Southern Methodist University
Responses from the Student Interview
From a student who identifies as Major: Finance
Minor: Math
Student Self Identifies as: White Heterosexual Female
Summary
I [have a leadership role] on the Club Volleyball team. I’m in a business fraternity. I also do intramural sports regularly throughout the year depending on what sport is going on.
Background
Gender Identity: Female
Race/Ethnicity: White
Sexual Orientation: Heterosexual
High School Experience: Public school outside of San Diego, CA with a graduating class of about 250 students. There was a culture of going to college
First-Generation College Student: No
Major: Finance
Minor: Math
Extracurricular Activities: I [have a leadership role] on the Club Volleyball team. I’m in a business fraternity. I also do intramural sports regularly throughout the year depending on what sport is going on.
Did any of your extracurricular activities have a particularly big impact on your experience? In what ways?
None of them have in a huge way. I feel like SMU is a very open community so I meet people in classes and I’ve met a lot of people through orientation and the building I live in.
Academic Experience
Can you describe your weekly coursework for your Finance major?
We have a lot of problem sets and then exams once every three or four weeks. The exams make up the majority of the grade.
Is there anything you feel the business school does especially well or poorly?
I think the professors in the business school really care about their students and have good relationships with their students. I don’t have TA’s teach my classes, but they are there to help you in the bigger classes. The biggest class I’ve been in had about 80 students. I like that the business school is small and intimate and that it’s easy to find help. If I need help, I can go to the professor, the TA, or the tutoring center.
How would you describe the learning environment? Do you think it’s particularly competitive or collaborative?
It depends on the class. For my Finance classes, the classes are graded on a curve, so to that extent, the classes can be really competitive. Other than those classes, they’re more collaborative. For example, I’m in a Marketing class where it’s very collaborative. In the Finance classes, I still study with people and help other people with their work, so it’s still collaborative when we study, just not when we’re in class.
How accessible are your professors?
They’re very accessible. I have my Managerial Accounting professor’s telephone number and she said we should just text her with anything we need. They’re great.
Why did you pick your major? Are you happy with your choice?
I feel like I’m a competitive person and the business school at SMU is ranked highly and has strong job placement, so I knew if I were to go to SMU it would be to be a Finance major. [In 2015, more than 93% of Cox undergraduates were employed after graduation.]
How is being a female in the school of business?
It’s fine. It’s not the end of the world. In Finance, females are definitely a small percentage but it’s not the end of the world. It’s not something I’m uncomfortable with.
Reasons to Attend
1) SMU presents so many opportunities socially and professionally for everything that you could possibly want and has something for everyone. If you’re willing to put yourself out there, SMU will help you do what you want.
2) SMU is really focused on the business school, so if you want to go to Cox that’s a reason to go.
Reasons Not to Attend
1) SMU is very focused on the business school and is not as focused on the other schools because it feels like Cox is the school’s pride and joy. If you don’t want to do business, maybe SMU isn’t a good choice.
Around Campus
Where have you lived on campus?
Freshman: Kathy Crow Commons with one roommate.
Sophomore: Kathy Crow Commons with one roommate.
How was transitioning from San Diego, CA to Dallas, TX?
I lived in Dallas before, so I was used to it. But, the people here are different than in San Diego. In Dallas and at SMU people are more into the high-end and luxury items and displaying wealth while in San Diego the people are more so relaxed.
Can you describe the level of safety you’ve experienced on and around campus?
This question came at a really bad time because a student who transferred to SMU was arrested during class on charges of sexual assault in Austin. But, with that being said, I have never felt unsafe on campus at any time in the night.
Social Opportunities
What kind of weekend activities or nightlife do you like to participate in?
Wednesday nights are a big thing. Usually, frats will have parties beforehand at their house and then we’ll go to a bar or a club in Dallas. Friday and Saturday night are similar and I’ll sometimes go out during the day on Sunday if there’s a good party. We mostly go to bars and clubs in Dallas because the fraternities rent them out, which is nice because 18+ people can get in.
What is the impact of Greek life on nightlife?
It has a huge impact. It’s [43%] of the student body, but it’s a loud minority. Fraternities organize a lot of things but it’s also not like you have to be in a fraternity or sorority to go out to things.
