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This might seem like a crazy post to some. One is a T1 the other a solidly entrenched T3. US News aside, I still have substantive questions about these two institutions. I really like KC. It’s a great town, the cost of living is very low, and I could really see myself practicing there after law school.

That being said, UMKC is a T3, meaning that it could potentially be much more difficult to secure a good paying job after graduation. UMKC grads have to compete against KU, UM, and the occasional SLU and WashU grad. I would imagine in the eyes of the KC legal market that puts them perennially in 3rd or 4th position when it comes to hiring. Still, I wonder how much can be said about the contacts gained from actually living in the town for 3 years.

SLU seems solid educationally (much lower attrition rates/high bar passage) and has the backing of a good sized job market. However I don’t know about the cost of living in St. Louis. Couple that with a nearly $10K tuition difference for the first year (I’m out of state) that will balloon to $20K difference after I establish residency and you can understand why I’m wavering over this decision.

If anyone has any thoughts on this please feel free to chime in!

Have you visited the two? If KC is where you want to live, doesn't UMKC give you 3 years to make connections?

Cost of living is similar in both. You'll pay a premium if you want to live in the "cool" areas of the city, but both are cheap compared to almost every other city in the country.

I'd say if KC is your preferred long-term destination, go UMKC. They do well in the city, especially since they're the only school with any real proximity to the big firms/courts. That tends to help. Both UMKC and SLU grads seem to be scrambling right now, but that's to be expected with this economy. I don't think you can expect a far better education at one over the other (exception, of course, is the SLU health care specialty).

If UMKC gives you $$$, you should definitely consider it.

By the way, SLU is tier-2, not tier-1.

I'm a 2L at a different school but I visited UMKC last semester and sat in on a class on civil trial litigation and it was REALLY good. The teacher was really engaging and knew his stuff. The moot court room was really nice and everyone there was super friendly. I like Kansas City and UMKC grads do fairly well out there, even in Big Law KC style.

Halibut6 wrote:By the way, SLU is tier-2, not tier-1.

I thought that "technically" there is no tier 2 now, only T100 (which is really more like T120 or 30 because of all the place ties) T3 and T4. I see your point though, everything under 50 is really the old T2 and SLU is 94 out of a supposed 100.

You should go to Wisconsin. Your username indicates that you have an affinity for it. Plus,

Madison>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>St. Louis>>KC

Halibut6 wrote:You should go to Wisconsin. Your username indicates that you have an affinity for it. Plus,

Madison>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>St. Louis>>KC

God, I'd love to. That being said I really don't have the numbers for the school and, good or bad, Wisco Law uses a heavy hand when it comes to admissions based on quotas.

I was disappointed with the result of their basketball game tonight. That 9-0 run that Purdue had really took the wind out of their sails.

You need to make a choice whether you want to live in St. Louis or Kansas City to practice law. They are both very much tied down to their cities, you would be hard pressed to leave for a big market, say Chicago, and realistically compete with T14 graduates.

I'm from St. Louis and currently am in undergrad in Kansas City. Almost every lawyer in either city went to SLU and UMKC, especially for KC with UMKC (No WashU to compete with). People have even told me that going to SLU is preferable to WUSTL for St. Louis. I know that goes against everything TLS arrogantly stands for, but connections are a large part of what kind of job you get. The majority of lawyers in St. Louis went to SLU and are a really tappable resource after you graduates.

All this info. comes from family and friends that have gone to both schools. Both are really good schools, despite not being among the elite ones of the country.

When in doubt about this issue, always, always, always remember: Cardinals > Royals

LOL at responding 10 months later. Better late than never I suppose.

but since I've got another KC man in here. Birdlaw, are you at UMKC? I went there for undergrad as well.