Southern Methodist University

Summon a list of underrated colleges and universities from anyone who knows about higher education and SMU must be on that list. This is a university with impressive resources, a beautiful campus, a rich and balanced combination of research depth and undergraduate focus, a thriving athletics program, and a strong and loyal alumni base. This university deserves more attention than it currently receives, maybe because it is enormously expensive and also Methodist conservative. That leads to a certain amount of self selection of applicants. As far as academic quality goes, that's not an issue, and the students are quite talented. Also, Dallas isn't the most exciting college town, but it is a very large city with all the perks you would expect of a city this large. The surrounding neighborhood is affluent and absolutely safe.

My time at SMU has been an incredibly rewarding experience, particularly in my sociology and psychology courses. The professors have challenged me to think critically about human behavior, social structures, and the complexities of the world around us. I greatly value the supportive environment they created — one that encouraged discussion, curiosity, and deeper reflection. The lessons I’ve learned here have not only strengthened my academic foundation but also shaped the way I approach problem-solving and understanding people in everyday life. I am truly grateful for the knowledge and mentorship I’ve received.

SMU Mustangs A 2005 sculpture by artist Miley Frost, on the campus of Southern Methodist University in Dallas, Texas. The sculpture honors the school’s wild-mustang sport mascot. To be honest, I took a picture of the sculpture on my way to the George W. Bush Presidential Library and Museum because it looked cool, but later I looked it up and it was a mascot sculpture of Southern Methodist University. 👍

Absolutely gorgeous campus. I've been to every major university in Texas except for Rice and SMU is Far and Away the most aesthetically pleasing with a combination of the austere, the classical, and the inviting.

They have a really nice campus. It's a lot bigger than I thought it was.

Toured the SMU campus after a visit to the Bush Presidential Center. I am very impressed with the beautiful campus!

First game since my son graduated last year! Always a good time on The Hilltop, security a bit lax, not like the previous 4 years. Stay on top of that!

Very beautiful campus, but the parking here is awful! Everything is reserved. Visitor lots are not easy to find and when you do find lot it’s like $10 plus an hour. The parking meters are expensive too. They only allow you to park for three hours. For any event, especially sport related events parking is $20-$60. There is not enough security for football games.

Great school! The grounds are always well kept and the school has stayed as original as possible. Very large campus, several places nearby to grab a bite and a Starbucks on campus. Lots of events to go to here!

Great atmosphere and educational institution. My daughter loves it here!