STUDENT WANTS TO CHANGE TEXANS’ MINDS ABOUT SYRIAN REFUGEES
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MAY 2016 I Vol. 12, No. 5 prestonhollowpeople.com facebook.com/phollowpeople @phollowpeople
SMU Ups Ante on Admission Standards RECENT GAINS LEAD TO TOUGHER QUALIFICATIONS
BUSINESS Campisi’s recipe for success is all in the family 18
By Haley Rogers
Special Contributor
S
MU wants to steal prospective students from schools like Vanderbilt, New York University, and the University of Southern California, and they’re doing it by upping testing standards, recruiting out of state, and investing in research and infrastructure. Due to an increasing number of applications, SMU accepted 49 percent of applicants in 2015, down from 58 in 2005. Vanderbilt accepted 12 percent of applicants in 2015, while the University of Southern California accepted 18 percent, according to College Board. While SMU doesn’t have an official GPA or test score requirement, combined math and reading SAT scores have increased nearly 100 points over the last decade. The average SAT score for the freshman class of 2015 was 1309, up from 1217 in 2005. “We hear this comment a lot from our alumni: ‘I’d never get into SMU now,’” said Wes Waggoner, associate VP for enrollment. “There is no doubt that some students who attended SMU 10 to 12 years ago might not be offered admission today. In fact, some who were admitted last year might not be admitted this year.”
S C H O O LS
Teachers explore new interactive research labs at the opening of Harold Clark Simmons Hall at SMU in February. The Simmonses gave $25 million in 2003 for its construction. || C H R I S M C G AT H E Y
B AT T L E O F W I T S
2005
Knox-Henderson complexes to bring in 600 new families 18
VS
2015
TEST SCORES AV G . S AT
1,217
1,309
AV G . A C T
25.8
29.5
GIFTS
SELECTIVITY APPLIED
6,981
12,992
ADMITTED
4,076
6,360 SOURCE: SMU
CONTINUED ON 11
BUSINESS
Teacher of the year wants recognition for school, not self 8
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LIVING WELL
COMMUNITY
Monthly divorce group empowers women to take charge of finances 30
W.T. White grad Johnny Simmons breaks out of teen roles on big screen 43