Southern Methodist University hosted their annual Springfest on March 4 and provided a comprehensive look into what the university has to offer.

A self proclaimed “highly selective private college,” SMU is a private research university in Dallas, University Park, and Highland Park, TX. It includes the in-campus institutions of Meadows School of the Arts, Cox School of Business, Perkins School of Theology, Dedman College of Humanities and Sciences, Lyle School of Engineering and the Simmons School of Education and Human Development. The campus also includes the George W. Bush presidential library and museum.

The university is medium sized, with 6411 undergraduate students enrolled as of Fall 2016. The average class size is 23 students with a student faculty ratio of 12:1. The requirements to be admitted include between a 1340-1460 on the SAT and between a 29-32 on the ACT. While the average GPA of a student at SMU is 3.7 on the 4.0 scale, SMU does not look at ranks and has an acceptance rate of 49 percent.

The tuition is slightly pricey, but three out of four SMU students receive some kind of financial aid. However, there is a requirement that all students must live on campus their first two years of attending, even for students who live close by. Double majoring and studying abroad is also common amongst students at SMU.

The cafeteria offers a wide range of foods, from hamburgers to vegan meals, while on-campus food includes Chick-fil-A and Starbuck’s. The students on campus are friendly and willing to give tours and talk about their experience at SMU.

Athletics wise, the SMU Mustangs men’s basketball team earned a No. 6 seed in the East Region and is currently on the heels of winning the American Athletic Conference regular season title and conference tournament championship. If you’re looking for a basketball culture, SMU is a fantastic place to be.

Overall, SMU is a great school to look at if you’re looking at a private school close to home. It has hundreds of prestigious programs for a wide variety of subjects and the environment is welcoming for students and their families.