Would I like SMU?

<p>I'm from the midwest and it's very uncommon for somebody from my school to go to school in Texas. However, I've read a lot of reviews and think that SMU would be a great fit for me. I'm interested in the business school and greek life. I also like the campus and size of the student body.</p>

<p>Questions:Is it really a playground for white rich kids?</p>

<p>What is fraternity rush like?</p>

<p>How hard is it to get the GPA needed to get into the business school?</p>

<p>Most private schools have plenty of wealthy families. With the cost of attendance being $60,000 a year, the student bodies are quite affluent. That being said, there are plenty of high achieving kids who get a little financial help to attend via scholarships. Even so, those families are paying approximately $40,000 a year. Those prices could leave some kids dead broke and others not. There is a common thread through SMU (and TCU) of lifestyle. TCU is a little lower key but all in all, very similar to SMU. I recommend touring both if you are headed to DFW. </p>

<p>Alsmith I’m attending in the fall and also from the Midwest (ohio) where when I tell people where I’m going I have to say its in Dallas. Anyway they gave me good financial aid and an easy in to the business school. I recommend you visit and apply and then review all your options because it is a big undertaking but may also pay for itself in the long run</p>

<p>jamesk2014: what were your scores like? I am also from the Midwest (Missouri) and SMU is my top choice right now, but it will really come down to what scholarship grants i get. </p>

<p>I got 15k a year. 4.0 weighted 3.65 uw. 31 act or 1350/2000 sat. 7 aps good amount of honors. Top 30% of the class. Hockey. Plenty of clubs and extracurriculars. Cofounder and vp of an investing club. </p>

<p>@alsmith, to answer your original questions:</p>

<p>No, it’s not a playground for white rich kids. There are students from all different ethnicities and financial backgrounds. About 80% of the students receive scholarships/financial aid, so that in itself should prove that most students are not loaded with money. I encourage you to come visit campus for yourself to see.</p>

<p>At SMU, rush occurs in January, so you have a semester to get used to college, get to know the guys in the different groups, and decide for yourself if you want to rush. If you want to join a fraternity, you come back from winter break a week early. About 35% of our student body is involved in greek life.</p>

<p>You need a 3.3 GPA to get into The Cox School of Business, which is totally achievable if you go to class and strike a balance between going out and studying.</p>

<p>@alsmith.
It kind of could be perceived as a playground for rich kids. But, that’s a really shallow perception, made by people who just want to stereotype, thought there are plenty of designer bags on campus. All private schools have kids from wealthy families. Mostly SMU is kids that are really talented and bright and ambitious. They are there to learn, network, and have jobs lined up before graduation.
If you have taken solid AP’s in high school, you should have no trouble getting the grades freshman year to get into the business school. (provided you study). </p>

<pre><code>Re the midwest vs Texas thing, to a Californian, they are similar. The residents are polite, friendly and conservative. SMU is only about 45% Texans. Lots of students come from St Louis, Chicago, Ohio, and other midwest regions.
</code></pre>

<p>Rush is officially in January, so you get to meet a lot of people before you pledge yourself to one house. That really gives you a chance to have friends that you may have for life, even if they pledge a different house or don’t go Greek at all.</p>

<p>Are the guys as pretentious acting as the girls? </p>

<p>I agree with most of what has been said here. Even the cost of tuition is an innacurate measure of the general wealth of the student body when 80% of the students receive some form of financial support to be at SMU and the average financial award is about $26,000 per year. There are wealthy people at SMU, just like there are at almost every other school. But most students are normal, down to earth kids. </p>

<p>WayneS1996, I like to think that most students are friendly and approachable. That outgoing and ambitious attitude that is so common at SMU may come off as pretense to some, but once you spend real time with students, you realize what a close-knit community SMU is. </p>

<p>Yes, there are wealthy and pretentious people at SMU. If you seek them out, you will find them. The same could be said of any other college campus. But, if you are focused instead on being an involved member of the SMU community and making friends from all backgrounds and walks of life, I’d wager you’d find a lot more people who are looking do the exact same thing.</p>