Admissions

Be organized! I know you might hear that a lot, but seriously, it's true. High school is different that college. In high school, you used to have quizzes and homework all the time to keep you on track. In college, however, all you have is exams, and they basically make up 100% percent of your grade. No quizzes, no homework. So try to stay on top of things. Try to make a calendar or schedule that will help you with time management. If you have any trouble with a certain subject, make use of the ALEC tutoring center - it's free! And don't forget - always work out at the Dedman Life Center because it might be your only way to relieve the stress.

Apply early to avoid stress. I suggest you tour the campus in order to know what residence hall you would like to live in. Once you gain acceptance, make sure to turn in your residence hall papers as quickly as possible in order to receive your first choice. I suggest attending any events like Mustang Days in order to meet people and a possible roommate. Avoid taking too many hours especially if majoring in a difficult field with difficult professors. That being said, ratemyprofessor.com is an amazing site so do your research before signing up for classes. Once you have your schedule, find where your classes are so you wont get lost and always have your books on the first day of class. Also, do not be skeptical and make sure you study. The workload is a lot more rigorous than high school so form study groups, work diligently, and do not procrastinate.

The most important thing to remember when coming to any college of high academic standing is to go to class. That sounds kind of silly, but it's true. So many kids come to college and decide that they will skip some classes because attendance isn't mandatory like in high school. That is a very bad habit to get into. I know students who are very intelligent but failed classes because they couldn't keep up with the rest of the class due to skipping lessons. Also, when you skip, often the teachers will notice because the class sizes are small. They won't want to help you catch up because it seems like you don't care about their subject. Another helpful tip is to not procrastinate. there's so much going on that it's easy to wait til the last minute, but unlike in high school, your grade really will suffer.

My advice to prospective students is to just come visit with an open mind. Forget about the stereotypes that you’ve heard. Forget about the cost. Just visit and experience SMU. As for your application, highlight your best moments or activities. Get involved, and be a leader. If you’re a senior who doesn’t have the highest grades or experience as a leader or didn’t stretch yourself thin to be in 500 clubs in high school, just express who you are in your application. Give the admissions counselors a reason to pick you over the thousands of other applicants. If possible, schedule an interview. You’ll have a chance to present yourself, face-to-face. You will cease to be another piece of paper, and they’ll be able to see who you are as a person and what you offer as a future Mustang.

Definitely take a tour. I visited numerous other schools (when I was applying for colleges, I applied to almost 20 schools) but I felt the most at home at SMU. The campus is absolutely stunning and is the perfect size for me. If possible, visit on a day on which you can sit in on a lecture.

Once you are accepted, attend Mustang Corral. I will admit that it was a very annoying and crappy location (in the middle of nowhere, Texas) but I made a lot of friends there.

As many have said:

PLEASE DO NOT BE DETERRED BY OUR STEREOTYPE. AND IT WILL NEVER CHANGE IF YOU DO.

I thought I was open-minded when I came here. Then, I began assuming things about people I'd never spoken to. I've recently found out that I had made an enormous miscalculation (was that a dorky word to use? cause right now I can't think of another to replace it.)

Speak up, and someone will befriend you. :)

P.S. MAKE FRIENDS WITH MEADOWS KIDS. They're pretty cool. ;)

Also. Not happy with the level of class engagement?

SPEAK UP. I've found that, when you speak up, everyone else will also have a lot more to say.

Oh. As Grand Prairie said, please remember to take care of yourself. :( Just think of everyone who has dropped out, tried to drop out, attempted suicide or decided to shoot up a campus. Your well-being affects your schoolwork (and your future) just as much as your level of dedication.

And look out for your friends. :) Stick by them through the tough stuff. And listen. Ask. You really never know who might be going through something. Most of you will not always have direct access to your parents, their home, your old friends, or your dog. You are each others' primary support system!

As for grades, maybe you didn't do so hot in high school. Well, you're in college now. It's time to buckle down. It's nowhere near the end of the road, but every single one of your choices begin to have a much greater impact on your future! (But don't be scared. ^_^)

Really it's all about trying to think about things on a deeper level and, like everyone else has seemed to say: TIME MANAGEMENT. And it matters way more than intelligence, prior knowledge or even (sadly) how much you actually care about the subject you're learning.

(Oh, by the way, if you still end up needing another chance. Plan to go to grad school, and look for a grad school that only cares about your GPA for the last 60 or so credit hours.) *See below, on Bang for the...

Prospective students should really seek to sell themselves to the school. Include every activity on your application, no matter how small. SMU offers numerous, large scholarships so do not be frightened away by the initial price tag. It is especially important to look at how the individual programs rank as opposed to the entire school. Some programs are far superior to others.

Be yourself, stay organized, do not get ahead of yourself, set your priorities straight, balance work and play time, and go after what you want.

Do not make impulsive decisions about what you want to do, and consider that your major plans might be better off varying from school to school. One program might be perfect for YOU at one school, and not so much at another.

Talk to current students. Ask them questions about what it's like to live on campus vs. off, how they like their classes, and what it's like to be a student at SMU in general.