Admissions Factors
What Southern Methodist University Looks For
Southern Methodist University rates 4 factors as very important: rigor of high school courses, academic GPA, application essay and recommendations.
How Southern Methodist University rates each factor
Each college sorts 18 factors into four levels on its Common Data Set.
Important
Considered
The numbers behind the class
Overall admit rate
47.6%
11,459 of 24,053 applicants
Early decision admit rate
80.3%
Early decision admits equal 25% of the class
Admitted from the waitlist
22.6%
243 of 1,074 who stayed on it
Enrolled first-years had an average high school GPA of 3.69. 48.7% of those who reported a class rank were in the top tenth of their class.
Frequently asked questions
What does Southern Methodist University look for in applicants?
Southern Methodist University rates 4 factors as very important: rigor of high school courses, academic GPA, application essay and recommendations.
Does Southern Methodist University consider legacy status?
Southern Methodist University rates alumni relation as "considered" in its 2025-26 Common Data Set.
Does Southern Methodist University track demonstrated interest?
Southern Methodist University rates the level of an applicant's interest as "considered".
What is Southern Methodist University's waitlist acceptance rate?
1,074 students stayed on the waitlist and 243 were admitted, a rate of 22.6%. The number changes a lot from year to year because it depends on how many admitted students enroll.
What is Southern Methodist University's early decision acceptance rate?
Early decision: 424 of 528 applicants were admitted (80.3%), against 47.6% overall. Early pools include recruited athletes and other students with a strong tie to the college, so the gap overstates the boost for an ordinary applicant.
Source: Southern Methodist University’s own Common Data Set 2025-26, Section C. Last checked 2026-10-08. The ratings are the college’s own description of its process. Counts are for one entering class.
