Southern Methodist University
Dallas, TX · Private
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See the full analysis — freeAdmission rate
Southern Methodist University admitted 63.3% of applicants university-wide (9,657 of 15,245).
| Cohort | Admit rate | Admitted | Applicants |
|---|---|---|---|
| University-wide | 63.3% | 9,657 | 15,245 |
| In-state | 58.3% | 4,413 | 7,564 |
| Out-of-state | 72.8% | 4,761 | 6,540 |
| International applicants | 40.2% | 386 | 960 |
| Early Decision (binding) | 87.4% | 353 | 404 |
| Men | 61.5% | 4,384 | 7,131 |
| Women | 65.0% | 5,273 | 8,114 |
Early Decision applicants were admitted at 87.4%, vs 63.3% overall — ED is a binding commitment.
Also offers Early Action (closes Nov 1) — the Common Data Set doesn't publish EA admit counts.
Of 9,657 admitted students, 1,716 enrolled (17.8% yield).
Southern Methodist University Common Data Set 2024-2025 · Sections C1–C2 · 2024 — Published cohort admit rates — context, not an applicant-specific probability.
Test scores and GPA of admitted students
- SAT (mid-50%)
- 1340–1480
- ACT (mid-50%)
- 30–34
- GPA (mid-50%, 4.0 scale)
- 3.25–3.99
Testing policy: Test-optional (considered if submitted)
Southern Methodist University Common Data Set 2024-2025 · Sections C9–C12 · 2024 — Published admit stats reflect the entire incoming class unless explicitly labeled international-only.
Cost and financial aid
Published cost of attendance: $89,602/yr.
| Out-of-state tuition | $67,040 |
| Fees, housing, food, books & other | $22,562 |
| Sticker cost of attendance | $89,602/yr |
Average net price by family income (US, federal aid data)
| Under $30k | $23,544 |
| $30k–48k | $20,038 |
| $48k–75k | $24,152 |
| $75k–110k | $33,477 |
| Over $110k | $58,213 |
US applicants
Need- and merit-based aid available.
- University Scholar — $15,000 - $25,000 per year (Merit)
- Meadows Scholar — $10,000 - $15,000 per year (Merit)
- University Scholarship — $5,000 - $10,000 per year (Merit)
- Hunt Leadership Scholars Program — Full tuition plus $2,500 enrichment fund (Full Tuition)
- President's Scholars Program — Full tuition, mandatory fees, on-campus room and board (Full Tuition)
- SMU Grant — Varies (Need Based)
International applicants
No need-based aid reported for internationals.
- International Baccalaureate (IB) Scholarship — A maximum of $30,000 payable up to $7,500 per year (International Aid)
- University Scholar — $15,000 - $25,000 per year (Merit)
- Meadows Scholar — $10,000 - $15,000 per year (Merit)
- SMU International Transfer Scholarship — $5,000 to $10,000 per year (International Aid)
- University Scholarship — $5,000 - $10,000 per year (Merit)
- Hunt Leadership Scholars Program — Full tuition plus $2,500 enrichment fund (Full Tuition)
- President's Scholars Program — Full tuition, mandatory fees, on-campus room and board (Full Tuition)
- SMU International Scholarship — $5,000 to full tuition per year (Full Tuition)
Southern Methodist University Common Data Set 2024-2025 · Sections G–H · 2024
Application requirements
US applicants
- Application Form (via Common App, ApplyTexas, SMU Online, or MyCoalition)
- High School Transcript
- Personal Essay
- Recommendation Letters
- Activities Résumé (recommended)
- SAT or ACT Scores (optional)
- Home School Supplement
- Application fee
International applicants
- Application Form (via Common App, ApplyTexas, SMU Online, or MyCoalition)
- High School Transcript
- Personal Essay
- Recommendation Letters
- Activities Résumé (recommended)
- SAT or ACT Scores (optional)
- Home School Supplement
- Application fee
- English proficiency (IELTS/TOEFL)
- GPA credential conversion
- Predicted Class XII marksheet
- Financial documentation (I-20)
Southern Methodist University · Application requirements (official admissions pages) · 2025
Essay prompts
The Common App personal essay is required (one of 7 shared prompts), plus 1 college-specific supplement:
- Why are you interested in attending Southern Methodist University?500 words · Required
Draft these in the free Essay Coach
Prompts from the Common App member feed · verified Jul 4, 2026
Graduate outcomes
- Median earnings
- $78,354
- Median earnings · 10 years after entry
- Graduation rate
- 84.3%
- Within 150% of normal time
- First-year retention
- 91%
- Return for year two · CDS Section B
- Median debt
- $19,500
- At graduation
Southern Methodist University · U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard (2023 release) · 2023 — Earnings and debt figures are federal data for aid-receiving graduates — cohort outcomes, not a guarantee for any individual student.
Published rankings
- U.S. News National: #88
- WSJ: #275
- Forbes: #103
- Niche: #92
- QS: #1001
Deadlines
- 2026-11-01Early Action — Non-binding early round
- 2026-11-01Early Decision — Binding early round
- 2027-07-31Regular Decision — Standard deadline
Southern Methodist University Common Data Set 2024-2025 · Sections C21–C22 · 2024
Academics and campus
Largest degree fields: Business & marketing (26%), Social sciences (17%), Visual & performing arts (7%).
Student–faculty ratio: 11:1 · 54% of class sections have under 20 students.
Southern Methodist University Common Data Set 2024-2025 · Sections E, F, I · 2024 — Published institutional figures for the reporting year — descriptive of the current student body, not a prediction about your experience.