breakfast with them.</p></li>
<li><p>Which dorms are the best for first-years to meet other first-years?
I've heard Boaz is the most social (but also way too many parties for me).
My favorite is the Virginia-Snyder Honors community because they
participate in activities with each other, but are also very conscious when
it comes to studies. </p></li>
<li><p>How common is it for first-years to get a suite-style dorm?
If you choose the Fine Arts or Honors Community, it's almost guaranteed.
Otherwise, you're a little screwed.</p></li>
<li><p>How helpful are the professors? Please explain or give a personal example.
From what I've seen, they are very supportive (especially for the size of
the university). One of the Theatre professors continuously calls me to see
if I need any financial aid or to answer my questions about the program or
the college. When I stayed at one of the dorms, my host had been sick
and I saw that she got emails from her professors asking how she was and
informing her of what she had to do for next class.</p></li>
<li><p>How is the partying scene?
I've heard it's pretty big/wild, especially in sororities/frats, but you don't
have to join in on it. In my opinion, it'd be comparable with USC's partying.</p></li>
<li><p>If you don't join a frat/sorority, are you looked down upon by those who
have joined?
No.</p></li>
<li><p>Please rank the general enthusiasm and spirit among students for the
school, 1-5. 1 being the lame and boring, 5 being lively, happy, spirited.
Eh... 3, none of them looked like they wanted to stab themselves, but
there wasn't much real school spirit. I mean, for the most part, they were
happy, but not necessarily woot-go-to-SMU.</p></li>
</ol>
<p>i agree, this places needs some discussion.</p>
<ol>
<li><p>I chose to go to SMU because it is easy to transfer to from where I currently go (I live in the DFW area), the business program is top-notch, SMU is THE school of Dallas, oh and the girls are hot.</p></li>
<li><p>Girls, location, everyone is friendly</p></li>
<li><p>the Greek scene, the girls can park anywhere on campus and the guys have to park in the back</p></li>
<li><p>5, during the tour some people just walked up and started talking to me and my cousin.</p></li>
<li><p>If you are horny and loud, Boaz; otherwise McAlveney is a safe choice. *<strong><em>tles is a *</em></strong>ty dorm place from what I have been told.</p></li>
<li><p>Not sure, i'm coming in as a sophomore. :P</p></li>
<li><p>They are ranked highly. A lot of the profs on ratemyprofessors.com have smilie faces next to them.</p></li>
<li><p>Most of the parties are hosted by the Greeks at bars and clubs around Dallas, you take a shuttle there so you don't have to worry about driving home. :)</p></li>
<li><p>I think that it isn't really looked down upon but you will probably feel a little left out at times.</p></li>
<li><p>4, nobody cares about the sports but most people tend to like it there.</p></li>
</ol>
<p>Hey! Thanks for your imputs!! And does anyone know what the Hilltop is? I got a letter a while back actually saying that I was welcomed to the campus on Hilltop. What does that mean? lol.</p>
<p>I don't know but I got a response in an email that had that in it as well. Here is the beginning of the email:</p>
<p>"Mr. Hunter,</p>
<p>Greetings from the hilltop here at Southern Methodist University!"</p>
<p>The admissions department is in the ginormous Blanton building. that might have something to do with the "hilltop".</p>
<p>that's exactly what I got. hm...</p>
<p>What are your general feelings towards SMU? Are you looking forward to going there? Also, tracemhunter, where are you transferring from? Sendtherain, are you going to go to SMU or USC? USC is such a great school! I wish I would have applied in time. blah..</p>
<p>I'm pretty sure that Hilltop Scholars is a honors community, but you don't have to take all the honors courses that... the other one does, lol. You get to live together in the same building and take your classes together there, too.</p>
<p>I've been debating it, and I really think USC has more to offer me in terms of general academics. But SMU does have a great BFA Theatre program (while I'd just be doing BA at USC). In the end, I'm hoping to go to Columbia if they give me enough aid. But otherwise, I think USC...</p>
<p>I hate making these kinds of deicisons :/</p>
<p>Ya, I know what you mean. Actually for me, it was down to SMU and Boston University. BU definately would have a lot more to offer, but since I'm planning on going into medicine or dentistry, it's a lot easier to get into med/dental school in Texas. So if I don't get into any med schools elsewhere, atleast I would have a chance in Texas. Gotta have a back up plan! I'm also considering transferring to Tufts my sophomore year. hm...</p>
<p>USC would probably be a better choice, but that's just me. And...it's in CALIFORNIA! :)</p>
<p>BU is actually my second choice. i am still waiting on decisions from both but i dont think i got into BU. I am about 80-85% sure i got into SMU but you never know.</p>
