MEDIA RESOURCES

BusinessWeek Ranks SMU Cox
One of the Nation's Top 20 Undergraduate Business Programs

Dallas (SMU) -- In its first ranking of undergraduate business programs, BusinessWeek ranks SMU’s Cox School of Business as one of the top programs, placing 20th in the nation.

Thirty percent of the ranking was based on surveys of more than 100,000 undergraduate students majoring in business, with a recruiter survey accounting for 20 percent of the ranking. The ranking also considers starting salaries (10 percent), which schools send the most students to top MBA programs (10 percent), and several measures of academic quality, including faculty-student ratios and average SAT scores (30 percent). Frequently asked questions regarding the criteria can be found at http://www.businessweek.com/bschools/faq/index.html.

Based on these criteria, SMU Cox excelled in the following categories:

#9 in the student survey
#12 for average SAT score
#15 for sending the most undergraduates to top MBA programs
In addition to being the top-ranked school in Texas in the categories above, the Cox School received an A+ for “teaching quality” and “facilities and services” and an A for “job placement” (based on the student survey). A complete list of school rankings can be found at http://www.businessweek.com/pdfs/2006/0619_top50b.pdf.

"Our faculty, staff, students, alumni, and friends work hard to make the Cox School a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity and experience for our students," said Albert W. Niemi, Jr., dean of the Cox School. “We are delighted with BusinessWeek’s ranking of the Cox BBA program, but we realize there are limitations to every ranking’s methodology. We will continue to stay focused on the school’s mission by placing even greater emphasis on the overall quality of the program and providing an outstanding experience for our students.”

One of the Nation’s Most Selective BBA Programs

Year after year, entrance into the Cox School’s BBA Business Scholars Program becomes more competitive. The Class of 2009 includes 149 students who turned down more than 400 offers of admission from other schools in favor of guaranteed admittance to SMU’s highly ranked business school. The quality of Cox BBA students also continues to improve, with an average SAT score of1385 (combined math and verbal) for the admitted Class of 2006.

In addition to being recognized for its academically rigorous undergraduate business program, SMU was recently named #4 for “Happiest Students” and #4 for “Great College Towns” by Princeton Review.

The Cox School offers an exceptional educational experience distinguished by an outstanding faculty, a strong global network, a strategic location in one of the world’s best cities for business, and a number of innovative programs, centers, and institutes that keep students on the leading edge of business.

About SMU Cox

SMU’s Cox School of Business offers a full range of business education programs, including BBA, full-time MBA, Professional MBA (PMBA), Executive MBA (EMBA), Master of Science in Management (MSM), and Executive Education. The school also offers a number of unique resources and activities for students, ranging from its Business Leadership Center (BLC), Caruth Institute for Entrepreneurship, Maguire Energy Institute, and American Airlines Global Leadership Program (AAGLP) to its Associate Board Executive Mentoring Program and an international alumni network with chapters in more than 20 countries. SMU Cox is ranked among the top business schools nationally and internationally by major publications, including BusinessWeek, The Economist, Financial Times, Forbes, The Wall Street Journal, and U.S. News & World Report.