As graduate admissions professionals, the story we tell about our graduate business school must extend beyond faculty and curriculum.
One of the most persuasive—and often underutilized—assets at our fingertips is our location. The city where we stand shapes the student experience, career pathways, employer connections, and institutional reputation.
At the SMU Cox School of Business, Dallas, TX serves as a prime example. In using these strategies, our admissions professionals powerfully leverage the city’s distinct advantages in attracting and enrolling top-tier candidates.
1. Showcase access to leading employers and career pathways
Dallas is home to 43 Fortune 1000 companies, including 21 Fortune 500 headquarters—AT&T, American Airlines, Frito-Lay, Keurig Dr Pepper, McKesson, to name a few. Admissions professionals can highlight this concentration when engaging prospects by sharing stories of internships, consulting projects, and recruitment pipelines connecting students to these industry giants. Reinforcing the strength of the local corporate ecosystem helps candidates see tangible career benefits tied to their location.
2. Emphasize entrepreneurship and innovation opportunities
Dallas ranks as the #4 best U.S. city to launch a business and boasts a high density of startups and self-employed households. Sharing details about the city’s entrepreneurial ecosystem—including accelerators, venture capital networks, and city-backed innovation initiatives—and how the university is an integral part of the ecosystem, energizes candidates with entrepreneurial ambitions. It also positions the school as the perfect launchpad for their career.
3. Quantify economic growth and market dynamism
Using up-to-date regional economic data—like Dallas’ record 100 corporate headquarter relocations since 2018, or highlighting forthcoming company campus developments, such as Goldman Sachs, the Texas Stock Exchange, NYSE and Nasdaq, or its diversification across seven powerful industries—adds credibility and urgency to your message. These facts illustrate a vibrant job market linked closely to your institution, helping candidates assess ROI and long-term opportunities.
4. Highlight quality of life and community benefits
Prospective students increasingly weigh lifestyle, affordability, and community in their decisions. Admissions professionals can emphasize the affordable cost of living, diverse neighborhoods, education options, and cultural amenities. Nearly one in five of Dallas residents are foreign born, helping drive the rich arts and culture scene, including 20,000 acres of parks, two major art districts, nightlife, town squares, and festivals year-round. Balancing the professional advantages with lifestyle benefits appeals to candidates seeking a holistic graduate experience.
5. Activate local alumni and employer networks in admissions outreach
It’s likely that your city is a wellspring of connections, including your school’s alumni and corporate partnerships. SMU Cox benefits from the more than 64,000 SMU alumni living in the Dallas-Fort Worth region and 8,000 corporate partners. Students have access to engage with these alumni and employers to foster connection, collaboration and connectivity. Along with showcasing how local alumni impact the city and fuel career acceleration, prospective students relate to location-based testimonials, which lay a strong foundation of trust in your institution’s promise.
In summary, graduate admissions professionals can transform their city from a backdrop into a dynamic selling point. Dallas illustrates how integrating powerful, data-backed insights about local business strength, innovation climate, economic growth, and lifestyle helps candidates visualize true value beyond the degree.
By weaving the city’s narrative into your recruitment conversations and materials, you don’t just communicate a program, you deliver a compelling vision of opportunity, community, and career success that resonates deeply with today’s graduate business candidates.
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