Southern Methodist University
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However, people do choose schools based in part on how well they feel they will fit in with the student population and whether or not they feel they would be successful in a particular environment. I am going to be honest and say that SMU was not a good fit for me. There are great aspects of SMU, but I would urge anyone considering various schools to look beyond the literature provided by the school and the information given to you during a tour. Take time to seriously evaluate whether or not you want to be in a school where there is a lot of affluence, conspicuous consumption, networking, etc. like there is at SMU. That is great for some people, and others would rather be at a larger university or perhaps a small liberal arts school without a greek system, etc. Again, that is personal preference, and it is up to the individual to decide whether they feel they would thrive in an environment like SMU or whether a different milieu would be a better fit for them.
I went to a christian high school in north dallas, and I have to say that I felt there weren't a lot of influential christian organizations on campus. I really liked Campus Crusade, but at other schools they have hundreds of students going to different ministries through churches and getting involved in Bible studies, etc., and I really did not feel that at SMU. I definitely think that you can get a great education at SMU, but just make sure that you feel comfortable with the environment that typifies SMU. Make sure that you feel comfortable where people do have nice things, participate heavily in Greek life, and truly enjoy socializing and networking with influential people. Even the positive reviews have stated that fact that these things do characterize the culture at SMU. That is not necessarily bad, but ask whether or not YOU would thrive there.
Personally, I transferred to Texas A&M, which has been a lot better for me in terms of church and meeting some more people that I felt comfortable around. US News actually ranks Texas A&M higher than SMU, yet it's less than half the price.
I also know a lot of people who left SMU when they had the opportunity to transfer to UT Austin or Pepperdine.
I will say that while applications to SMU might be 'increasing' along with its 'prestige,' a lot of the people I met there were rejected from the more competitive universities they applied to. If SMU is a good fit for you, you will know it after really thinking about it. Think long and hard about your choice so you don't have to transfer like I did!
However, underneath this facade, I felt the university really fell short. Yes, college is about learning to learn and preparedness for grad school or a good job. However, college is also about lifelong friendships, good memories, and a connection to the school.
I do believe SMU offers quality academic programs, but not necessarily any better than other schools. Where SMU really fell short for me is the social aspect.
You hear people tell you on tours "it's what you make of it" or try and discredit the image SMU has for being a haven for millionaires. There is a reason they are bring this up! It's because that stereotype is true!
Yes, there are minorities at SMU. Yes, there are people not in the Greek system. However, the people that truly enjoy the SMU experience are those who are in the Greek system and who fit the SMU stereotype. The other students are just...there.
The students who are in the true SMU social scene have a massive amount of money. They wear the latest designer clothes, have late model BMW's, Range Rovers, Mercedes or Lexus & went to a Catholic high school or prestigious "day school/boaring school." They most likely vacationed with their family in St. Barth's, Cabo, Barbados, Tahoe, Cape Cod, Vail/Beaver Creek, etc.
Drug usage in the SMU fraternity culture is rampant. Pretty much everyone has at least tried Coke & probably Molly. It's not weird to have this mentioned in a conversation. Everyone binge drinks & thinks they are basically "above the law" when it comes to getting away with date rape, prescription drug abuse, alcohol abuse, etc.
Many of the students' parents will buy them condos in the University Park area, which are upwards of 500K.
I've been in many conversations where someone will respond to "how is so & so doing" with "oh, they just got out of rehab" or "they were at rehab" like going to rehab is as common as driving to the grocery store!
That pretty much sums up the SMU culture. It's easy to say people don't care about materialism and you can't let it bother you, but your social status at the school really is dependent on that to an extent.
I can't remember the last time I saw someone in the inner-circle of SMU greek like who was wearing wal-mart clothes or driving a POS car. It just rarely happens. Maybe if you're incredibly attractive and can at least afford to put up the front of looking like the other people, you might have a chance, but that's about the only way.
This school is honestly Episcopal School of Dallas & Highland Park High School, Round 2. If you don't fit in with that crowd, good luck. I chose to transfer to a public state school. You can get involved in the greek system if you want, but you also don't feel ostracized or inferior if you choose differently or don't have the newest BMW 3 Series.
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