Southern Methodist University
Admissions
Interested in attending Southern Methodist University?
On this page, you'll learn how difficult it is to get into Southern Methodist University, we'll dig into high school grades and test scores, and you'll find out the factors the school considers when reviewing applications.
Admission Rates
Is it difficult to get into Southern Methodist University?
Using the most up-to-date data on record, SMU accepted 61% of applicants. We classify this as somewhat selective.
In the most recent year, 15,092 people applied and 9,240 were accepted.
Applied/Accepted
Acceptance rates at colleges can change over time, with some becoming more competitive and others accepting more students. Here’s a look at the acceptance rate trend for the past 2 years at Southern Methodist University:
Acceptance rates at schools can vary depending on if the student is in-state, out-of-state, or international.
Of those accepted, 17% ended up enrolling at Southern Methodist University, making their yield rate Medium. The yield rate is the percentage of accepted students who enroll at the school. You can use the yield rate to find out how coveted a school is for the students who apply to it.
Application Factors
You can increase your chances of getting into Southern Methodist University by looking at what the school considers during the application process.
Here are the things SMU considers:
Very Important
- Academic GPA
- Application Essay
- Recommendation(s)
- Rigor of Secondary School Record
Important
- Character/Personal Qualities
- Class Rank
- Extracurricular Activities
- Standardized Test Scores
- Talent/Ability
Considered
- Alumni/AE Relation
- First Generation
- Level of Applicant's Interest
- Volunteer Work
- Work Experience
Not Considered
- Geographical Residence
- Interview
- Religious Affiliation/Commitment
- State Residency
Grades & Testing
Do you have the grades and test scores to get into Southern Methodist University?
Grades
Students who recently attended Southern Methodist University as freshmen had an average unweighted high school GPA of 0.84. 46% of freshmen who attended SMU were in the top 10% of their graduating high school class, and 74% were in the top 25% of their graduating high school class.
These are the high school grade point averages (unweighted) of students who enroll:
High School GPAs
SMU is Test Required. This school requires test scores to be submitted in order to be considered for admission.
Applicants submitting SAT Scores
Applicants submitting ACT Scores
SAT Math Scores
SAT Verb Scores
SAT Composite Scores
Application Deadlines
These are the deadlines for applying to Southern Methodist University. Application deadlines are subject to change, so please verify all deadlines with the school.
Regular Admissions
Early Decision
Early Decision is a program in which students commit to attend a school if they are accepted. Some schools have a higher acceptance rate for Early Decision than regular decision. SMU's Early Decision acceptance rate is 74%, compared to 61% overall. If you’re sure you want to attend Southern Methodist University, you might consider applying Early Decision.
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