<p>oh...well good luck!</p>
<p>pdesai06,</p>
<ol>
<li><p>I went to SMU because it was close to home, I got a full-tuition scholarship, and there were study abroad/summer research opportunities I was interested in pursuing. I graduated in Spring 2004.</p></li>
<li><p>Passing people you know between every single class, approachable professors, a wide variety of majors and activities to choose from.</p></li>
<li><p>The huge Greek presence, the largely conservative atmosphere, and the lack of academic rigor and attention to the hard sciences. SMU overestimates its prestige, especially in a national rather than a regional context.</p></li>
<li><p>4, I guess? Greeks paid little attention to me, but I wasn't particularly looking to make friends with them either. People in your classes and your dorm will be very open to hanging out or forming study groups.</p></li>
<li><p>The two first-year dorms are Boaz and McElvaney. Boaz has a reputation for immature first-year males. Those two dorms are first-years only. You could end up in one of the others. Since I was a more studious kind of guy, I felt at home in the Honors Dorm, Virginia-Snider. Not everyone there is a first-year, but that's not a bad thing. I learned a lot my first year from the seniors who lived in the suite next door. Wherever you live, get out of your room as often as possible and hang out in the common areas to make friends. Or if you are in your room, keep the door open so people can poke their heads in and introduce themselves. The earlier you become the guy that is up for doing something fun, the easier it will be to get a wide circle of friends.</p></li>
<li><p>No idea. But I hope you get one. Community bath sucks. At least with suite bath you only share with three people and it would be harder for one of them to anonymously leave bodily fluids splashed all over the place.</p></li>
<li><p>Professors will be more helpful if they know you. This is key. Go to your classes, ask questions, do your homework, and go to their office if you have concerns or want to discuss a class topic further. Professors will love you for this, and it translates into getting a little slack when you screw up as well as getting more thoughtful recommendation letters for grad school or whatever. I overslept and missed a test in a class taught by a very tough professor. But since I did some extracurricular activities that she was in charge of, she knew me, and after I ran to her office and explained what happened, I was surprised to find that she let me take a make-up exam that afternoon.</p></li>
<li><p>I didn't go to parties, so I can't give you advice there. It seems like there were always ones going on.</p></li>
<li><p>I wasn't in one, so I don't know what they thought, but I got the impression that the Greeks stuck with each other and didn't need to concern themselves too much with what non-Greeks did. The converse is that if you aren't Greek, you don't have to be affected by the Greeks at all if you don't want to be. Find the friends you like and do what you want to do. There is a whole lot about campus life that you won't have a clue about simply because you're not connected to it, but there's nothing wrong with that.</p></li>
<li><p>Many students commute, so the campus isn't always a lively center of activity. If you care about football, you wouldn't have enjoyed going to SMU when I did. There are many other teams that do very well though, and I hear that the football team is improving too. My friends and I weren't superfans of the university, but then you get the students who run summer orientations or play in the Mustang Band, and they're all die-hard Mustangs.</p></li>
<li><p>The Hilltop refers to the whole university, which was originally higher than the surrounding area, so "welcome from the Hilltop" means "welcome from SMU". As far as other things to know, there's just general college advice to give: Save your quarters. Remember everyone's name. Go to class; your primary objective is to learn something. Consider studying abroad if you can. Get involved with student organizations or community service. Support the Mustangs at a home game. Go see <em>anything</em> that Meadows School of the Arts puts on; you won't be disappointed. Walk around at night when the fountains are going and a cool breeze is blowing. Take a random elective Pass/Fail just to see if it's interesting. But also: make sure you don't blindly trust your academic advisor. You should have a rough estimate of how long it'll take you to graduate and when you will complete each requirement. If you think you'll like it, go ahead and rush a fraternity or sorority. You are rarely locked into any decision you make in college. So go out there, study hard, and have fun!</p></li>
</ol>
<p>Well I got into SMU as a transfer on Tuesday and have decided to go there this fall.</p>
<p>SirToby, do you know anything about Cockrell-McIntosh dorms?</p>