South Texas College of Law or Ole Miss? Forum

(Rankings, Profiles, Tuition, Student Life, . . . )
labf

New
Posts: 16
Joined: Mon May 07, 2012 3:25 pm

South Texas College of Law or Ole Miss?

Post by labf » Mon May 07, 2012 3:29 pm

Hi,

I am an international student from Canada. I need to get out of here. I have the choice of South Texas College of Law or University of Mississippi.

I visited both schools. I love Houston. Oxford MS seems ok. UMIss' Law facilities are amazing. South TX is pretty good.

Tuition is about the same. Ole Miss is cheaper. I do not know whether I can get residency status even as a non-immigrant on a student (F1) visa. With that, tuition at Ole Miss would be below half of South Texas.

I like Mississippi but I like Texas way more. I want to live in a city but I'm willing to trade that off if my job prospects from Ole Miss are better. I'm more concerned about finding some decent work. Not TopLaw, but a clerkship, respectable work in a decent city. A public defender or something. Any thoughts? Am I even being descriptive/useful enough? Thanks a lot.

User avatar
stillwater

Gold
Posts: 3804
Joined: Tue Jun 28, 2011 2:59 pm

Re: South Texas College of Law or Ole Miss?

Post by stillwater » Mon May 07, 2012 3:38 pm

Mississippi is a pretty insular place and as a complete outsider you may have a tough time translating that degree into bankable employment. South Texas is also pretty far down the ladder in Texas. So overall prospects for quality employment are dim. What are your career goals?

Paul Campos

Silver
Posts: 688
Joined: Mon Dec 12, 2011 9:44 am

Re: South Texas College of Law or Ole Miss?

Post by Paul Campos » Mon May 07, 2012 3:39 pm

labf wrote:Hi,

I am an international student from Canada. I need to get out of here. I have the choice of South Texas College of Law or University of Mississippi.

I visited both schools. I love Houston. Oxford MS seems ok. UMIss' Law facilities are amazing. South TX is pretty good.

Tuition is about the same. Ole Miss is cheaper. I do not know whether I can get residency status even as a non-immigrant on a student (F1) visa. With that, tuition at Ole Miss would be below half of South Texas.

I like Mississippi but I like Texas way more. I want to live in a city but I'm willing to trade that off if my job prospects from Ole Miss are better. I'm more concerned about finding some decent work. Not TopLaw, but a clerkship, respectable work in a decent city. A public defender or something. Any thoughts? Am I even being descriptive/useful enough? Thanks a lot.
How are you going to pay for this?

User avatar
flem

Diamond
Posts: 12882
Joined: Mon Oct 10, 2011 6:44 pm

Re: South Texas College of Law or Ole Miss?

Post by flem » Mon May 07, 2012 3:41 pm

GPA/LSAT, total cost of attendance, location preference and career goals, please.

But I can tell you before you answer that no one should ever go to STCL for free.

labf

New
Posts: 16
Joined: Mon May 07, 2012 3:25 pm

Re: South Texas College of Law or Ole Miss?

Post by labf » Mon May 07, 2012 3:43 pm

stillwater wrote:Mississippi is a pretty insular place and as a complete outsider you may have a tough time translating that degree into bankable employment. South Texas is also pretty far down the ladder in Texas. So overall prospects for quality employment are dim. What are your career goals?
Litigation. Defend the undefended. Public defender, advocacy, etc. I'd like to end up as a prosecutor or judge. I do not want to be rich. I'd go to school and learn how to fix elevators or install iron on skyscrapers if I wanted to make more money than a lawyer.
Paul Campos wrote: How are you going to pay for this?
I've saved up $40 000. The rest through govt loans from my province.
tfleming09 wrote:GPA/LSAT, total cost of attendance, location preference and career goals, please.

But I can tell you before you answer that no one should ever go to STCL for free.
LOVE your avatar.

2.95 / 155 / STCL = 26k/yr, Ole Miss 22-25k/yr + similar costs of living. / public defender, prosecutor, litigator, clerkship. NOT top law.

The dude abides.
Last edited by labf on Mon May 07, 2012 3:46 pm, edited 1 time in total.

Want to continue reading?

Register now to search topics and post comments!

Absolutely FREE!


Paul Campos

Silver
Posts: 688
Joined: Mon Dec 12, 2011 9:44 am

Re: South Texas College of Law or Ole Miss?

Post by Paul Campos » Mon May 07, 2012 3:45 pm

labf wrote:
stillwater wrote:Mississippi is a pretty insular place and as a complete outsider you may have a tough time translating that degree into bankable employment. South Texas is also pretty far down the ladder in Texas. So overall prospects for quality employment are dim. What are your career goals?
Litigation. Defend the undefended. Public defender, advocacy, etc. I'd like to end up as a prosecutor or judge. I do not want to be rich. I'd go into other lines of work if I wanted wealth.
Paul Campos wrote: How are you going to pay for this?
I've saved up $40 000. The rest through govt loans from my province.
Do Canadian government loans have any forgiveness provisions if you do government/PI work? What are the interest rates?

labf

New
Posts: 16
Joined: Mon May 07, 2012 3:25 pm

Re: South Texas College of Law or Ole Miss?

