[violetpretty]

Anyone more familiar with SMU correct me if I am wrong....

I doubt that being out of state would negatively affect a PNM's chances because SMU is private, so about half of the students are from out of state. It's not like Bama, for example, where you have to have connections with all the XYZs in Birmingham to stand a chance.

Plus, their recruitment is deferred, so PNMs and sorority members have at least one semester to get to know each other in a more authentic way, and the members don't feel they have to "pick out" their pledge class over the summer based on who they know from their hometowns.

However, I think recs are important for a PNM to be competitive.