During fraternity and sorority mixer season, can you go to the mixers or Greek life events?
Some of my best friends are all in the same sorority, so the party’s not technically open, but I’ll go with them. If you’re friends with everybody anyway, it’s not a huge deal. Also, people will find other things to do during that time. It’s not a hugely inhibiting factor of going out.
What’s an alternative to going to a party or a bar that you like for a night out?
A lot of my friends and I will go get dinner and then go out. Sometimes we’ll also just stay in and that’s an alternative.
How happy are you with the weekend options at SMU? Is there anything you would change about them if you could?
I love it. I love going out and love the options that I have here. I think it’s so fun.
Campus Culture
How did you meet your closest friends?
One of my best friends I met during orientation over the summer. Then I met friends through her and she met friends through me and we expanded. I feel like I know the majority of my class. You meet people everywhere just by being outgoing and being involved in things.
How would you describe the overall social scene at SMU?
It is very Greek life-oriented. I feel like if you got the perspective of someone in a sorority, they’d be very pro-Greek life. I’m not anti-Greek life, it’s just not for me since it’s a big-time and monetary commitment. Second semester after people rush there is mixer season, which is two months of Greek organizations mixing with other Greek organizations and that’s just the way it is. But, even though it’s a loud minority and people think you have to rush if you go to SMU, there are a lot of ways to work around that. I’m a very outgoing and social person – and if I wasn’t that way I don’t know if I’d feel the same way – but I feel like SMU provides so many opportunities for people to make friends and connections and network with each other. So, because of that, I don’t think it’s a big deal if you don’t join Greek life.
To what extent do you think people of different races and sexual orientations mix socially?
SMU is very, very White. My roommate is a Theater major and in a completely different school, so she mixes with way more people of different racial backgrounds and different sexual orientations. But, if you’re in the Cox School of Business, it’s mostly White males. That’s just the way it is at SMU, it can seem very White, straight, male-dominated. [The undergraduate population is 12% Hispanic, 5% Black, 64% White, and 7% Asian. About 53% of students are Male.]
To what extent do people in Greek life and not in Greek life mix socially?
It’s two separate worlds. Even though I’m not in Greek life I’m still involved with going to frat parties and have a lot of friends in frats and sororities. For guys who are not in frats, they do not mix with people who are in sororities. I’m personally not friends with any guys who aren’t in a fraternity. But, for girls who aren’t in Greek life, it’s not a big deal because frat parties are open to every female.
How would you describe the student body?
There are always extremes. The extremes that jump out are Southern Millionaire’s University where people are very wealthy, like to display their wealth and think it’s a defining factor for themselves. But, then it also seems like everybody that I’ve met and have become close with doesn’t care about that thing and are very academically driven. The people depend on where you find yourself in the school.
How do you like the size of SMU in terms of undergraduate enrollment? How was transitioning to a school with [about 6,500] students?
I love it. I think I would have hated a big school. I like knowing most of the people in my class.
To what extent do people in Greek life and not in Greek life mix socially?
It depends on the person. I think if you’re an outgoing person then you’ll have friends in fraternities and you can go to parties if you want. I didn’t rush until the fall [of my sophomore year] so I’d go to stuff last semester as well as first semester. First semester, people in Greek life mix with people not in Greek life. The second semester it is more sectioned off between Greek life and non-Greek life.
How strong is the Methodist affiliation? How has that impacted your experience?
I don’t think it’s strong at all. I came in under the impression that there would be a lot of very religious people here, but it’s not like that. It’s a very open community for everyone. Even when the United Methodist Church voted against accepting gay marriage, SMU came out and said that they don’t support that decision.
Careers
Has the alumni network helped you find internships or jobs?
In terms of the business school, they have alumni come in and talk to us and introduce us to them so we’re able to network and gain those connections. I think it’s been beneficial so far even though I’m not too far into it.
What have you used the career office for? How helpful have they been?
I have just started getting into creating a LinkedIn profile and a Handshake profile and we have that sort of thing built into our classes in the business school. I’ve also gone in to have them go over cover letters for a couple of internships I’ve applied to recently.
Have you learned any computer languages or software that will be helpful to you professionally?
I have not had Excel built into a course yet, but I’m taking one next semester. We have to get Excel certified, so I’ll start with that next semester.