Dallas, TX · Private · 7,277 undergraduates · suburban
Southern Methodist University
Moderately selective
SMU gives every first-year a lasting Residential Commons affiliation while certain professional programs use direct-entry admission from high school.
Institutional profile
Well established Strong in academic standing, and solid in career outcomes.- Admission
- 61.2% admitted
- Price by income
- Varies across five income ranges
- Completion
- 82.2%
15,092 applicants in the reported year
Compare recent average annual costs by household income
$78,354 median earnings 10 years after enrollment
What sets Southern Methodist University apart
Academic design
Cox Business Direct students enter the business school from their first semester rather than competing for internal admission after beginning college.
Campus pattern
Every entering first-year joins one of 11 Residential Commons and retains that affiliation throughout the undergraduate experience.
A signature opportunity
Residential Commons system.
Can I get in?
61.2% admitted
Applicants seeking Cox direct admission must list a Cox business major as their primary academic interest.
Recent applicant pool
15,092About 61 in every 100 applicants were admitted.
Academic range
Of admitted students, 17% submitted an SAT, and 15% submitted an ACT. Very few of the admitted class reported a score at all, so the SAT and ACT ranges describe those students rather than the class.
In the season card
Where your GPA sits in the entering class
The full entering-class GPA distribution for Southern Methodist University, in nine bands from 4.0 down, with your own record marked on it.
See where I landIn the season card
What Southern Methodist University weighs when it reads a file
See how this college describes the role of grades, testing, essays, recommendations, activities, and demonstrated interest.
- Course rigor
- GPA
- Test scores
- Essay
- Recommendations
- Extracurriculars
- Demonstrated interest
What moves the application
The evidence that separates a strong file
Show preparation for this curriculum
Cox Business Direct students enter the business school from their first semester rather than competing for internal admission after beginning college.
Make institutional fit specific
SMU gives every first-year a lasting Residential Commons affiliation while certain professional programs use direct-entry admission from high school.
Use the application route carefully
Applicants seeking Cox direct admission must list a Cox business major as their primary academic interest.
Give commitments a clear through-line
Activities and recommendations should show sustained contribution, not a collection of disconnected credentials.
How to apply
Rounds, route, and required materials
Applicants seeking Cox direct admission must list a Cox business major as their primary academic interest.
Fee waiver: accepted
Major and program admission
Some fields have their own entry path.
The college admit rate above covers the university as a whole. These requirements apply only to the named program.
BusinessAdmits separately
What this program asks for, and when it closes.
Health professionsAdmits separately
What this program asks for, and when it closes.
Can I afford it?
Compare annual cost by household income.
Start with the average net price for your income range, then set that estimate beside your other realistic options.
In the season card
Average annual cost by household income at Southern Methodist University
Compare recent average net prices across five federal income ranges and estimate a 4-year cost for yours.
- $0–30k
- $30–48k
- $48–75k
- $75–110k
- $110k+
Is it worth it?
Completion, debt, and earnings
Read completion, borrowing, field mix, and earnings together. One university-wide earnings figure does not describe every student path.
Degree completion across the reported entering cohort
First-year students who return for year two
And what that comes to against what they earn.
Reported 10 years after enrollment
Academic portfolio
Largest bachelor’s fields
How many students finish in each field, and median earnings four years after completing the program.
Finance and Financial Management Services
Admits separately
Economics
Psychology, General
Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication
Admits separately
Biology, General
What is campus life like?
Southern Methodist University beyond the classroom
Every entering first-year joins one of 11 Residential Commons and retains that affiliation throughout the undergraduate experience.
A defining academic feature
Cox Business Direct students enter the business school from their first semester rather than competing for internal admission after beginning college.
Read the residential pattern
Compare the residential setup and surrounding area with the day-to-day routine you want.
Daily life follows the campus map
Dining and nearby options matter most when they support the academic, residential, and social routine you expect.
What shapes an ordinary week
Every entering first-year joins one of 11 Residential Commons and retains that affiliation throughout the undergraduate experience.
Turn a direction into participation
The strongest opportunities connect a clear academic or personal direction to real work beyond class.
Find the right everyday fit
Every entering first-year joins one of 11 Residential Commons and retains that affiliation throughout the undergraduate experience.