Post by labf » Mon May 07, 2012 3:47 pm

Paul Campos wrote:
labf wrote:
stillwater wrote:Mississippi is a pretty insular place and as a complete outsider you may have a tough time translating that degree into bankable employment. South Texas is also pretty far down the ladder in Texas. So overall prospects for quality employment are dim. What are your career goals?
Litigation. Defend the undefended. Public defender, advocacy, etc. I'd like to end up as a prosecutor or judge. I do not want to be rich. I'd go into other lines of work if I wanted wealth.
Paul Campos wrote: How are you going to pay for this?
I've saved up $40 000. The rest through govt loans from my province.
Do Canadian government loans have any forgiveness provisions if you do government/PI work? What are the interest rates?
My province is really good for grants up to 35% the value. 4% interest with a year after school interest free.

User avatar
flem

Diamond
Posts: 12882
Joined: Mon Oct 10, 2011 6:44 pm

Re: South Texas College of Law or Ole Miss?

Post by flem » Mon May 07, 2012 3:49 pm

labf wrote: LOVE your avatar.

2.95 / 155 / STCL = 26k/yr, Ole Miss 22-25k/yr + similar costs of living. / public defender, prosecutor, litigator, clerkship. NOT top law.

The dude abides.
Thanks!

You're still looking at 40K a year. I have no idea what interest rates are like on Canadian loans. With 40K saved up, you've got a year paid for, but you're still looking at 80K in debt when you're done, which sucks but isn't crippling on a PD/Prosecutor type salary. The only thing is, Mississippi is super insular and STCL is at the bottom of the pecking order for jobs in Texas. At least Ole Miss is the only game in town.

Averse to an LSAT retake?

User avatar
flem

Diamond
Posts: 12882
Joined: Mon Oct 10, 2011 6:44 pm

Re: South Texas College of Law or Ole Miss?

Post by flem » Mon May 07, 2012 3:50 pm

labf wrote: My province is really good for grants up to 35% the value. 4% interest with a year after school interest free.
That's it, I'm moving to fucking Canada.

Want to continue reading?

Register for access!

Did I mention it was FREE ?


labf

New
Posts: 16
Joined: Mon May 07, 2012 3:25 pm

Re: South Texas College of Law or Ole Miss?

Post by labf » Mon May 07, 2012 3:57 pm

tfleming09 wrote:
labf wrote: LOVE your avatar.

2.95 / 155 / STCL = 26k/yr, Ole Miss 22-25k/yr + similar costs of living. / public defender, prosecutor, litigator, clerkship. NOT top law.

The dude abides.
Thanks!

You're still looking at 40K a year. I have no idea what interest rates are like on Canadian loans. With 40K saved up, you've got a year paid for, but you're still looking at 80K in debt when you're done, which sucks but isn't crippling on a PD/Prosecutor type salary. The only thing is, Mississippi is super insular and STCL is at the bottom of the pecking order for jobs in Texas. At least Ole Miss is the only game in town.

Averse to an LSAT retake?
Thank you for the advice. 155 was the score after my retake.
tfleming09 wrote:
labf wrote: My province is really good for grants up to 35% the value. 4% interest with a year after school interest free.
That's it, I'm moving to fucking Canada.
I'll be happy to trade citizenship with you. I worked my ass off at UPS on the 10pm-2am M-F shift while in school in order to pay my tuition out of pocket and avoid loans and one of my facebook "friends" boasted last week that 25 000 of her student loans were forgiven. And she doesn't even live in the same province.

CanadianWolf

Diamond
Posts: 11413
Joined: Wed Mar 24, 2010 4:54 pm

Re: South Texas College of Law or Ole Miss?

Post by CanadianWolf » Mon May 07, 2012 4:28 pm

Good news is that the US now permits dual citzenship.

User avatar
Aberzombie1892

Gold
Posts: 1908
Joined: Sun Mar 29, 2009 10:56 am

Re: South Texas College of Law or Ole Miss?

Post by Aberzombie1892 » Mon May 07, 2012 4:32 pm

Did you apply to Mississippi College as well? It would be a better bet for Jackson than Ole Miss. However, given your goals of defending the undefended, I imagine that you would be okay in some of the smaller towns in state. If that is indeed the case, Ole Miss is an acceptable, but not desirable, option (especially at out of state prices).

CanadianWolf

Diamond
Posts: 11413
Joined: Wed Mar 24, 2010 4:54 pm

Re: South Texas College of Law or Ole Miss?

