Wustl vs. SMU Forum

[najumobi]

I thought I would revive this thread since now I am under the same dilemma, however I have no interest in staying in St. Louis. I think my problem is that I could really end up anywhere but since I grew up in Texas, Dallas seems safe. Which would be the better decision?

hey, thanks for reviving this thread. i'm not a texas resident, but i, too, feel like smu would be the safer bet, since coming out of smu you'd know you're committing to look for employment in dallas where I have heard the economy (and small law firms specifically) have done relatively well during this recession. on the other hand, i'm not sure which region i would place in coming out of wustl (i'm thinking it would depend on grades?) and am not confident about job prospects in st. louis, other cities in missouri, and midwestern cities other than chicago. the midwest in particular has taken a huge beating during this recession and i'm not sure how is it will be for that region to bounce back.

[najumobi]

WUSTL. SMU isn't worth sticker.

i got a modest 33% scholly from smu and am expecting a 50% scholly from wustl so difference in debt (134k at smu vs 120k at wustl) isn't going to make the decision any easier for me.

[najumobi]

OP, I'm trying to make this same decision. Visiting Wash this weekend.

let me know how it goes....i won't be going to st. louis until march..

[najumobi]

Something I found interesting -

THE GO-TO SCHOOLS

Law schools with the highest percentages of graduates hired by NLJ 250 firms.

http://www.law.com/jsp/nlj/PubArticleNL ... hbxlogin=1


WUSTL is 24, SMU is 28.

Yea, that's interesting that there's such a small gap between the two when WUSTL supposed to be the much more highly ranked school. But I guess what boggles me is where exactly does WUSTL place grads? I mean it seems to be sort of Chicago but doesn't UIUC out-place WUSTL there?

yeah if i went by usnews ranking alone, this wouldn't be a hard decision, but ii've suspected for a while now that job prospects out of each of these schools are more similar than the rankings suggest.

[Stephanie13]

WUSTL. SMU isn't worth sticker.

i got a modest 33% scholly from smu and am expecting a 50% scholly from wustl so difference in debt (134k at smu vs 120k at wustl) isn't going to make the decision any easier for me.

I think I got the same scholarship as you.. the 15k one? And how do you know you'll be getting a 50% scholarship from WUSTL because that would be awesome if I could get the same one!

[Stephanie13]

OP, I'm trying to make this same decision. Visiting Wash this weekend.

let me know how it goes....i won't be going to st. louis until march..

Are you going to ASD on the 26th? I'm thinking about going then too!

[burtonrideclub]

I'm trying to make a similar decision between BU and SMU. I'm leaning towards SMU. I'm from Texas and I know SMU can get me a great job (obviously if I do well) in a strong legal market.

[ec2xs]

.

[najumobi]

OP, I'm trying to make this same decision. Visiting Wash this weekend.

let me know how it goes....i won't be going to st. louis until march..

Are you going to ASD on the 26th? I'm thinking about going then too!

yeah it's the 26th of march....it's the only one in march.

[kalvano]

yeah if i went by usnews ranking alone, this wouldn't be a hard decision, but ii've suspected for a while now that job prospects out of each of these schools are more similar than the rankings suggest.

I live in Dallas, and I can tell you that SMU is a machine down here. It may not open many doors outside of Texas, but doing well at SMU, you are virtually guaranteed a job in the Dallas market, which is nowhere near as hard-hit as other markets.

[najumobi]

yeah if i went by usnews ranking alone, this wouldn't be a hard decision, but ii've suspected for a while now that job prospects out of each of these schools are more similar than the rankings suggest.

I live in Dallas, and I can tell you that SMU is a machine down here. It may not open many doors outside of Texas, but doing well at SMU, you are virtually guaranteed a job in the Dallas market, which is nowhere near as hard-hit as other markets.

i've always thought doing well (top 1/3) at either of these schools allows one to have good job prospects. i was wondering about the placement of the average students coming out of these schools. im not really concerned about big law but i was wondering from which school would a median student be more easily able to land a legal job...

