Forbes 2014 Best Colleges: SMU #101

[smudubs]

You might consider looking just a few hours west of the Metro-plex (3hrs) to Abilene Christian University (ACU)

1) Great academics with an Med School acceptance rate hovering around 88% for the last 10 years or so, with the national average around 45%.
2) Small private school ... about 5k undergrads and around $850 per credit hour. It is a Christian based school, so religious classes and chapel attendance is required. Attracts a lot of kids internationally and from the Dallas area. Pretty girls, students come from solid family backgrounds and roots.
3) Abilene is a good community of about 115,000 ... not the night life of Bid "D", but plenty to do.
4) ACU is one the top track programs in the country ... men/women at any level. They have won so many NCAA indoor/outdoor titles, it is news when they don't win one. I can't recall when the US Olympic Track team did not have a least one former/current track athlete from ACU, and usually multiple. D1 programs no longer invite them to dual meets or relays ... they grew tired of having a then D2 now D1AA program run them ragged.

It might be worth the look ... it is a good school and community, with a top track program and pre-med program.

Finally a school we had not considered. I know a couple of kids who played football there a few years back. From what I understand they loved it. Thanks for the info.

[PSCA]

No problem, hope it all works out.

[orguy]

You might consider looking just a few hours west of the Metro-plex (3hrs) to Abilene Christian University (ACU)

1) Great academics with an Med School acceptance rate hovering around 88% for the last 10 years or so, with the national average around 45%.
2) Small private school ... about 5k undergrads and around $850 per credit hour. It is a Christian based school, so religious classes and chapel attendance is required. Attracts a lot of kids internationally and from the Dallas area. Pretty girls, students come from solid family backgrounds and roots.
3) Abilene is a good community of about 115,000 ... not the night life of Bid "D", but plenty to do.
4) ACU is one the top track programs in the country ... men/women at any level. They have won so many NCAA indoor/outdoor titles, it is news when they don't win one. I can't recall when the US Olympic Track team did not have a least one former/current track athlete from ACU, and usually multiple. D1 programs no longer invite them to dual meets or relays ... they grew tired of having a then D2 now D1AA program run them ragged.

It might be worth the look ... it is a good school and community, with a top track program and pre-med program.

Well. An 88 percent acceptance rate to Med School from ACU is suspicious but whatever. Obviously the administration is playing with how you define an acceptance. Fantasies persist. No way ACU gets people into Med School at the same rate as an SMU/Tulane/Trinity etc (unless they fail 95 percent of those brave enough to take Organic Chemistry which is unlikely).

[PSCA]

Suggesting that ACU is playing with numbers on how they calculate their Med School acceptance rate... hmmm strong indictment of integrity against a solid University ... do you have knowledge, better yet evidence? Are you of the opinion that a West Texas University can not provide top tier education? ACU is an excellent school, with some very well respected programs ... no I am not an Alum ...I'm a UNC grad, so I don't have dog in the hunt. The acceptance rate is on their web-site (greater than 85% not 88% ... my bad). They even show what Med Schools their graduates went to since 2004. Maybe you should call Dr Phil Shubert the school President and ask him. Here is another insight that will also blow your mind ... Hardin Simmons University (HSU) in Abilene also has an acceptance rate WELL above the national average and one of the best PT programs in the country.

I'm getting off subject ... not trying to pick a fight ... as I said, I have zero dogs in the debate ... I'm neither an Alum nor a MD. Your strong comments surprised is all.

Anyway ... to SMUdubs ... ACU is an excellent school, campus, environment and top track program, it is worth the effort to check it out for yourself. They have added a lot of new building and just had an Alum (HP resident) donate 40mm for a new on-campus stadium and track complex.

[smudubs]

Thanks for all the input. He is making it extremely difficult because he is adamant that he wants to run track. He's also adamant that he doesn't want to go to a huge university and wants to stay within about six hours from home. We're trying to get him to expand that distance, but mom wants him close.