Post by CanadianWolf » Mon May 07, 2012 4:36 pm

Mississippi is the premier law school for those wanting to practice in Mississippi.

Register now!

Resources to assist law school applicants, students & graduates.

It's still FREE!


User avatar
flem

Diamond
Posts: 12882
Joined: Mon Oct 10, 2011 6:44 pm

Re: South Texas College of Law or Ole Miss?

Post by flem » Mon May 07, 2012 4:41 pm

Aberzombie1892 wrote:Did you apply to Mississippi College as well? It would be a better bet for Jackson than Ole Miss. However, given your goals of defending the undefended, I imagine that you would be okay in some of the smaller towns in state. If that is indeed the case, Ole Miss is an acceptable, but not desirable, option (especially at out of state prices).
wut

MS College is 28K a year, it's also a festering TTTT

labf

New
Posts: 16
Joined: Mon May 07, 2012 3:25 pm

Re: South Texas College of Law or Ole Miss?

Post by labf » Mon May 07, 2012 5:40 pm

Aberzombie1892 wrote:Did you apply to Mississippi College as well? It would be a better bet for Jackson than Ole Miss. However, given your goals of defending the undefended, I imagine that you would be okay in some of the smaller towns in state. If that is indeed the case, Ole Miss is an acceptable, but not desirable, option (especially at out of state prices).
I do not know if that is prudent. I'm surprised that you would suggest Ole Miss is "acceptable" compared to Miss College.

I am going to get a feel for Mississippi then seek transfers if I cannot stand it. I appreciate everyone's advice. I would prefer a city but I will see how everything goes. For all we know I may have a passion for remote sensing. I do have an urban studies degree, after all....

Are there any S TX boosters out there?

josh43299

Bronze
Posts: 207
Joined: Mon Jan 03, 2011 8:29 pm

Re: South Texas College of Law or Ole Miss?

Post by josh43299 » Mon May 07, 2012 5:47 pm

I think it is extremely unlikely you will be successful in achieving your goals from either of these schools. The vast majority of legal jobs in places like Mississippi go to kids with connected families or families who are connected to connected people (in the south, this is pretty much just any kid raised upper middle class). I could understand if you were going to Atlanta or something, but you are going to be in a little college town in Mississippi (the other should totally be off the table), which will make it even more difficult to network.

If you really want to leave your country, retake and reapply. Being from the Southeast, I advise against pretty much anyone coming here for a legal education (especially Mississippi, South Carolina, most of Tennessee, and Alabama). The culture here is so different that most people from more progressive places hate it after a very short amount of time. The problem is that at best, you would be stuck here, even if you wanted to leave.

labf

New
Posts: 16
Joined: Mon May 07, 2012 3:25 pm

Re: South Texas College of Law or Ole Miss?

Post by labf » Mon May 07, 2012 5:49 pm

josh43299 wrote:I think it is extremely unlikely you will be successful in achieving your goals from either of these schools. The vast majority of legal jobs in places like Mississippi go to kids with connected families or families who are connected to connected people (in the south, this is pretty much just any kid raised upper middle class). I could understand if you were going to Atlanta or something, but you are going to be in a little college town in Mississippi (the other should totally be off the table), which will make it even more difficult to network.

If you really want to leave your country, retake and reapply. Being from the Southeast, I advise against pretty much anyone coming here for a legal education (especially Mississippi, South Carolina, most of Tennessee, and Alabama). The culture here is so different that most people from more progressive places hate it after a very short amount of time. The problem is that at best, you would be stuck here, even if you wanted to leave.
Interesting. I will consider this. Is "the other" school that you are talking about Miss College or South Texas?

Get unlimited access to all forums and topics

Register now!

I'm pretty sure I told you it's FREE...


josh43299

Bronze
Posts: 207
Joined: Mon Jan 03, 2011 8:29 pm

Re: South Texas College of Law or Ole Miss?

Post by josh43299 » Mon May 07, 2012 6:11 pm

labf wrote:
josh43299 wrote:I think it is extremely unlikely you will be successful in achieving your goals from either of these schools. The vast majority of legal jobs in places like Mississippi go to kids with connected families or families who are connected to connected people (in the south, this is pretty much just any kid raised upper middle class). I could understand if you were going to Atlanta or something, but you are going to be in a little college town in Mississippi (the other should totally be off the table), which will make it even more difficult to network.

If you really want to leave your country, retake and reapply. Being from the Southeast, I advise against pretty much anyone coming here for a legal education (especially Mississippi, South Carolina, most of Tennessee, and Alabama). The culture here is so different that most people from more progressive places hate it after a very short amount of time. The problem is that at best, you would be stuck here, even if you wanted to leave.
Interesting. I will consider this. Is "the other" school that you are talking about Miss College or South Texas?
Well "the other" is South Texas, but I think both are really bad choices for you. It is unfortunate that your two options are among some of the worst possible for your situation (this was true for me last year). Is it possible you would consider reapplying? What are the reasons you have to get out of Canada? I could possibly let you know if the southern United States would be better.

