I'm heading to Houston if I don't get into SMU (I might defer, but 90% sure I won't). The USNWR rankings won't sway me either way; it's heavily sided towards SMU, but money (or lack thereof) could play a role big enough to change my mind.eamonbriggs08 wrote:Arg, waiting for the last school always sucks....While we all wait together, two questions:
1. Anyone in here certain they will go to Houston if they are not accepted to SMU? I was accepted to Houston a few days ago and I will be going there next year if SMU rejects or waitlists me.
2. Anyone else feel their ultimate decision (especially for those debating between SMU and Houston) will be partly affected by the new USNWR law rankings, set to be released ~April 23rd?
Anybody heard back from SMU? Forum
- BigAristotle
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Re: Anybody heard back from SMU?
- chadwick218
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Re: Anybody heard back from SMU?
eamonbriggs08 wrote:Arg, waiting for the last school always sucks....While we all wait together, two questions:
1. Anyone in here certain they will go to Houston if they are not accepted to SMU? I was accepted to Houston a few days ago and I will be going there next year if SMU rejects or waitlists me.
2. Anyone else feel their ultimate decision (especially for those debating between SMU and Houston) will be partly affected by the new USNWR law rankings, set to be released ~April 23rd?
You bring up a very interesting point ... in recent years, Houston has been on somewhat of the rise given both costs and job prospects. Being from Texas, I am very interested to see how Houston, SMU, and Baylor rank against one another. I wouldn't be surprised if we see one of these schools, in particular, tumble somewhat in the rankings (just as a school like Miami did a year ago). If this one school does take a plunge, I may seriously reconsider.
- DallasJosh
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Re: Anybody heard back from SMU?
I think it really depends on where you want to practice. If you want to be in Dallas, I don't care if SMU falls to #55 or #60. The alumni connections of SMU in Dallas are second to none. That's the ultimate decision maker for me and several others I have talked to...
- eamonbriggs08
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Re: Anybody heard back from SMU?
What about for people who want to live in Austin? Any thoughts on which school, SMU or Houston, has better connections to Austin?DallasJosh wrote:I think it really depends on where you want to practice. If you want to be in Dallas, I don't care if SMU falls to #55 or #60. The alumni connections of SMU in Dallas are second to none. That's the ultimate decision maker for me and several others I have talked to...
- eamonbriggs08
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Re: Anybody heard back from SMU?
Exactly my point. SMU is only like 11 spots from Houston but costs twice as much for those of us who don't expect any $. It's a tough choice. If anyone is going to stumble, I think it will be Baylor. Despite the attention Baylor receives for working their 3Ls just as hard as their 1Ls, theoretically producing more prepared graduates, they do so many other things wrong. Baylor doesn't prepare students for life in the real world, life with all those sinful gays, minorities, feminists, and liberals.chadwick218 wrote:eamonbriggs08 wrote:Arg, waiting for the last school always sucks....While we all wait together, two questions:
1. Anyone in here certain they will go to Houston if they are not accepted to SMU? I was accepted to Houston a few days ago and I will be going there next year if SMU rejects or waitlists me.
2. Anyone else feel their ultimate decision (especially for those debating between SMU and Houston) will be partly affected by the new USNWR law rankings, set to be released ~April 23rd?
You bring up a very interesting point ... in recent years, Houston has been on somewhat of the rise given both costs and job prospects. Being from Texas, I am very interested to see how Houston, SMU, and Baylor rank against one another. I wouldn't be surprised if we see one of these schools, in particular, tumble somewhat in the rankings (just as a school like Miami did a year ago). If this one school does take a plunge, I may seriously reconsider.
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- patrickd139
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Re: Anybody heard back from SMU?
With UT flooding the market here, you're not at a significant advantage coming from either school. UT is like (or possibly better than?) YHS in Austin. You might, however, consider trying to hire on at a firm in Houston/Dallas that has a branch in Austin and then lateral in. Good luck...eamonbriggs08 wrote:What about for people who want to live in Austin? Any thoughts on which school, SMU or Houston, has better connections to Austin?DallasJosh wrote:I think it really depends on where you want to practice. If you want to be in Dallas, I don't care if SMU falls to #55 or #60. The alumni connections of SMU in Dallas are second to none. That's the ultimate decision maker for me and several others I have talked to...
- chadwick218
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Re: Anybody heard back from SMU?
+1 ... by many accounts SMU will place equally well in Dallas as UT. Dedman has currently has something like 4 Fortunte 500 CEOs as alums ... only Harvard can boast more.DallasJosh wrote:I think it really depends on where you want to practice. If you want to be in Dallas, I don't care if SMU falls to #55 or #60. The alumni connections of SMU in Dallas are second to none. That's the ultimate decision maker for me and several others I have talked to...