As far as recruiting for track is concerned, it has not started because he just blew up this summer. He shaved two seconds off his 110m hurdles and added five feet to his triple jump. Six weeks ago he decided to "try" high jump and placed 11th at Junior Olympics last week. He would have finished 6th in triple jump. Track recruiting is also different from football and basketball. From what I've gathered it's all done through the club teams. For example, his high school failed to post any of his results to athletic.net, which is where the colleges go for results.

And someone commented that we needed to work on getting him into the top 10% of his class. He is in the top 12% now and refuses to turn in homework. I think that will change now that he has a plan and fell in love with RIce.

Do not let him go to Rice. My daughter went there and she was miserable. There is no social life there other than saying hello to your classmates going and coming to the library or class. Most of them will return the greeting with silence or an accent - and I don't mean a southern drawl. Never did understand the dorm as a "college" concept - which Lori White is trying to implement here. By the way, he will have to do homework and self study - tons of it...........And he will hate Houston. You have to be born in Houston to even like it..........

I will start with the disclaimer that I was born in Houston. I would have no problem with him going to Rice because, like me, my son has learned to get along with nearly anyone. We all have a low threshold for stupid people however. And I'm sure he would thrive in Houston as the majority of our family still lives in the area.

If he goes to any school and is an athlete, he will have people with whom he can hang out and have a decent social life. I hesitate to say this because it will not be popular, but SMU is not for everyone. I remember when I came to campus as a poor African-American athlete twenty years ago, I did not feel that I fit in with the general student body. It took nearly two years before I felt comfortable. When I hung up the cleats and went to grad school and was one of two African-American students in my class, I did not think I would make it. Grant it, I was not like most students as I had two kids, but I had to work extremely hard to create a group of friends.

[ideal]

Thanks for all the input. He is making it extremely difficult because he is adamant that he wants to run track. He's also adamant that he doesn't want to go to a huge university and wants to stay within about six hours from home. We're trying to get him to expand that distance, but mom wants him close.

As far as recruiting for track is concerned, it has not started because he just blew up this summer.

Southern Arkansas is building a new track program. You may want to look into it. It is a nice campus in Magnolia. Small classes, good premed. My uncle was on the Bd. of trustees and donated a lot of money. He was high on the school (passed away). Your son no doubt would be a big star on campus, and would have a lot of fun.

[tristatecoog]

The ACU data is from 2006 but maybe it's still applicable today. Their site shows 24 medical school admits from the class of 2013. That's a strong number. Of those, two are out of state (Illinois and Nova Southeastern). Two for Baylor, a few for UT-Houston a couple for University of North Texas Health Science Center Texas College of Osteopathic Medicine (??) and some TX Tech and A&M. Curious if they're all traditional MD tracks. Rice's rate is 88% and they give you all their stats, including MCAT scores.

My kids go to ACU summer camps and all else said is legit, as well as what ACU states on acceptances. Heavy international track team and very accomplished. Could be a good fit. Excellent honors program too with good perks.

[Comet]

I was stunned by UT-D coming in at #492 on that list. Tech at #402 and I consider UT-D to be a much better institution.

It is a better institution. They had UTD right by UTEP? lol

[SMUer]

Maybe it's 88% accept the fact that they want to go to medical school.

[malonish]

The ACU data is from 2006 but maybe it's still applicable today. Their site shows 24 medical school admits from the class of 2013. That's a strong number. Of those, two are out of state (Illinois and Nova Southeastern). Two for Baylor, a few for UT-Houston a couple for University of North Texas Health Science Center Texas College of Osteopathic Medicine (??) and some TX Tech and A&M. Curious if they're all traditional MD tracks. Rice's rate is 88% and they give you all their stats, including MCAT scores.

My kids go to ACU summer camps and all else said is legit, as well as what ACU states on acceptances. Heavy international track team and very accomplished. Could be a good fit. Excellent honors program too with good perks.

"Medicine"

[SMUer]

How are your energy fields vibrating today?