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If anyone is still looking for an apartment, send me a PM. I know this is my first post on this board, but I'm a 2014 SMU grad and am moving at the end of this month. A) I think my apartment may be up for grabs (literally across the street from campus, and it's a small building not on MLS or anything, so it's better to get my recommendation to the LL so you can get in before the for rent sign goes up). Also, B) I worked with a 2013 SMU law grad who does apartment locating on the side and he found me a SWEET deal (2 months free rent at a great new building in Oak Lawn), and I want to pass along his info. His services are free to you, he gets paid by the apartment complexes, and it's a pretty easy way to see what's available in your price range with your list of wants.

SECONDLY: anyone living in Oak Lawn/the gayborhood that would be interested in walking my dog a few times a week? (obviously I'll pay). It was a lot easier to find someone when I was living right across from campus, but I'm moving and wanted to give this a shot before I hired some stranger/company. Send me a PM if you are.

Welcome! I'll lurk from time to time to answer any questions, or just search my post history and send me any PMs with any questions!

What is everyone doing regarding financial aid? The SMU law school cost of attendance is about $18k for 9 months ($2k/month) for all living expenses. Are you able to budget within that with Dallas cost of living? Will you be doing an upward adjustment? If so, do you mind sharing your adjusted COA per month?

Does anybody have an idea when we could expect to get our fall schedules?

p1921 wrote:Does anybody have an idea when we could expect to get our fall schedules?

Im waiting to know this too. One of the admissions people (I think Jill) said that she was not sure when we would get it because they don't have the class finalized. She only mentioned it would be later in the summer. The actually schedules are up on the site though, we just don't know our particular sections. Go under the registrar section on the website and click First Year Class List and its there

You'll learn sections in July. I think around the second week if history is a guide. If you're PT, you know your section: 3. If you're FT, you'll be section 1 or 2. The only exception is LRWA, where Section 1 students are generally in LRWA sections 01-04, Section 2 students are in LRWA 05-08, and PT students are in LRWA 09-11.

Rising 2L here. For what its worth, I stayed at Landmark on Lovers and LOVED it. I definitely recommend checking it out.

Oh and feel free to ask anything! Post or PM, whatever you want.

Afterparty wrote:Rising 2L here. For what its worth, I stayed at Landmark on Lovers and LOVED it. I definitely recommend checking it out.

just signed a lease here... glad to hear the positive review!

Rising 2L here if anyone has any questions. I'm sure others have already offered but another opinion is usually a good thing.

I'm also married with kids if anyone has questions related to that front.

so what is it that we're supposed to be doing now that some of us maybe haven't done? lol I know they sent that really long email (that, admittedly, I haven't read) but are we supposed to be filling anything out or are we just waiting for sections...

ilikebaseball wrote:so what is it that we're supposed to be doing now that some of us maybe haven't done? lol I know they sent that really long email (that, admittedly, I haven't read) but are we supposed to be filling anything out or are we just waiting for sections...

Seems to me we're mostly waiting. I'm with you though, it seems like I should be doing more with myself to prepare than working and playing golf.

You should be playing golf, tanning by the pool, traveling, reading for fun (because you'll never do it again), or just relaxing in general. The only thing I would advise you to do prior to starting class is to fill out and send in the application for the Board of Legal Examiners. I'm not sure when you get that information but knock it out as soon as you get it because it is a pain in the ass and you don't want to be worrying about that after you start class.

One thing I know of that needs to be done is getting all the financial aid tasks done, assuming that applies. I had to do some adjustments to my COA for my specific situation. That was a pretty straight-forward process. I also know that health insurance has to either be elected or denied via my.smu.edu once we are registered for classes. I recall that we should be getting registered "in July", so I guess any day now.

What are people doing for books and study aids?

Also, one thing I have wondered about SMU (perhaps some 2Ls or 3Ls in here could comment), is the competition. How competitive does the environment get? Does the faculty/staff do anything specific to encourage or diminish competition?

