Baylor vs. OU Forum

[grungy89]

so for some positivity out of this.... can I expect OU's eventual fin aid offer will be very generous given that I am above both medians? ( is that too much to hope for?) Is 60K for Baylor worse than just COL at OU (assuming full ride) even with worse employment numbers?

Do I give up on law school and become a subsistence farmer?

For the record.... I would go to Tx Tech in a heartbeat if only I could get an answer from them before the end of the year.... well above both medians there....although, interestingly, they have been the most inquisitive regarding juvenile C&F issues...Hazlewood Act would make that decision for me...and UT-Austin goes without saying as it would be binding ED, but 'tis a pipe dream

...should've been a hard science major...

[WokeUpInACar]

I am really confused as to why you feel the need to make a final decision so ridiculously early in the cycle.

[grungy89]

I am really confused as to why you feel the need to make a final decision so ridiculously early in the cycle.

because I am graduating in a month, have an offer to start at Baylor in Feb, have an alternative option to wait for decisions/offers from SMU/TTU/Ut-Austin/U-SD (no good reason for this, sounded nice at the time) but will have to find a temporary mouth-feeding, rent-paying job until said decisions/offers are sent, and need to give 60 days notice on a rental that's up in late January

[BVest]

I am really confused as to why you feel the need to make a final decision so ridiculously early in the cycle.

because I am graduating in a month, have an offer to start at Baylor in Feb, have an alternative option to wait for decisions/offers from SMU/TTU/Ut-Austin/U-SD (no good reason for this, sounded nice at the time) but will have to find a temporary mouth-feeding, rent-paying job until said decisions/offers are sent, and need to give 60 days notice on a rental that's up in late January

Eating a month of rent -- assuming you can't talk your way out of it -- because you were unable to give a full 60 days notice is pretty small potatoes compared to the financial impact of the decision you're about to make.

[TheJanitor6203]

^ this.

Also, the all important question that no one has asked yet: Why do you want to go to law school?

[TheJanitor6203]

Regardless, I think it's important for you to wait until you hear back from SMU, UH, and TTU before making a decision even if that means not starting until Fall. You already said you're above both medians at TTU. If nothing else, going to TTU for free (your 10 months of GI Bill and then Hazelwood Act) is a much better decision than $60k in debt from Baylor.

[BigZuck]

As someone in law school right now I can't, for the life of me, figure out why someone would want to rush here AS QUICKLY AS HUMANLY POSSIBLE

Kick back, relax, and have a beer or something. Law school will always be there.

[grungy89]

Baylor is miserable. If you want Texas, retake until you can get UT / SMU / UofH.

Everyone says this - baylor is miserable. Is this the opinion solely because of the 3L Practice Court, because god forbid graduates are actually prepared to work. Is it Waco?... because Waco isn't a tiny town and is easily driveable to/from DFW or Austin if you want to for the weekend or whatever. IS it student competitiveness?... because that's going to be the case at any law school with GPA stips on scholarships (don't they all have them). So what is it about Baylor that is miserable, everyone just says its "hellish, a hellhole, horrible" but gives no real reason. It's not like going to SMU or UoH or UT is a breeze compared to Baylor, were probably talking about marginal differences...

Also, can someone please give insight as to whether I should anticipate a full ride offer from OU?

[TheJanitor6203]

You're clearly not reading the advice everyone has posted.

Good luck with your decision.

[grungy89]

You're clearly not reading the advice everyone has posted.

Good luck with your decision.

Yeah, I don't follow the advice that people give pertaining to things other than what I asked. When I state specifically that my choice is Baylor vs. OU, I'm going to ignore the inevitable replies that say "retake for UT/UoH".

btw, LSN shows very decent employment number for Baylor, so ...

[TheJanitor6203]

http://www.top-law-schools.com/forums/v ... lit=baylor
http://www.top-law-schools.com/forums/v ... lit=baylor
http://www.top-law-schools.com/forums/v ... lit=baylor
http://www.top-law-schools.com/forums/v ... lit=baylor
http://www.top-law-schools.com/forums/v ... lit=baylor
http://www.top-law-schools.com/forums/v ... lit=baylor
http://www.top-law-schools.com/forums/v ... lit=baylor
http://www.top-law-schools.com/forums/v ... lit=baylor

[TheJanitor6203]

You're clearly not reading the advice everyone has posted.

Good luck with your decision.

Yeah, I don't follow the advice that people give pertaining to things other than what I asked. When I state specifically that my choice is Baylor vs. OU, I'm going to ignore the inevitable replies that say "retake for UT/UoH".

btw, LSN shows very decent employment number for Baylor, so ...

Sounds good to me.

[BigZuck]

http://www.top-law-schools.com/forums/v ... lit=baylor

This thread is my favorite Baylor thread.

In general, I don't think TLS is a great place to go if you want bad advice or to confirm bad choices you have already made for yourself.

Good luck at Baylor OP.

[grungy89]

@theJanitor... I read your thread from when you were wondering Baylor vs. SMU and I believe you are now planning on going there? I have an app there right now and would be just as game for going to SMU if I thought first of all, I'm going to get accepted and second of all, at least some fin aid offer. with a 160/3.75 do you think this is a realistic expectation worth waiting for? also, with my numbers do you feel I can turn down baylor with the certainty of getting in at TxTech too?

It's not that I have a hard on for Baylor, it's just that its all I have to go off of right now.

[TheJanitor6203]

I think it's worth waiting for. Your numbers will almost certainly get you into the PT program at SMU and a shot at full time. If you PT you can switch to FT. Your numbers practically guarantee you Tech with a full ride or something close to it.. which doesn't even matter because you have the GI bill and Hazelwood act.