To Patrick's comment, I think that either SMU or Houston would place equally well in Austin ...
- chadwick218
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Re: Anybody heard back from SMU?
eamonbriggs08 , you are dead on with the school that I have in mind that could potentially tumble in Texas ... although they appear to give out more financial aid than SMU, $36K a year is still pretty steep to live in Waco. I actually expected there out-of-state placement to be far higher than SMU, but was shocked to find out how wrong I was.
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Re: Anybody heard back from SMU?
Well from looking on here and LSN it's looking like maybe the SMU traditional friday acceptances calls didn't go out.......I guess we are truly going to have to wait until the end of the month.
- eamonbriggs08
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Re: Anybody heard back from SMU?
weak.Rachyk wrote:Well from looking on here and LSN it's looking like maybe the SMU traditional friday acceptances calls didn't go out.......I guess we are truly going to have to wait until the end of the month.
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Re: Anybody heard back from SMU?
Is SMU just not going to make decisions on us "Held For Further Review" folks??
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Re: Anybody heard back from SMU?
"+1 ... by many accounts SMU will place equally well in Dallas as UT"
Really? I'm about to send my deposit to UT, and my ultimate goal is to work in Dallas... so these considerations are nagging at me. I just can't find a plausible reason to turn down UT for SMU, especially considering that my net cost at UT is less than at SMU.
Texas is such a fantastic school but I keep hearing people claim things like "SMU places equally with UT in Dallas due to the alumni base".
Is there any hard data proving this?
Really? I'm about to send my deposit to UT, and my ultimate goal is to work in Dallas... so these considerations are nagging at me. I just can't find a plausible reason to turn down UT for SMU, especially considering that my net cost at UT is less than at SMU.
Texas is such a fantastic school but I keep hearing people claim things like "SMU places equally with UT in Dallas due to the alumni base".
Is there any hard data proving this?
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Re: Anybody heard back from SMU?
art vandelay wrote:"+1 ... by many accounts SMU will place equally well in Dallas as UT"
Really? I'm about to send my deposit to UT, and my ultimate goal is to work in Dallas... so these considerations are nagging at me. I just can't find a plausible reason to turn down UT for SMU, especially considering that my net cost at UT is less than at SMU.
Texas is such a fantastic school but I keep hearing people claim things like "SMU places equally with UT in Dallas due to the alumni base".
Is there any hard data proving this?
You know, this is where I feel like you should take TLS at face value. If you just go to web sites of big firms in Dallas like Haynes & Boone, V&E, Fulbright & Jaworski, Baker Botts, etc... the number of UT grads definitely trump SMU grads. There are more SMU grads for a school of its ranking and more SMU grads than any other schools (top14 and regional schools in TX), but definitely not more than UT numbers. You also must consider that you have to graduate at top 30% of SMU to make biglaw vs. top 50% at UT, but personally, I feel like it'd be a lot harder to make 50% at UT than making 30% at SMU. Not also considering that from looking at the profiles of attorneys at these big firms, you have to make Law Review at both schools (again, I feel the chance of being graded on at SMU is easier than the chance at UT)
If you have some connections to Dallas, go to SMU. If you don't, definitely take UT.
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Re: Anybody heard back from SMU?
art vandelay wrote:"+1 ... by many accounts SMU will place equally well in Dallas as UT"
Really? I'm about to send my deposit to UT, and my ultimate goal is to work in Dallas... so these considerations are nagging at me. I just can't find a plausible reason to turn down UT for SMU, especially considering that my net cost at UT is less than at SMU.
Texas is such a fantastic school but I keep hearing people claim things like "SMU places equally with UT in Dallas due to the alumni base".
Is there any hard data proving this?
put your deposit down at UT and have a merry time in Austin...then come and work in Dallas. You'll be fine.
- bcb1986
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Re: Anybody heard back from SMU?
cachua wrote:art vandelay wrote:"+1 ... by many accounts SMU will place equally well in Dallas as UT"
Really? I'm about to send my deposit to UT, and my ultimate goal is to work in Dallas... so these considerations are nagging at me. I just can't find a plausible reason to turn down UT for SMU, especially considering that my net cost at UT is less than at SMU.
Texas is such a fantastic school but I keep hearing people claim things like "SMU places equally with UT in Dallas due to the alumni base".
Is there any hard data proving this?