There is competition to get good grades but I would describe it more as a personal competition with yourself where you are challenging yourself to do the best you can. It’s not the Paper Chase. Very few people are dicks about it and those that are have no friends. Almost everyone will share notes/outlines and answer questions. For me, and I think a lot of people share my perspective on this, it’s important to remember that the legal community is a small place. I think there’s only about 3,000 lawyers in Dallas and almost every one of us is going to be practicing in Dallas for the rest of our lives. You don’t want to be the guy everyone remembers as the asshole from law school that wouldn’t share an outline or hid books in the library (not that anyone uses them, but you get my point).

ilikebaseball wrote:so what is it that we're supposed to be doing now that some of us maybe haven't done? lol I know they sent that really long email (that, admittedly, I haven't read) but are we supposed to be filling anything out or are we just waiting for sections...

the email doesnt have too much that we CAN do before we get our sections- send in your final transcript, fill out that health form, and I went ahead and ordered the book they mentioned (Plain English for Lawyers (5th ed.) by Richard C. Wydick) because it has taken Amazon about 15 days to get it to me. Everything else we cant start until after we are registered.

just twiddling my thumbs waiting for section assignments!

Where has everyone decided on housing?

ilikebaseball wrote:Where has everyone decided on housing?

Got a house east of 75

ilikebaseball wrote:so what is it that we're supposed to be doing now that some of us maybe haven't done? lol I know they sent that really long email (that, admittedly, I haven't read) but are we supposed to be filling anything out or are we just waiting for sections...

I wonder if they'll have us in our sections by Friday since I read in an earlier post that last year they had assigned sections by about the second week in July.
In the meantime, maybe go ahead and complete the health form.

ilikebaseball wrote:Where has everyone decided on housing?

The Meadow at the Village.

ilikebaseball wrote:Where has everyone decided on housing?

I will be at the Avery on Southwestern

BigCityDreams wrote:

ilikebaseball wrote:Where has everyone decided on housing?

I will be at the Avery on Southwestern

Me too!

AshleySchaefferBMW wrote:

BigCityDreams wrote:

ilikebaseball wrote:Where has everyone decided on housing?

I will be at the Avery on Southwestern

Me too!

Yay!! I was wondering if other classmates would be there. When are you moving in?

BigCityDreams wrote:

AshleySchaefferBMW wrote:

BigCityDreams wrote:

ilikebaseball wrote:Where has everyone decided on housing?

I will be at the Avery on Southwestern

Me too!

Yay!! I was wondering if other classmates would be there. When are you moving in?

I was wondering the same. I'll be moving in the 14th of August!

AshleySchaefferBMW wrote:

BigCityDreams wrote:

AshleySchaefferBMW wrote:

BigCityDreams wrote:

ilikebaseball wrote:Where has everyone decided on housing?

I will be at the Avery on Southwestern

Me too!

Yay!! I was wondering if other classmates would be there. When are you moving in?

I was wondering the same. I'll be moving in the 14th of August!

Cool! I will be moving in on August 3rd

TheJanitor6203 wrote:There is competition to get good grades but I would describe it more as a personal competition with yourself where you are challenging yourself to do the best you can. It’s not the Paper Chase. Very few people are dicks about it and those that are have no friends. Almost everyone will share notes/outlines and answer questions. For me, and I think a lot of people share my perspective on this, it’s important to remember that the legal community is a small place. I think there’s only about 3,000 lawyers in Dallas and almost every one of us is going to be practicing in Dallas for the rest of our lives. You don’t want to be the guy everyone remembers as the asshole from law school that wouldn’t share an outline or hid books in the library (not that anyone uses them, but you get my point).

Recent graduate here. This was my experience as well. The competition is substantial with respect to grades. Grades are based on a curve, so you are competing against everyone else in the class/section. For example, if everyone in the class gets 90 out of 100 points or better, then those in the low 90s get a C. I'm guessing the distribution is usually broader than this (especially in first year classes), but it should illustrate the point. Everyone is working hard against everyone else, and the people you're competing against are generally more formidable than you experienced in undergrad.

At many schools, apparently this system breeds the Paper Chase style of sabotage and whatnot. At SMU people are generally friendly and open to sharing notes and outlines. There are even outline banks online.

Aside--I highly recommend Microsoft OneNote for taking notes. It's almost like it's designed for law school. You'll get the most recent version for free through your school account.

Hey all, I graduated in May and still have my 1L books if anyone is looking to save some money (when schedules are released).