While average SAT scores fell nationally for the incoming freshman class of 2015, SMU’s freshman class had the highest scores ever seen — an average score of 1,268 in the math and critical reading sections, according to Stephanie Dupaul, associate vice president for enrollment management.

When looking at only these two sections, this score is about 25 points higher than SMU’s freshman class last year.

However, SMU has more to brag about than just higher test scores.

This year, 12,961 students applied, up more than 3,000 from 2010. And, 24.5 percent of those accepted actually enrolled.

“This is a significant increase,” Dupaul said.

It appears that SMU is getting more selective as applications are up 42. 5 percent from 2005, but acceptance rates have gone down by 63.25 percent since last year.

“SMU is becoming a school of choice for top students across the nation,” Provost Paul Ludden said. “We were also very pleased that the retention of first-year students returning for their second year hit 90 percent for the first time.”

Of the students who applied, 5,641 were accepted and 1,382 enrolled — down about 100 students from 2010.

“We intentionally tried to make this class smaller; the average is around 1400,” Dupaul said.

Fifty-five percent of students are from outside of Texas. California remained No. 1 and Florida ranked No. 2. Also in the top 10 states were Illinois, Louisiana, Missouri, Connecticut, Virginia and Tennessee.

While many universities are struggling to maintain a gender balance, SMU’s class of 2015 is almost 50/50 with 51 percent female and 49 percent male.

“SMU has a great balance of majors and programs that attract women and men,” Ludden said. “Dean Orsak does a great job of recruiting women who wish to be engineers; Dean Bowen does a great job of recruiting both men and women to the arts; and, an increasing number of women are attracted to the Business programs in the Cox School.”

Both international and transfer applications are on the rise, too.

“There was a huge increase in transfer applications this year; it’s very exciting,” Dupaul said.

Ludden agrees.

“I think that students around the world are recognizing SMU as a rising star among universities,” he said. “The excitement about the Bush Library, the new curriculum and the success of our athletics teams all contribute to the increase in the esteem for SMU across Texas, the U.S. and the world.”