User avatar
Aberzombie1892

Gold
Posts: 1908
Joined: Sun Mar 29, 2009 10:56 am

Re: South Texas College of Law or Ole Miss?

Post by Aberzombie1892 » Mon May 07, 2012 7:29 pm

tfleming09 wrote:
Aberzombie1892 wrote:Did you apply to Mississippi College as well? It would be a better bet for Jackson than Ole Miss. However, given your goals of defending the undefended, I imagine that you would be okay in some of the smaller towns in state. If that is indeed the case, Ole Miss is an acceptable, but not desirable, option (especially at out of state prices).
wut

MS College is 28K a year, it's also a festering TTTT
MC College is better for Jackson than Ole Miss. Does MC cost more? Certainly. Is either worth it? No. But than doesn't change the fact that going to Ole Miss isn't as good as MC for Jackson. It wasn't always this way, trust me.

The point was that if the OP goes to Ole Miss, he should be comfortable working in a rural area.

User avatar
TJISMYHERO

Bronze
Posts: 291
Joined: Thu Aug 05, 2010 1:14 pm

Re: South Texas College of Law or Ole Miss?

Post by TJISMYHERO » Mon May 07, 2012 8:47 pm

labf wrote:
Are there any S TX boosters out there?
To clarify other posts. STCL is not at the bottom of the pecking order in TX. Undoubtedly St. Mary's and TSU (and probably Wesleyan) are worse than STCL.

Of course, Texas, SMU, UH, and Baylor will all likely lead to better prospects than STCL.

jdamele76

New
Posts: 30
Joined: Sun Mar 18, 2012 1:49 am

Re: South Texas College of Law or Ole Miss?

Post by jdamele76 » Mon May 07, 2012 10:40 pm

With what you want to do and your numbers I think you are looking at it wrong. Texas and Mississippi are vastly different from Canada (at least from what I understand) and you may not enjoy it as much as you think. I am by no means an expert or know that much but it seems MSU's duel U.S and Canadian JD program would be amazing for your situation. You would have probably better employment stats than both these schools and also would be able to go back to Canada if you wished. Especially with your numbers, I think you could get into MSU. Although, I don't know about the duel degree thing (it may have a special application etc.).

Communicate now with those who not only know what a legal education is, but can offer you worthy advice and commentary as you complete the three most educational, yet challenging years of your law related post graduate life.

Register now, it's still FREE!


CanadianWolf

Diamond
Posts: 11413
Joined: Wed Mar 24, 2010 4:54 pm

Re: South Texas College of Law or Ole Miss?

Post by CanadianWolf » Mon May 07, 2012 10:47 pm

Unfortunately, with a 2.95 GPA & 155 LSAT, the OP is unlikely to be admitted to MSU law based on the information posted on lawschoolnumbers.com. Additionally, the dual degree US-Canadian program requires finishing the first year of law school above median.

jdamele76

New
Posts: 30
Joined: Sun Mar 18, 2012 1:49 am

Re: South Texas College of Law or Ole Miss?

Post by jdamele76 » Mon May 07, 2012 10:51 pm

CanadianWolf wrote:Unfortunately, with a 2.95 GPA & 155 LSAT, the OP is unlikely to be admitted to MSU law based on the information posted on lawschoolnumbers.com. Additionally, the dual degree US-Canadian program requires finishing the first year of law school above median.
He could retake and try. It seems like a much better plan on the whole.

CanadianWolf

Diamond
Posts: 11413
Joined: Wed Mar 24, 2010 4:54 pm

Re: South Texas College of Law or Ole Miss?

Post by CanadianWolf » Mon May 07, 2012 10:57 pm

Agreed. Also, OP should look into the University of Houston's new dual degree (US & Canadian) program as well as LSU (common law JD & civil law BA) for career jurisdiction flexibility. But, a higher LSAT would be needed.

jdamele76

New
Posts: 30
Joined: Sun Mar 18, 2012 1:49 am

Re: South Texas College of Law or Ole Miss?

Post by jdamele76 » Mon May 07, 2012 11:05 pm

CanadianWolf wrote:Agreed. Also, OP should look into the University of Houston's new dual degree (US & Canadian) program as well as LSU (common law JD & civil law BA) for career jurisdiction flexibility. But, a higher LSAT would be needed.
UH has one? interesting... I mean its kind of random for Texas unless it can help you for oil etc.

Seriously? What are you waiting for?

Now there's a charge.
Just kidding ... it's still FREE!


Post Reply

Return to “Choosing a Law School”