Biglaw Washout Forum

[Jarndyce&Jarndyce]

In all seriousness, though, I think you would be just fine going to SMU, assuming you are at least top 25%. I know several people from SMU, Baylor, and Houston who found jobs in Dallas and Houston making at least $80k starting out--including me.

Sure--but the problem with that is that your grades as a 1L are basically random. It's tough to know how you're going to do. Because of the curve, it's not about knowing the right answers, everyone knows the right answer, it's about articulating that answer better than anyone else. Tough to manage. Assuming you'll be top 25% is a big assumption.

I know someone at Texas who didn't even make top half of the class, and still got a biglaw job, not the big $160k market salary mind you, but still 6 figures at a big law firm in a big city.

Point is--In Texas...UT is kind of a big deal. If you've got a trust that's paying you 50k-75k a year, MORE than comfortable enough to live on. Stop whatever you're doing and practicing taking the god damn LSAT until you get it right, and go to UT. Then, even if you decide you want to go to SMU, take that UT acceptance and negotiate your way into a full ride at SMU and go to law school sans debt.

[BigZuck]

In all seriousness, though, I think you would be just fine going to SMU, assuming you are at least top 25%. I know several people from SMU, Baylor, and Houston who found jobs in Dallas and Houston making at least $80k starting out--including me.

Sure--but the problem with that is that your grades as a 1L are basically random. It's tough to know how you're going to do. Because of the curve, it's not about knowing the right answers, everyone knows the right answer, it's about articulating that answer better than anyone else. Tough to manage. Assuming you'll be top 25% is a big assumption.

I know someone at Texas who didn't even make top half of the class, and still got a biglaw job, not the big $160k market salary mind you, but still 6 figures at a big law firm in a big city.

Point is--In Texas...UT is kind of a big deal. If you've got a trust that's paying you 50k-75k a year, MORE than comfortable enough to live on. Stop whatever you're doing and practicing taking the god damn LSAT until you get it right, and go to UT. Then, even if you decide you want to go to SMU, take that UT acceptance and negotiate your way into a full ride at SMU and go to law school sans debt.

I think you're overestimating both UT's placement power and SMU's willingness to throw fullys at any old applicant who gets into UT.

If you're schmo-y and in the top 25% big law is far from a guarantee at UT, if you're schmo-y and below median you're likely dead in the water.

[Jarndyce&Jarndyce]

In all seriousness, though, I think you would be just fine going to SMU, assuming you are at least top 25%. I know several people from SMU, Baylor, and Houston who found jobs in Dallas and Houston making at least $80k starting out--including me.

Sure--but the problem with that is that your grades as a 1L are basically random. It's tough to know how you're going to do. Because of the curve, it's not about knowing the right answers, everyone knows the right answer, it's about articulating that answer better than anyone else. Tough to manage. Assuming you'll be top 25% is a big assumption.

I know someone at Texas who didn't even make top half of the class, and still got a biglaw job, not the big $160k market salary mind you, but still 6 figures at a big law firm in a big city.

Point is--In Texas...UT is kind of a big deal. If you've got a trust that's paying you 50k-75k a year, MORE than comfortable enough to live on. Stop whatever you're doing and practicing taking the god damn LSAT until you get it right, and go to UT. Then, even if you decide you want to go to SMU, take that UT acceptance and negotiate your way into a full ride at SMU and go to law school sans debt.

I think you're overestimating both UT's placement power and SMU's willingness to throw fullys at any old applicant who gets into UT.

If you're schmo-y and in the top 25% big law is far from a guarantee at UT, if you're schmo-y and below median you're likely dead in the water.

Two things, because you do bring up a good point.

1) If you're a schmuck, you're fucked. Law firms really just aren't going to want to work with you. A guy in the Top %20 of my class couldn't get a job, at least 1L summer, because he just comes off as a pretentious prick. Which was hilarious.

2) This would go doubly so if you're below median.

That being said--if you're a good talker, you can talk your way into a big law job below median at UT. Many people I know did, myself included.

As for the scholarship stuff, no hard data beyond my own experiences during the application process. So I won't disagree with you, that was just my experience with it.