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College

Southern Methodist University

#5 in Best Christian Colleges in America
  • A+
    Overall Grade
  • 4 Year
  • Dallas, TX
  • 1,408 reviews
A+
Overall Niche Grade
How are grades calculated?
  1. Academics
    A+
  2. Value
    A
  3. Diversity
    A-
  4. Campus
    A
  5. Athletics
    A
  6. Party Scene
    A+
  7. Professors
    A+
  8. Location
    A+
  9. Dorms
    B+
  10. Campus Food
    B+
  11. Student Life
    A+
  12. Safety
    B
View Full Report Card
Southern Methodist is a highly rated private, Christian university located in University Park, Texas in the Dallas-Fort Worth Area. It is a mid-size institution with an enrollment of 6,296 undergraduate students. Admissions is fairly competitive as the Southern Methodist acceptance rate is 49%. Popular majors include Economics, Finance, and Accounting. Graduating 79% of students, Southern Methodist alumni go on to earn a starting salary of $48,400.
About Southern Methodist University...
Athletic Division
NCAA Division I-FBS
Athletic Conference
American Athletic Conference
Address
6425 Boaz St
Dallas, TX 75275
Website
smu.edu
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Southern Methodist University Rankings

Niche rankings are based on rigorous analysis of key statistics from the U.S. Department of Education and millions of reviews.

Admissions

Acceptance Rate
49%
Application Deadline
January 15
SAT Range
1220-1410
ACT Range
28-32
Application Fee
$60
SAT/ACT
Required
High School GPA
Required
Early Decision/Early Action
Yes

Test Prep

SAT and ACT Prep Options
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Cost

Net Price
$37,499/ year
National
$15,523
Average cost after financial aid for students receiving grant or scholarship aid, as reported by the college.
Net Price by Household Income
  • <$30k
    $16,072/ year
  • $30-48k
    $20,784/ year
  • $49-75k
    $25,405/ year
  • $76-110k
    $31,567/ year
  • $110k+
    $43,860/ year
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Academics

Professors
A+
Based on faculty accomplishments, salary, student reviews, and additional factors.
Student Faculty Ratio
11:1
Evening Degree Programs
Yes
89%
of students agree that professors put a lot of effort into teaching their classes.72 responses
59%
of students agree that it is easy to get the classes they want.87 responses
61%
of students agree that the workload is easy to manage.87 responses
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Majors

Most Popular Majors
  • Economics
    193 Graduates
  • Finance
    185 Graduates
  • Accounting
    105 Graduates
  • Marketing
    88 Graduates
  • Sport and Fitness Management
    83 Graduates
  • Communications
    73 Graduates
  • Mechanical Engineering
    73 Graduates
  • Mathematics
    67 Graduates
  • Biology
    65 Graduates
  • Psychology
    63 Graduates

Students

Full-Time Enrollment
6,296Undergrads
Undergrads Over 25
3%
Pell Grant
9%
Varsity Athletes
7%
Poll
What one word or phrase best describes the typical student at this school?
Based on 58 responses
Report
  • Work hard Play hard
    26%
  • Rich
    19%
  • Hot, smart, rich, rude, work hard play hard
    14%
  • High acheiving
    9%
  • High achievers & entitled
    9%
  • White, upper-middle class, not street-smart at all
    7%
  • Cold
    3%

Campus Life

Freshmen Live On-Campus
99%
Poll
62%
of students say that Greek life is pretty big.115 responses
Poll
54%
of students say varsity sporting events are attended, but not a huge part of campus life.123 responses
Poll
What one word or phrase best describes your school?
Based on 62 responses
Report
  • Work hard, play hard
    34%
  • Growing
    18%
  • Fratty
    16%
  • Engage yourself
    8%
  • Lavish
    8%
  • A lot of cliques
    6%
  • Interesting
    3%

After College

Median Earnings 6 Years After Graduation
$57,300/ year
National
$33,028
Graduation Rate
79%
National
49%
Employed 2 Years After Graduation
93%
National
83%
88%
of students feel confident they will find a job in their field after graduation.50 responses
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Southern Methodist University Reviews

1,408 reviews
All Categories
SMU has provided a unique establishment of community in order for all students to feel welcome! However, the diversity presented within the school is quite low. There are sparse percentages of Latinos, Hispanics, African Americans, and Asians. Even though this is the case, the gradual enrollment of multiple international students does decrease the evident ethnic gap among students. Additonally, many of the teachers and remainder of the faculty are friendly and supportive for all students to succeed. With constant reminders regarding the A-LEC center and its workshops, students are free to ask questions from a variety of multiple disciplines to tutors who are readily available! Without a doubt, the student life at SMU is the best!
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Loved my experience at SMU. I completed a graduate degree while I was working a full time job. The professors (with very little exception) were amazing. They really catered to working professionals. The best part of my experience was their job placement program. When I graduated, I was able to find a new job with Cisco. I am very thankful to this school! It’s well run and worth the investment!
I am a recent graduate of Southern Methodist University. It was an amazing experience from start to finish. Knowledgable professors with real world experience, a well-connected student body, and up-and-coming athletics. Everything is growing at SMU in a great way. I would recommend the school to anyone looking!