UT (sticker) vs. SMU ($$$) Forum

[hopefulhorn]

UT- it was my dream school. I just got in. I thought I was already headed to Dallas...now it seems that has changed, but I want some feedback. I LOVE Austin but would be paying in full to attend UT.

SMU- I am from Dallas, family is here, and might want to end up here. My fiance is going to SMU ...w/ a huge scholarship, but is more than willing to try to transfer after 1L. I was also offered 22k/yr. So...it would be UT @ 27k+ vs. SMU @16K+ per year.

Career goals: BIG LAW..but don't necessarily want to have to be tied to Dallas market.

[heyguys]

Seems that UT is pretty clearly the right choice here, unless you would really like to go to SMU with your fiance, but that would probably be a shortsighted decision.

[catharsis]

judging by your sn i can tell you really wanted to be at UT. first, congrats on getting in!

this is a tough decision since your fiance will be at SMU and transfering is far from guaranteed because of its unpredictability.

for the price difference, 11k isnt bad at all to go to the best school in the state that offers more portability not only in Texas but across the nation. SMU is a great school but it'll only give you big law in the Dallas market.. and arguably just as well as UT would. based on your career goals i really feel UT would be the better choice not only for the price difference but for flexibility as well.

best of luck on your decision and congrats again to be in such a blessed situation!

[Burgstaller04]

I say that you need to decide whether you want to stay in Dallas permanently or not. If you wanna stay in the metroplex, then take the check and go to SMU. If you still wanna try another town, UT would be better. Of course if you went to SMU, got a job in Dallas, and did well there, I think you would be much more likely to be able to get your next job in another market using your first job as a launching pad. I'm looking at the same decision next cycle. I'm intrigued to see what decision you make.

P.S. Whatever you do, make sure the fiance is cool with it. I'm in that same boat with you in that regard too. Mine likes to know she has some input!

P.P.S. Are we the same person, just 1 year apart?

[ppa840]

UT seems like a better choice for your long-term career prospects

[littlebit]

Talk to UT financial aid. You will probably also get around 5K per year in public education grants if you get that FAFSA in pronto.

[traehekat]

SMU places very well in Dallas, but of course if you go to UT you will be able to go anywhere you want in Texas, including Dallas. If you know that is where you want to be, though, I would take the money. SMU seems like a great school, and UT keeps coming up in the news for the wrong reasons (professors holding out on grades, lack of a legal writing program, etc.).

[kalvano]

I say that you need to decide whether you want to stay in Dallas permanently

This kind of stuff is starting to irk me. It's not permanent. Once you've been practicing a few years, your work experience and performance matters a lot more than your school.

Going to SMU does not equal staying in Dallas forever and ever. Nor does going to x school equal staying in x city for the rest of your life.

[Burgstaller04]

I say that you need to decide whether you want to stay in Dallas permanently

This kind of stuff is starting to irk me. It's not permanent. Once you've been practicing a few years, your work experience and performance matters a lot more than your school.

Going to SMU does not equal staying in Dallas forever and ever. Nor does going to x school equal staying in x city for the rest of your life.

That's exactly what I said right after what you quoted me saying, no?

[kalvano]

I say that you need to decide whether you want to stay in Dallas permanently

This kind of stuff is starting to irk me. It's not permanent. Once you've been practicing a few years, your work experience and performance matters a lot more than your school.

Going to SMU does not equal staying in Dallas forever and ever. Nor does going to x school equal staying in x city for the rest of your life.

That's exactly what I said right after what you quoted me saying, no?

Yes, but I'm picking on you and it works better if I cut off that part of the post.

[Burgstaller04]

I say that you need to decide whether you want to stay in Dallas permanently

This kind of stuff is starting to irk me. It's not permanent. Once you've been practicing a few years, your work experience and performance matters a lot more than your school.

Going to SMU does not equal staying in Dallas forever and ever. Nor does going to x school equal staying in x city for the rest of your life.

That's exactly what I said right after what you quoted me saying, no?

Yes, but I'm picking on you and it works better if I cut off that part of the post.

I see...very tricky.

[burtonrideclub]

Wow, congrats on getting in. You must have some pretty good softs.

[Aberzombie1892]

UT- it was my dream school. I just got in. I thought I was already headed to Dallas...now it seems that has changed, but I want some feedback. I LOVE Austin but would be paying in full to attend UT.

SMU- I am from Dallas, family is here, and might want to end up here. My fiance is going to SMU ...w/ a huge scholarship, but is more than willing to try to transfer after 1L. I was also offered 22k/yr. So...it would be UT @ 27k+ vs. SMU @16K+ per year.

Career goals: BIG LAW..but don't necessarily want to have to be tied to Dallas market.

I haven't read the rest of the responses but here goes.

So UT would be $33,000 more than SMU over three years?

Most people would probably say that $33,000 is a small price to pay to go to UT over SMU.

But honestly, UT places about ~10% better than SMU.

In my honest opinion, a 10% difference is not worth $33,000.

The funny part about this is that SMU places as well as, if not better than, some of the top 20 law programs. I feel as though if SMU was ranked 20, people would not recommend UT so much over SMU (and because SMU already places like a T20 for the purposes of job placement - it's already there).

You do seem fine with working in Dallas, and your significant other also attends there.

In my opinion, UT is not worth $33,000 over SMU in general, but especially so in your case.

[hopefulhorn]

Thanks for all the advice ! My softs are pretty good, not gonna lie. It's just good to see they actually worked though. I felt pretty skeptical about that. I am still so SPLIT. IT's ridiculous. I am even making a pros/cons list. I am actually kind of leaning SMU right now....I am going to ASD for a little while at UT tomorrow to maybe get one step closer to a decision.....we'll see. So weird when something you thought was impossible happens...then it just really makes you think about what you truly want. Sorry so deep. Hah.

[adrib]

Thanks for all the advice ! My softs are pretty good, not gonna lie. It's just good to see they actually worked though. I felt pretty skeptical about that. I am still so SPLIT. IT's ridiculous. I am even making a pros/cons list. I am actually kind of leaning SMU right now....I am going to ASD for a little while at UT tomorrow to maybe get one step closer to a decision.....we'll see. So weird when something you thought was impossible happens...then it just really makes you think about what you truly want. Sorry so deep. Hah.

yay! are you going to dinner with us on Thursday night?