Thank you for your insight and advice!
I appreciate you sharing your daughter’s experiences. I did plan a call with a current student of color, so I’m hoping to gain some insight there. Thank you for your encouragement and help!
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Also, my S20 has been offered the opportunity to transfer to SMU for fall '21 with significant FinAid - though far short of the great offer you have. In fact, SMU continues to try to woo him. It was on his list last year during his application season, but he ended up elsewhere. We took a long look at SMU and both liked it a lot. He’s not going to transfer because he is very happy where he is currently, but he very easily could be a mustang now and I would have no qualms about it.
Good luck to you in making a tough decision.
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Don’t over complicate - both are near elite schools.
You have the city. You have the country. You have tiny. You have mid-size.
Where do you feel comfortable? Where can you afford?
That’s the two factors that matter.
Millions go to no name colleges and do fine. Many Harvard people work for people from schools like Southern Illinois.
You need to spend four years there. You don’t make a decision like this based on reputation or what others think.
Good luck.
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I think either will set you up for success. Find the best fit. Drill down into each school, your program of study and all the requirements. Make sure you understand what you’ll need to graduate.
I think your approach is good. It sounds like you’ve narrowed your choices to two schools. Just keep reaching out to resources at both schools and talk to other kids and parents. You still have a month to choose. You’ve given yourself plenty of time to research. Good luck.
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@tsbna44 , I strongly disagree. The OP is not over complicating this.
For families of color, this is a very important topic. For many students, the racial atmosphere on a campus could be the difference between graduating with honors and dropping out. it could be the difference between college being the greatest 4 years of a person’s life, or 4 years of hell that must be endured.
For families of color, how a campus/administration attend to issues like race and equity is 99% as important as affordability.
Look at the incidents occurring at Sewanee over the past 12 months. I would not want one of my children of color to be there at this time. The OP is correct to do her due diligence and investigation of these two universities.
As you said, she should find out where she would be most comfortable. For a student of color, how a school addresses racial issues goes a long way to determining if that institution will be a comfortable place to be for the next four years.
A student can’t be “set up for success” if the student ends up dropping out because of undlying racial issues at the campus.
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I know she is a person of color and I am not minimizing that.
I was responding to this question she asked in reply to me.
Personally, which business programs between SMU and W&L do you think are better?
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Do you think that you will receive more early career benefits from alumni of Washington & Lee or from alumni of Southern Methodist University (SMU) ?
Washington & Lee is an exceptional school for the right type of individual. Could be heaven or could be hell. Beautiful school, gorgeous location, strong academics, lots of social life–mostly revolves around Greek activities–but it is a small school of about 1,800 undergrads & a few hundred law students.
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I’m not entirely sure. I know that being a BBA Scholar at SMU will give me a lot of networking events with alumni and Fortunate 500 companies in Dallas. Washington and Lee does have a very strong alumni network as well with some occasions to connect with graduates. Not sure how often though. As you said that W&L could be hell, would be able to elaborate?
I think she’s getting at it’s rural, it’s a small town, and the perceived issues with POC - which are not to be minimized (nor was I trying) - i was answering the which is better for business.
I think you’ve been given a lot of great info - talk to POCs at both schools. It looks like there’s actually about 18-19% minorities at both schools. Faculty is less diverse (88%) than students at W&L. Can’t see for SMU.
I think these are two fantastic schools - and you’re going to be fine either way. But again - is small, in the mountains, greek oriented, lots of outdoor activities your thing. Or is mid size, in the city, with a lot more access to diverse activities (sports, music, theatre, food, etc.) more your speed.
You might speak to a couple professors too - or students - find out are you a # or are you a human being. I know you’re a human being at W&L; I suspect the same at SMU as opposed to a large state school where you are a # 
I really do think the non-academic parts are what you need to address - academically and career prep wise, both are going to deliver.
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W&L is a great school with a strong personality. A small, rural LAC with a strong campus culture can be four years of heaven for those who fit in, but for those who do not fit in it can be an uncomfortable four years.
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Congratulations ! Echoing other posters in that you can’t go wrong either way although the experiences may be vastly different. So much in determining your success and happiness is up to you in what you do while at whichever you pick As a parent of a current junior, but familiar with both schools, I have these thoughts:
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BBA scholar is a positive !
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I don’t agree with the assumption that one school is more “academically challenging” than the other. Again, much to do with the courses you take etc, Both schools are strong in this regard.
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SMU’s campus location is not city/urban (as NYU is for example) but squarely SUBURBAN, yet close to the city of Dallas and all that has to offer.
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Both schools have among the most robust and highest percentage of Greek life participants in the county - if that is a factor or of interest to you it’s pretty much a wash with its “importance” fairly equal at both. Being a POC would not preclude your involvement here !
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The schools have handled COVID quite differently. SMU never required any testing for students prior to arrival on campus or at all during the school year unless they came in contact with a positive case. They had contact tracing, wore masks, spots for isolation and extra sanitizing but I know of NO other school that handled things this way and I’m sure it shocks some people. That said, for them it worked and many classes continued to be held in person which was a huge positive.
Visiting both campuses (again maybe) is crucial to get the vibe on the ground. Tougher to do in this COVID environment with everyone wearing masks so you can’t see smiles etc but that has always been the way our kids make their final choice - maybe an admitted student day is offered ?
Best of luck with your decision !
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Thank you so much for your advice. Your insight is extremely helpful and you brought up some very good points. I am planning on visiting very soon-hopefully a choice will become clearer to me then!
Curious - where did you decide to go to college and have you been happy?
The OP hasn’t been on CC for a year. Please do not reopen such old threads. Closing.