Southern Methodist University representative and Houston Regional Director of Admissions Joe Francisco visited Bellaire during Cardinal Hour in Charlie’s Cottage to speak about academic programs and admissions on Thursday.

SMU, located in Dallas, requires students to live on campus for at least one year, with 11 residence halls available. SMU dormitories host events such as mac and cheese night to help students connect with one another.

Francisco said the university is test-optional right now. SMU has an acceptance rate of 61%, with some majors like business or economics more competitive than others.“SMU has tons of clubs, organizations, and of course, different resources,” Francisco said. “As far as class size, it’s about 20 to 22 students in class on average. So some of your bigger ones, maybe freshman year, like psychology or your general courses, may have a hundred students.”

Francisco said the university recalculates students’ GPAs in regards to English, math, science, social studies and foreign language.

“Even if you’re not taking APs or IB classes, it’s not the end of the world,” Francisco said. “We look at your rigor, APs, IBs, your grades and your test scores. If you choose some of your test scores, you’re automatically reviewed for merit-based scholarships, and you’ll be notified of that in your letter of acceptance.”

This year, SMU’s supplementary essays are optional but “strongly encouraged,” according to Francisco. SMU offers “Mustang Days,” which are regular daily visits of the campus, happening Monday through Friday two sessions a day. Mustang Days include an informative session, followed by a tour of the campus.

To stay updated on the admissions process, follow SMU on Instagram @smudallas or email Francisco at [email protected].