You know, this is where I feel like you should take TLS at face value. If you just go to web sites of big firms in Dallas like Haynes & Boone, V&E, Fulbright & Jaworski, Baker Botts, etc... the number of UT grads definitely trump SMU grads. There are more SMU grads for a school of its ranking and more SMU grads than any other schools (top14 and regional schools in TX), but definitely not more than UT numbers. You also must consider that you have to graduate at top 30% of SMU to make biglaw vs. top 50% at UT, but personally, I feel like it'd be a lot harder to make 50% at UT than making 30% at SMU. Not also considering that from looking at the profiles of attorneys at these big firms, you have to make Law Review at both schools (again, I feel the chance of being graded on at SMU is easier than the chance at UT)
If you have some connections to Dallas, go to SMU. If you don't, definitely take UT.
I agree with the above statement about UT/SMU, except I would add scholarship $. I'd take a full ride at SMU vs sticker at UT simply because I know I want to be in Dallas and I know I can work network my way into a comfortable SOL. I got into every TX school I applied to minus UT. Had UT given me the nod, I'd probably be moving to Austin, too. It's undisputedly #1.
As an incoming SMU 1L, no one can deny UT is the #1 player in Texas. But, I think it's clear that SMU is the #2, and with such a huge legal market in D/FW, the networking opportunities available to SMU students helps it outperform its ranking. No other school has year-round access to Dallas Bar and Dallas Young Lawyer events---in a competitive market, netowrking can be as important as grades. Much to the disdain of Baylor, this is what keeps SMU in the #2 slot and Baylor further down the rankings---the Waco legal market isn't exactly lucrative, and their students don't get ongoing interaction with a large legal community. Dallas/FW is huge; and the only law school of reputation is SMU (though UNT-Dallas Law, if it gets through Congress, may hedge SMU down a bit in the long run...say 15-20 years from now).
Also, as far as #s are concerned, its important to remember the number of grads - UT is pumping out 400+/yr where as SMU is graduating less than half of that. That keeps the demand from alums at a reasonable level and allows a comparable number of UT and SMU grads to be seeking jobs in the Dallas market. A lot of top UT grads are also looking to Austin, Houston, NY, & DC, leaving firms with the choice of top/middle SMU grads vs. middle/lower UT grads in some cases.
Is UT a higher ranked school? Absolutely. Are the job prospects and avg starting salaries higher? Yes. But, I think the argument made by TLS'ers is that SMU performs ridiculously well in many categories for a school in the 40's. Seriously, a 6-digit median and mean starting salary for a lower-T1 in a low-COL state is amazing. If one can stay in the top 1/2 at SMU and take advantage of the unique networking opportunities offered by the Dallas legal community to SMU students, they can make up some significant ground in the ranking gap.
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Re: Anybody heard back from SMU?
What's everyone doing? Are you holding seats at other schools until you hear from SMU... considering this but don't want to lose $500.... that's such an annoying waste of money, right?eamonbriggs08 wrote:weak.Rachyk wrote:Well from looking on here and LSN it's looking like maybe the SMU traditional friday acceptances calls didn't go out.......I guess we are truly going to have to wait until the end of the month.
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- Posts: 54
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Re: Anybody heard back from SMU?
I will be putting my seat deposit down at Pepperdine since it is due on the 15th. Fortunately though half of it is refundable if I get accepted to SMU and choose not to attend Pepperdine. Still losing $150 sucks.
- chadwick218
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Re: Anybody heard back from SMU?
I have put a seat deposit down at another school, but I think that my chances of actually attending SMU are very slim at this point in time ... even if admitted, I doubt that there will be any significant scholarship dollars remaining. I've debated withdrawing, but figured that since I paid my $70, I might as well find out the results.
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Re: Anybody heard back from SMU?
it blows my mind how you're not an auto admit. if anything, they should give you the hatton sumners scholarship.chadwick218 wrote:I have put a seat deposit down at another school, but I think that my chances of actually attending SMU are very slim at this point in time ... even if admitted, I doubt that there will be any significant scholarship dollars remaining. I've debated withdrawing, but figured that since I paid my $70, I might as well find out the results.
- chadwick218
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Re: Anybody heard back from SMU?
I have actually applied to SMU three years in a row ... I was admitted for both the 2006-07 and 2007-08 cycles. I elected to defer law school both years and yet this year I am actually serious about attending ...
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- BigAristotle
- Posts: 172
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Re: Anybody heard back from SMU?
Its your avatar; they don't like your USC leanings Chadwick!
--ImageRemoved--
Ignore the poster behind her....
--ImageRemoved--
Ignore the poster behind her....
- chadwick218
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Re: Anybody heard back from SMU?
I have also spent quite a bit of time on SMU's campus and believe me, there are plenty of those ...
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Re: Anybody heard back from SMU?
What poster?
- chadwick218
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Re: Anybody heard back from SMU?
I was thinking the New Kids one ...
Seriously? What are you waiting for?
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