Our Students
What do we know about SMU students? This page contains some SMU-specific statistics, as well as some information about the current generation of university students more generally. It also provides links to SMU resources that will help you point students toward academic or personal help when needed.
SMU
SMU has almost 11,000 students. Students come from all 50 states and the District of Columbia; 52 percent of undergraduates list home addresses in Texas. Other leading home states of first-year students, in descending order, are California, Florida, Illinois, Tennessee, Louisiana, Oklahoma, Connecticut, Missouri and Georgia. SMU's international enrollment includes 1,052 students from 94 countries. The largest numbers of students, in descending order, are from China, India, Saudi Arabia, Mexico, Korea, Taiwan (Province of China), Thailand, Guatemala, Iran and Canada. Our students come from diverse economic, ethnic, and religious backgrounds. Among students reporting a religious affiliation, 26 percent are Catholic and 18 percent are Methodist. Also represented are other Protestant denominations and religions such as Judaism, Islam and Hinduism.
The average age of undergraduates is 20. About a third of them live on campus, and about 2,300 are members of a fraternity or sorority. About 1100 undergraduates work for SMU, and others work throughout the community. Information about admission statistics is here.
For a good overview of SMU student life, see the Faculty Guide to Student Affairs. To see advice that all entering students are given about academic life, read the Peruna Passport.
Educause, Educating the Net Generation (e-book)
Pew Research Center, Millenials: A Portrait of Generation Next
Beloit College Mindset List, Class of 2017 (born in 1995, connected without sharing physical space, Gaga not just baby talk, Mickey Mantle has always been dead, and they have always known that there are “five hundred, twenty five thousand, six hundred minutes" in a year).
Help for Your Students
Recognizing Students in Distress: A Guide for Faculty and Staff
Altshuler Learning Enhancement Center
Disability Accommodation & Success Strategies
Call for Help Program (Good Samaritan/Medical Amnesty Policy)
International Student & Scholar Services
For issues involving class attendance, the Dedman College Advising Center (8-2291) can connect you with your student's advisor. Problems that appear in your class may well be part of a larger pattern; communicating with the advisor may help both of you help the student more effectively.