Southern Methodist University Top Questions

The University is at a very interesting point in its life. It is expanding quickly in its reach and climbing in the rankings overall. We are attracting better students every year and- a rising tide lifts all ships-- every aspect of the academic life of the school is improving. Since the school is in a rising process, it is very open for motivated and ambitious students to do what they want to do academically. Independent research, engaged learning and community engagement are HUGE right now and individual students are getting funding and attention for the projects that they want to do in and outside of the classroom. For example, I've gotten the opportunity to travel and research in Washington DC AND in Italy at no cost through opportunities in the honors program. The size of the school is also a huge asset. Classes are generally very small and professors are extremely accessible. I have several professors who have taken a personal interest in me and in my work--I can't even explain how helpful that has been in my learning and preparedness for the next step (for me, law school.) Beyond that, Dallas is an exciting place to be. There is quite literally something for everyone in such a big city, but the university itself is located in a very safe and quiet pocket where everything is within reach. The campus is beautiful, too.

The university was founded in 1911 even though the university says Methodist it has many different religion affiliations. SMU offers individual schools and majors that are praised nationwide. Students are able to test several interests before choosing a particular major. While there are many other things to brag about, like the study abroad programs, the social scene is a key aspect of SMU. SMU is in the center of Highland Park where we can find all the shopping and restaurants nearby the dorms. Among the community, students always have opportunities for internships and jobs by networking with friends and connections with alumni. SMU students don’t have a difficult time for finding a job after graduation because of their internships throughout the years and connections with major corporations give them the option and opportunity to secure a job when they graduate. The classes are small and easy to get along with the teachers and students. The majority of the classes range from 10 to 40 people in a class. This is perfect because the professor gets to know you pretty well which will be great for letters of recommendations. Having small classes is a plus because you will always have one on one interaction with your professor and classmates making it easier to ask questions and pay attention. An enthusiastic school spirit in terms of athletics is shown in all the tailgating before the games and the cheers though out the game show how much we love and appreciate our team. SMU pride in the sense of academic excellence and social atmosphere is highly evident. Students get irritated with parking and other little issues, but in the long run, most of them are satisfied with their level of education and their experience. The majority of students will tell you it has been the best four years of their lives and that they are glad to have stumbled upon such a rare treasure.

My favorite thing about this school is the closeness of the student body. It's a medium-sized school, but there's a feeling of being part of a small community. The campus itself is absolutely beautiful, and there's almost always great weather to match. Walking from class to class, you'll usually see people lounging in the grass in front of the mighty Dallas Hall, reading, throwing frisbees, or just hanging out with other students. Our mascot, Peruna, is very unique. She's a Shetland pony and is adored by the students. Whenever our team scores a touchdown, she gallops across the field as people cheer! At SMU, we are the "Mustangs" and in addition to Peruna we have a few live mustangs as well. The most anticipated part of football season, however, is the "boulevarding" that takes place beforehand. Some schools tailgate, but we boulevard! It's an all day celebration, and tents with live music, food, games, and more line the entire length of our. Main boulevard drive, where students, alumni, and people from the community come together to celebrate until the game starts. There's nothing in the world like a new student's first boulevard!!! Beyond the school, you'd be surprised at how much there is to do in Dallas! It's great to get to go to classes in a safe, suburban neighborhood but be able to look out one of the library windows and see the heart of the great city of Dallas just a couple of miles away! The main complaint students have is usually about on-campus parking. Finding a decent spot next to your class is tricky, but not impossible. Most students end up living near campus after their first year sent in the dorm, and either walking to class from home or riding a bike. Honestly, this is greener than driving anyway. I will mention that construction has already begun on campus to build a new parking garage (and a new library, and two brand new dormitories!!).

