SMU Acceptance Rate & Chances CDS VERIFIED
Texas (Southwest) · 7,000 undergrads · ~24 avg class size · 11:1 student-faculty · $61,000/yr sticker
private Tier 3
Median earnings (10yr)
$78K
CDS-based estimates from recent admissions cycles. Verify on the school's official site.
47.6% is the average applicant's shot. Your odds depend on your GPA, scores, and hooks. See where you actually stand.
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▸ What SMU weighs in admissions (4 factors they call very important)
From SMU's Common Data Set (Section C7) — the factors they say matter most, and the ones they don't.
Weighs most heavily
Course rigorGPAEssaysRecommendationsImportant
Class rankExtracurricularsTalent / abilityCharacterConsidered
Test scoresFirst-generationLegacyGeographyVolunteer workWork experienceDemonstrated interestDoes not consider
Interview, State residency, Religious affiliation
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Career outcomes · 11 sources
Median graduate earnings · 4.4 yrs to pay back 4 yrs of cost · est. lifetime ROI $673K.
Earnings cross-referenced across 11 sources (College Scorecard, Opportunity Insights, Georgetown CEW, FREOPP, PayScale, and more).
Where this leads
Real career pipelines from this school, based on alumni outcomes and recruiting patterns.
- Dallas-Fort Worth finance and commercial real estate development (strong local network)
- Energy sector: oil, gas, renewables companies headquartered in Texas
- Mid-market management consulting (Deloitte, Accenture offices in DFW; not MBB tier)
- Healthcare and pharmaceutical supply chain (proximity to major Texas medical centers)
- Tech startup ecosystem in Austin (30 minutes away, but limited direct recruiting)
About SMU
Southern Methodist. Wealthy student body, strong Cox business school, Dallas location is the draw.
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