bring back our elite academic ranking

[MV pony]

Now tied with Baylor.

[tristatecoog]

My guess is that Baylor has more economic diversity which is highly valued in the last couple rankings. SMU has been focused on giving Pell Grant students a full ride if they're otherwise scholarship eligible.

[Mustangs_Maroons]

I was shocked (not in a good way) when I saw the rankings. Admittedly, the criteria USNews has also changed since last year and not in a good way. It’s benefitted more the public research universities.

We do need a new President that understands this. We should be top 50. We need to get this addressed. I hope the new president will.

[tristatecoog]

It's tough to chase methodologies. The average SAT scores are very high. Job prospects are quite high. Classes are relatively small. Graduation rates and freshmen retention are solid and improving.

Last year was the major change that pushed SMU down about 20 spots and elevated a lot of public universities.

https://www.usnews.com/education/blogs/ ... calculated

* Class sizes went from an 8% to a 0% rating. Dramatically increase class sizes?
* Academic citations went from 0% to 4%. Continue to push for research and PhD students over undergrads?
* First generation and Pell grant rates from from 5% to 11%. Keep pushing resources to drive more first gen/Pell programs and success. This is a tough lift for small privates but schools like Wake, W&L, etc. are doing it.

Hire a president who came from a first gen or Pell background and is an academic? Will they also like sports? Boost full-pay international student population with funding for economic diversity.

[orguy]

Now tied with Baylor.

Not too much concern on this board. Last year tx aggie overtooK us.
First time ever. Next year NTSU at the rate we are going.

Thx for commenting Cougar high person. Your non alum comments
are valued. Say hi to shrub and his birdbrained wife next "library" shindig.
At the very least RGT is out. His legacy of absolute mediocrity and
mismanagement intact for eternity if rankings have value ( Hint: they
do )

[orguy]

UTD now 109. Soon will surpass SMU. Great leadership.

[tristatecoog]

Dr Turner email from yesterday said that freshman applications are up over 40% this year! That's incredible.

[indianmustang]

Dr Turner email from yesterday said that freshman applications are up over 40% this year! That's incredible.

Maybe ACC Boost

[deucetz]

Dr Turner email from yesterday said that freshman applications are up over 40% this year! That's incredible.

Maybe ACC Boost

It also helps that they waived the application fee for first year and transfer students.

[tristatecoog]

There have been windows of free applications in the past. This year it’s been free for all?

Verified. “To mark joining the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC), we’re waiving the application fee for all first-year and transfer undergraduate students.”

Well, the challenge will be maintaining the yield. Expect a lot of deferred decisions to manage it.

[leopold]

There was a time we were ELITE?!?!?!

[AfricanMustang]

Dr Turner email from yesterday said that freshman applications are up over 40% this year! That's incredible.

Care to share?

40% this year meaning entering Fall 2025 (2025-2026) or 2024 (2024-2025)?

Semester Applications
Fall 2024: 15,245
Fall 2023: 15,092
Fall 2022: 16,150
Fall 2021: 15,685
Fall 2020: 14,010

https://www.smu.edu/-/media/site/ir/tre ... 4-2025.pdf

[orguy]

Dr Turner email from yesterday said that freshman applications are up over 40% this year! That's incredible.

Care to share?

40% this year meaning entering Fall 2025 (2025-2026) or 2024 (2024-2025)?

Semester Applications
Fall 2024: 15,245
Fall 2023: 15,092
Fall 2022: 16,150
Fall 2021: 15,685
Fall 2020: 14,010

https://www.smu.edu/-/media/site/ir/tre ... 4-2025.pdf

Real Data! Always appreciated!

[indianmustang]

Dr Turner email from yesterday said that freshman applications are up over 40% this year! That's incredible.

Care to share?

40% this year meaning entering Fall 2025 (2025-2026) or 2024 (2024-2025)?

Semester Applications
Fall 2024: 15,245
Fall 2023: 15,092
Fall 2022: 16,150
Fall 2021: 15,685
Fall 2020: 14,010

https://www.smu.edu/-/media/site/ir/tre ... 4-2025.pdf

Real Data! Always appreciated!

now we need a good run in FB or MB to increase recognition.

[Mustangs_Maroons]

The message from Turner on Nov 11th was “ undergraduate applications to the University have increased more than 40% year over year.” This is presumably for Fall 2025. This may also be due to waiving the application fee.

That would be a significant increase if so.