Outside of Texas, no one really knows what SMU stands for or where the school even is located. It's a great size school though, and the general education courses have a great variety of options-- and i've truly loved the classes i've gotten to take so far. There's lots of places to check out nearby so you're not stuck in a bubble like i've heard happens at some schools. Parties are never really on campus either, so if you enjoy the whole social scene you'll really get to explore Dallas. One weird thing is though, that no one really lives on campus after their freshman year. Sophomore year and senior year, most girls live in apartments with their friends and junior year they live in their respective sorority houses. Meanwhile, guys usually live in their fraternity houses sophomore year and off campus after that. I've heard at other school most people live on campus until they're at least upperclassmen, but here it's different-- and with that you'll get more independence, and less interaction with people you wouldn't normally talk to. One thing that is definitely the biggest complaint and the biggest thing I will always remember about this school is its lack of diversity, and I don't mean just racially. The majority of the student population is extremely wealthy-- and I don't mean wealthy like living in the suburbs and having your own car. I have never seen so many BMWs and louis vuitton purses in my life. The majority of the campus is Greek, but it's a cut-throught process, and a lot of guys, but mostly girls don't get accepted into it.

Outside of Texas, no one really knows what SMU stands for or where the school even is located. It's a great size school though, and the general education courses have a great variety of options-- and i've truly loved the classes i've gotten to take so far. There's lots of places to check out nearby so you're not stuck in a bubble like i've heard happens at some schools. Parties are never really on campus either, so if you enjoy the whole social scene you'll really get to explore Dallas. One weird thing is though, that no one really lives on campus after their freshman year. Sophomore year and senior year, most girls live in apartments with their friends and junior year they live in their respective sorority houses. Meanwhile, guys usually live in their fraternity houses sophomore year and off campus after that. I've heard at other school most people live on campus until they're at least upperclassmen, but here it's different-- and with that you'll get more independence, and less interaction with people you wouldn't normally talk to. One thing that is definitely the biggest complaint and the biggest thing I will always remember about this school is its lack of diversity, and I don't mean just racially. The majority of the student population is extremely wealthy-- and I don't mean wealthy like living in the suburbs and having your own car. I have never seen so many BMWs and louis vuitton purses in my life. The majority of the campus is Greek, but it's a cut-throught process, and a lot of guys, but mostly girls don't get accepted into it.

The university size is just right and a short commute from one side to the other. Also, it is close to downtown Dallas and is located in a very prestigious area in Dallas, with lots of shopping and activities.

This school is AWESOME!! I love meeting new people everyday because we have students from all over the world. I remember one day an international student came up to me asked me the difference between the coins (American Currency) because he needed to pay for something and didn't know if he had enough money. This was kind of a shock for me because I have never been at school with someone that didn't know the difference between a dime and a penny! After explaining to him, he was so grateful and I felt great for helping him out! This school is very welcoming to people around the world with different faiths, different majors,and so on. The class sizes are great because professors know you by your name rather than just a number. Also, the location of SMU is perfect because it is in the heart of Dallas, TX. There are plenty of restaurants, shopping malls, and other activities to do around campus!

SMU has a great mix of diversity among highly intelligent and unique professors and students. The school is small enough to stay personalized, but large enough to constantly meet new people so I would not change anything about it. Most people react with an impressed expression when they find out I'm attending because it is a prestigious and highly competitive school. Dallas is not really a college town, but SMU feels like its own little town in itself. The school stays low on controversy, with the most recent being a football funding scandal decades ago. Regardless, our school has lots of spirit and we constantly have events and activities promoting school pride and support for our teams. Once you tailgate on the boulevard you will never forget the experience. The bonds you create with classmates and faculty is truly special.

There is a lot of school pride at this school! When there is a home game, we are "bleed out" red and blue!

I love SMU, I love the school spirit and the way people socialize in campus and outside of school. SMU is well known in Dallas, and all around the nation, student feel proud of their MUSTANG PRIDE. Staff is always helpful and the many organizations and activities on campus make it easy to find friends and relate to others. I was part of senate for two years and the main complaint was student's parking. However this issue is disappearing since SMU is building two more parking garages.