| Location: | Southwest |
| Setting: | Small Town Setting |
| Type: | Private |
| Affiliation: | United Methodist |
| Size: | Small (Under 2,000 Undergrad) |
| Mascot: | Pirates |
Southwestern's Core Purpose:
Fostering a liberal arts community whose values and
actions encourage contributions toward the
well-being of humanity.
Southwestern University is a private, four-year, undergraduate, liberal arts college located in Georgetown, Texas, USA. Founded in 1840, Southwestern is the oldest university in Texas.
Prior to its founding in Georgetown, charters had been granted by the Legislature (Texas Congress 1836-1845) to establish four earlier educational institutions: Rutersville College of Rutersville, Texas in 1840, Wesleyan College of Saint Augustine, Texas in 1844, McKenzie College of Clarksville, Texas in 1848, and Soule University of Chappell Hill, Texas in 1856. Southwestern's founding date was 1840, when Rutersville opened its doors, thus making it Texas' first university (which is further supported by Texas gubernatorial decree). Southwestern is also the 2nd oldest coeducational liberal arts college west of the Mississippi.
None of these four institutions lasted very long, but in 1873, the union of these four institutions opened in Georgetown as Texas University, after a group had been founded for its creation in 1870 as Methodism's central university in Texas during a meeting in Galveston by church donors. Wanting the name for a state school of nearly the same name, the University of Texas, in Austin, the state granted the new university a charter in 1875 under the name of Southwestern University continuing in the tradition of the original charter for Rutersville.
Southwestern was a charter member of the Southwest Conference in 1915 and for decades the main sports rival was Southern Methodist University, as remembrance over the near-removal of Southwestern to Dallas, leading to the founding of Methodism's second institution of higher learning in Texas. SMU, however, grew to the point of no longer being near Southwestern in size. In the 1970s and 1980s, Southwestern transformed itself into a small rigorous liberal arts institution, getting rid of its post-graduate degrees and completely rebuilding the campus with a massive capital campaign. The endowment also rose substantially, as did academic standards.
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| Percent of Students International: | 0% |
| On-Campus Housing Available: | Yes |
| Percent of Students Living On-Campus: | 75% |
| Freshman Students Required to Live on Campus: | Yes |
| Member of: | NAA, NCAA |
| Sports Include: |
Basketball (Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference) Baseball (Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference) Track (Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference) |
| Tuition & Fees (undergraduate) | Expenses | ||
Average Tuition for Full-Time Undergrads: |
$ 21,900 | ||
| Financial Aid | Avg. Amount Received | % of Students Receiving Aid | |
Federal Grants: |
$ 3,511 | 16% | |
State and Local Grants: |
$ 3,593 | 34% | |
Institutional Grants: |
$ 7,654 | 83% | |
Student Loans: |
$ 5,338 | 45% | |
Any Aid: |
91% |
| Acceptance Rate: | 67% (Selective) |
| Test Scores | |
| SAT Scores: | |
| % of Students Submitting SAT Scores: | 95% |
| Bottom 25th Percentile: | Verbal: 563, Math: 570 |
| Top 75th Percentile: | Verbal: 670, Math: 660 |
| Application Fee: | $ 40.00 |
| Formal Demonstration of Competencies: | Recommended |
| High School Diploma or Equivalent: | Required |
| High School GPA: | Required |
| High School Rank: | Required |
| High School Record: | Required |
| Recommendations: | Required |
| TOEFL: | Required |
| Test Scores: | Required |
College Advice
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Question:
Which school has a higher prestige: University of Texas at Austin vs. Southwestern University?
as well as which school has a better natural science/mathematics program? any help is appreciated as well as links. thanks for the information.
19 months ago
Best Answer
There's no single accepted measure of "prestige" for universities, so your question can't be answered by a simple choice of one or the other.
Also, the two schools are not really comparable. SU is a private liberal arts college with an enrollment of about 1300. UTA is a public research institution enrolling about 50,000 students at all levels through the doctorate. They both have claims to "prestige:"
SU is one of the top schools for promoting civic engagement and making a difference in students' lives.
UTA has a number of programs which are highly rated in their disciplines, and overall it is a respected institution.
By its sheer size, UTA undoubtedly offers more resources and opportunities in science and math. On the other hand, whether a given student will flourish there depends on his/her preparation, abilities, and (esp.) self-discipline. Some students will do better in a smaller setting, with closer interaction with faculty and advisors. So in addition to looking at prestige rankings and resources, be sure to look at the "fit" between the school and the student.
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I was wondering if anyone knew which university is better in the sciences (Biology, Chemistry, etc...) or know which school has a higher percentage of students getting accepted to medical/dental school. I know Southwestern is known for being a liberal arts school but I'm not sure how strong they are in the sciences. If you could give suggestions or know of any links I would really appreciate it. Thank you.
20 months ago
Best Answer
Both schools are great, but comparing them is really not fair. Southwestern is very tiny and therefore very limited in terms of funds. I just graduated from the University of Texas and I must tell you that the sciences are incredibly strong. The amount and vastness of science classes offered at a university catering to 52,000 students will far exceed those offered at a university with 4,000 (I'm not totally sure on the numbers). Texas is highly regarded in the academic community. It is also considered a 'public' ivy league university. Their engineering program is in the top 5 in the nation. The reason I mention this is because science is very closely linked to engineering. They also have a rare program called biomedical engineering. I have several friends who are still at Texas, many pre-med, who have all had success being accepted to medschools this semester. Good luck.
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