[kalvano]

yeah if i went by usnews ranking alone, this wouldn't be a hard decision, but ii've suspected for a while now that job prospects out of each of these schools are more similar than the rankings suggest.

I live in Dallas, and I can tell you that SMU is a machine down here. It may not open many doors outside of Texas, but doing well at SMU, you are virtually guaranteed a job in the Dallas market, which is nowhere near as hard-hit as other markets.

i've always thought doing well (top 1/3) at either of these schools allows one to have good job prospects. i was wondering about the placement of the average students coming out of these schools. im not really concerned about big law but i was wondering from which school would a median student be more easily able to land a legal job...

I can speak far better on SMU than WUSTL, but I can tell you that SMU has an enormous and concentrated alumni network in Dallas, and they are very clannish. Their grandfather went to SMU, daddy went to SMU, they went to SMU, and they by-God hire SMU grads.

Because SMU is a small school with a very concentrated market that is still doing well, I would have to say that median students at SMU probably stand a slightly better chance than WUSTL grads, which seem to go all over.

Also, because it is the only law school in town, there are tons of internship and externship opportunities.

[najumobi]

yeah if i went by usnews ranking alone, this wouldn't be a hard decision, but ii've suspected for a while now that job prospects out of each of these schools are more similar than the rankings suggest.

I live in Dallas, and I can tell you that SMU is a machine down here. It may not open many doors outside of Texas, but doing well at SMU, you are virtually guaranteed a job in the Dallas market, which is nowhere near as hard-hit as other markets.

i've always thought doing well (top 1/3) at either of these schools allows one to have good job prospects. i was wondering about the placement of the average students coming out of these schools. im not really concerned about big law but i was wondering from which school would a median student be more easily able to land a legal job...

I can speak far better on SMU than WUSTL, but I can tell you that SMU has an enormous and concentrated alumni network in Dallas, and they are very clannish. Their grandfather went to SMU, daddy went to SMU, they went to SMU, and they by-God hire SMU grads.

Because SMU is a small school with a very concentrated market that is still doing well, I would have to say that median students at SMU probably stand a slightly better chance than WUSTL grads, which seem to go all over.

Also, because it is the only law school in town, there are tons of internship and externship opportunities.

yeah....i think smu students has access to a more job opportunities than wustl students have access to. ugh..... however 117k from wustl vs 46k from smu further complicates this decision.

[ec2xs]

yeah....i think smu students has access to a more job opportunities than wustl students have access to. ugh..... however wustl with 117k vs smu with 46k further complicates this decision.

You have a crazy decision. I received 75k from SMU and 30k from WUSTL. WUSTL must really like you.

[kalvano]

however 117k from wustl vs 46k from smu further complicates this decision.

Would you pay $14K to ensure better job prospects and a good chance at a better starting salary?

[FunkyJD]

I thought I would revive this thread since now I am under the same dilemma, however I have no interest in staying in St. Louis. I think my problem is that I could really end up anywhere but since I grew up in Texas, Dallas seems safe. Which would be the better decision?

Are you sure you don't ever want to leave Texas?

SMU kicks butt in Dallas, but has limited reach outside the (214).

With Texas ties in hand, hell, I'd go to WUSTL, if the money was right. You'd have more options after graduation. Midwest may be doing worse off than Texas, but what will the economy look like in 2013? Wouldn't Chicago be a nice possibility? You won't get there from SMU.

[kalvano]

Are you sure you don't [strike]eve[/strike]r want to leave Texas for 5 or 6 years?

Fixed that.

Once you have a JD, and have been working for a while, it's about the quality of work, not where your degree came from, excluding a few schools.

[Stephanie13]

I thought I would revive this thread since now I am under the same dilemma, however I have no interest in staying in St. Louis. I think my problem is that I could really end up anywhere but since I grew up in Texas, Dallas seems safe. Which would be the better decision?

Are you sure you don't ever want to leave Texas?

SMU kicks butt in Dallas, but has limited reach outside the (214).