I was considering Baylor too and then I decided not to apply because of everything I've read. I ended up applying last minute because its free but I only plan on attending if its the only school I get into and I got a full ride (they aren't a YRP school). I personally will take Tech and probably OU over Baylor.

ETA: An important note to add to my career goals: I want to be a PD so biglaw placement hasn't factored I to my decision making so my decisions may not apply to you.

[kalvano]

Baylor is miserable. If you want Texas, retake until you can get UT / SMU / UofH.

Everyone says this - baylor is miserable. Is this the opinion solely because of the 3L Practice Court, because god forbid graduates are actually prepared to work. Is it Waco?... because Waco isn't a tiny town and is easily driveable to/from DFW or Austin if you want to for the weekend or whatever. IS it student competitiveness?... because that's going to be the case at any law school with GPA stips on scholarships (don't they all have them). So what is it about Baylor that is miserable, everyone just says its "hellish, a hellhole, horrible" but gives no real reason. It's not like going to SMU or UoH or UT is a breeze compared to Baylor, were probably talking about marginal differences...

Also, can someone please give insight as to whether I should anticipate a full ride offer from OU?

The opinion is from everyone who knows about Baylor, either by reputation or by attending. If you have made up your mind that it's either Baylor or OU, I don't think anyone is going to tell you to pick one or the other, as the correct response is neither.

Plenty of concrete, tangible reasons as to why Baylor is unpleasant have been given multiple times on TLS. Threads that give those reasons have been linked to in this thread. The short answer is that no, the difference are not marginal at all. For instance, SMU's only stipulation on scholarships is "good standing," which means at least a 2.0 on a 3.0 curve. You have to almost try to lose a scholarship.

You've got two people that are quite familiar with the Texas legal market, a recent grad and a current student, telling you not to go to either of your given options. If you want validation that one of those two schools is a good choice, you aren't going to get it. There's a very good reason why the mantra on TLS for Texas is UT / SMU / UofH.

[FloridaCoastalorbust]

as others have probably said:

if you want waco area, Baylor. if Oklahoma, OU. if neither area, neither school.

[Ti Malice]

In general, I don't think TLS is a great place to go if you want bad advice or to confirm bad choices you have already made for yourself.

Good luck at Baylor OP.

[crit_racer]

I'm a 3L at UT and have friends who have gone to SMU, UH, Baylor, and TTU. You should go to SMU, UH or UT. None of the others are worth going to. The job market is brutal, and your odds coming from UT are rough as it is. You don't want to stack the deck even further against you by going to a bad school.

Do not let Baylor make you feel like you have to decide by the end of the yeareee. That's ridiculous. Take your time, see where you get in, negotiate your scholarships, and then go to one of those three schools I mentioned. You will probably get into one of SMU or UH, so just sit tight.

[Devlin]

Also, I hold Houston in similarly low regard as Austin. Houston is like L.A., but without all of the things to do and the awesome weather.

Just go to Baylor. Seriously.

[TheJanitor6203]

OP, I spoke with admissions at OU today and she said they are just now mailing acceptances and scholarship letters today or tomorrow.

[grungy89]

hot mine in person today. I went up for a luncheon.

[TheJanitor6203]

At OU? How was it?

[holdencaulfield]

Baylor is miserable. If you want Texas, retake until you can get UT / SMU / UofH.

Everyone says this - baylor is miserable. Is this the opinion solely because of the 3L Practice Court, because god forbid graduates are actually prepared to work. Is it Waco?... because Waco isn't a tiny town and is easily driveable to/from DFW or Austin if you want to for the weekend or whatever. IS it student competitiveness?... because that's going to be the case at any law school with GPA stips on scholarships (don't they all have them). So what is it about Baylor that is miserable, everyone just says its "hellish, a hellhole, horrible" but gives no real reason. It's not like going to SMU or UoH or UT is a breeze compared to Baylor, were probably talking about marginal differences...

Also, can someone please give insight as to whether I should anticipate a full ride offer from OU?

The opinion is from everyone who knows about Baylor, either by reputation or by attending. If you have made up your mind that it's either Baylor or OU, I don't think anyone is going to tell you to pick one or the other, as the correct response is neither.

Plenty of concrete, tangible reasons as to why Baylor is unpleasant have been given multiple times on TLS. Threads that give those reasons have been linked to in this thread. The short answer is that no, the difference are not marginal at all. For instance, SMU's only stipulation on scholarships is "good standing," which means at least a 2.0 on a 3.0 curve. You have to almost try to lose a scholarship.

You've got two people that are quite familiar with the Texas legal market, a recent grad and a current student, telling you not to go to either of your given options. If you want validation that one of those two schools is a good choice, you aren't going to get it. There's a very good reason why the mantra on TLS for Texas is UT / SMU / UofH.

Make that three people. Do not go to Baylor unless you have close to a full ride. Our newest associate is a Baylor grad who just passed the November bar; I've met 3 of his fellow grads (two don't have jobs, one just accepted a position at a P.I. mill paying 50k), and I have heard countless horror stories about the terrible job prospects as well as how unpleasant Baylor was.

I'm certain my education at SMU was as good, or better, than that of my Baylor associate. The difference? SMU was super chill and my job prospects were infinitely better.

P.S. - I would place about zero value in being able to start early.

[patrickd139]

Went to OU. Married a BLS alumna. AMA, as long as it's not "should I go to one of these schools if I want to practice in Dallas?".

Also, see the other Baylor thread for how BLS fucks it's spring starters royally when it comes to finding summer employment.