Cox School of Business

The professors at the Cox School of Business make the business program at SMU unique. Each professor encourages students to visit during office hours for additional help, advice, etc. I have always felt that my professors genuinely want me to succeed and are willing to go out of their way to help me.

My school offers an outstanding academic program, but what's more is that they focus on truly preparing their students rather than sticking with what information while be on the CPA exam or the GMAT. They go above and beyond, and every professor is available outside of class hours to help if you find yourself struggling with difficult material. Cox also offers students the opportunity to participate in mentoring programs with Dallas executives, various business fraternities, and an array of seminars on topics from effective communication in global cultures to creativity techniques.

It is very hard to have a double major, or even a minor, if you are majoring in the business school. I didn't come in with any credits from high school, and I was on track to minor in 2 areas, but since the business school/accounting program have so many required classes I had to drop to one.

The network at SMU is unsurpassed--throughout my time at Cox, I've met and networked with dozens of members of the Dallas business elite. Meeting and working with these high-caliber individuals has given me an urbane and refined perspective in how to approach the world of business.

I wish the school would provide the same support and aid to students in majors outside of accounting and finance. The finance and accounting program at SMU is phenomenal--the MSA (Masters in Science of Accounting) 4+1 program is unparalleled, as are the networking and internship opportunities for finance majors. However, for the other majors offered (marketing, management, etc.), there seems to be much less help offered explicitly to the students. For me, I'd love to see SMU reach out to the business elite in the healthcare sector in Dallas--in my search for a career in healthcare after college, I've found this to be an incredibly underutilized and untapped market.

The Alternative Asset Management Program, which selects top finance students to participate in two finance electives and a summer internship, is quite unique to SMU. The Portfolio Practicum is second program, which separates SMU from many other business programs in the US. In this program, selected students choose S&P Industry sectors to manage in groups of 2-4. Each group is charged with overseeing the current industry-specific investments as well as updating market conditions related to both the group's respective industry as well as overarching macro conditions.

The business program is often so career-focused and earnings driven that students with an interest in non-profit or alternative industries may feel left out. It is a huge benefit to have a program that is so committed to making sure its students climb the corporate ladder with ease, but it also sometimes feels a little shallow. I wish more students had passion for a cause or purpose outside finance or accounting.

Professors and advisors (both for academics and career placement) provide so many opportunities for one-on-one time with students in order to help them succeed in every way. I can go to my professors for both help in class and for advice on which company to work with whenever I have a big decision to make. The small class sizes and the enthusiasm of every faculty really makes students want to learn and be engaged.

The program could be made stronger by actually listening to the needs and concerns of students. As a private institution, I often feel as if students' needs can take a back seat to administrators' desires to gain reputation for the University.

SMU provides an excellent academic program that has prepared me extremely well for a successful corporate career. The network of SMU graduates that I have been able to form and leverage for jobs has been particularly strong and helpful in working for Goldman Sachs and Credit Suisse. Furthermore, when training with students from other prestigious schools such as Wharton, Yale, and Stanford I have found that I was equally or better prepared with knowledge. Solid academics, a rick network, and career opportunities set SMU's Cox School of Business apart.

I would like to see the business program put more effort into helping majors other than accounting and finance majors find fitting careers and internships. It sometimes feels that the only opportunities are for accounting and finance majors, especially because most guest speakers are from those areas.

The quality of other students is outstanding, and the professors really emphasize life after college and prepare you for the real world.

The quality of the teaching is inconsistent at times. I have had some fantastic professors, who have pushed me to learn the material backwards and forwards. Others seem lost at times, grade inconsistently, and must improve their expectations of students. The institution would also better serve its students by offering more quantitative theory in higher-level courses.

The classes are small and each student receives as much attention as she or he needs and desires. The courses are difficult but great in preparing students for the business world post-graduation.

Some of the marketing, management, and general business professors are not of the same high caliber as the accounting and finance professors. SMU and Cox could really focus on improving the quality of these professors. Some of the issues are language barriers, unnecessary "busy work," and lack of organization.

Cox has extremely small classes, with teachers who all have real-world, industry experience. I have never had a business class with more than 50 people in it, and it usually hovers around 30 students. The environment in these classes is very discussion based. Each student knows each other, and the teacher knows all of the students by first name.