With Texas ties in hand, hell, I'd go to WUSTL, if the money was right. You'd have more options after graduation. Midwest may be doing worse off than Texas, but what will the economy look like in 2013? Wouldn't Chicago be a nice possibility? You won't get there from SMU.

Well that's the thing. I think that I would like to leave Texas. I just say that Dallas is safe because it's what I know and I have family and friends here. Chicago would be a nice possibility but speaking as a Texan, the snow and the winter seems unfavorable to me. A nicer possibility to me would be San Fran but thats a different story I suppose. And money wise, I haven't gotten any scholarship money from WUSTL and I'm not sure I will but I only got 15k a year from SMU so the difference in tuition cost is not too great.

[FunkyJD]

I thought I would revive this thread since now I am under the same dilemma, however I have no interest in staying in St. Louis. I think my problem is that I could really end up anywhere but since I grew up in Texas, Dallas seems safe. Which would be the better decision?

Are you sure you don't ever want to leave Texas?

SMU kicks butt in Dallas, but has limited reach outside the (214).

With Texas ties in hand, hell, I'd go to WUSTL, if the money was right. You'd have more options after graduation. Midwest may be doing worse off than Texas, but what will the economy look like in 2013? Wouldn't Chicago be a nice possibility? You won't get there from SMU.

Well that's the thing. I think that I would like to leave Texas. I just say that Dallas is safe because it's what I know and I have family and friends here. Chicago would be a nice possibility but speaking as a Texan, the snow and the winter seems unfavorable to me. A nicer possibility to me would be San Fran but thats a different story I suppose. And money wise, I haven't gotten any scholarship money from WUSTL and I'm not sure I will but I only got 15k a year from SMU so the difference in tuition cost is not too great.

Damn, we're career aspiration twins. I, too, have a lot family and friends in the Metroplex, and there is certainly a strong appeal to staying there for school. (SMU, are you listening? Hear my prayer.) But I'm also in at Illinois, and I like the idea, as well, of having entree into the Chicago market as well. It's going to be an interesting decision. Hope it works out for us.

[bonnieblue]

i have a similar thing goin with smu and emory....with schollys they would be almost the same price

i'd like to practice in dallas and am from here, but i love atlanta too and it would be nice to get away for a while

what to do.....

[FunkyJD]

i have a similar thing goin with smu and emory....with schollys they would be almost the same price

i'd like to practice in dallas and am from here, but i love atlanta too and it would be nice to get away for a while

what to do.....

What to do is, for those of us with similar issues and Dallas roots, remember this and reconvene years down the road, and form our own firm. Stephanie Bonnie Funky LLP. Main office in Dallas. Satellite offices in Atlanta and Chicago.

[najumobi]

i have a similar thing goin with smu and emory....with schollys they would be almost the same price

i'd like to practice in dallas and am from here, but i love atlanta too and it would be nice to get away for a while

what to do.....

since you're from dallas it wouldn't be hard to convince employers in dallas that would be committed to staying in dallas to work after attending law school outside of texas. i'd say you'd be fine if you decide to change it up for 3 years and move back to dallas after law school.

it's a different story for me. i don't find staying in north carolina very appealing so the location of the law school i choose is a more important consideration in my situation.

[Stephanie13]

i have a similar thing goin with smu and emory....with schollys they would be almost the same price

i'd like to practice in dallas and am from here, but i love atlanta too and it would be nice to get away for a while

what to do.....

What to do is, for those of us with similar issues and Dallas roots, remember this and reconvene years down the road, and form our own firm. Stephanie Bonnie Funky LLP. Main office in Dallas. Satellite offices in Atlanta and Chicago.

Haha yes good idea. I like the sound of that law firm..

[burtonrideclub]

From Houston, probably going to be deciding between SMU and Emory/Boston. I'd be comfortable with living somewhere besides Texas, but ITE it seems best to go to the school in a region you KNOW you could be happy in. I don't believe Emory or Boston would give me better opportunities in Texas than SMU.....

[bonnieblue]

gah if smu had just "ponied up"(haha get it) on the cash a bit, I wouldnt have such a tough decision to make.......