Top Law Schools

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Opinions . . . .

Thanks!

If you want to practice in Texas, then Tech.

If you want to practice in Miami and already have connection to Miami (i.e., you are from Miami or went to college there), then Tech.

If you want to practice in Miami and have no connections to Miami, then retake the LSAT so you can get a scholarship to Miami.

There was a huge debate on another post about how portable a Tech degree is even in Texas. Most of us agreed that Tech is only useful in the shit hole area of Texas its located in and maybe Dallas if you push really really hard. So I would only take take Tech if I had some connections to a firm/job already or if I was from the area and didn't mind staying. HTH.

There must be reasons that you applied to Tier Three Texas Tech. Without knowing those reasons, it is difficult to recommend attending a Tier Three over 60th ranked Miami.

If you want to work in Texas, and wouldn't mind starting your career in west Texas, go to Tech.

We really do need a lot more information about what you want to do in order to make this call.

merichard87 wrote:There was a huge debate on another post about how portable a Tech degree is even in Texas. Most of us agreed that Tech is only useful in the shit hole area of Texas its located in and maybe Dallas if you push really really hard.

I didn't see that thread, but I'll post some numbers from the State Bar of Texas. By doing so, I'm not taking a position that Tech is more or less portable than any other law school in Texas. I'm also not suggesting that Tech grads get higher paying jobs than the other Texas law schools.

When looking at the percentage of attorneys in Texas who went to each of the nine law schools in Texas, Tech grads rank 5th in number (tied with Baylor), comprising 6% of the attorney population.

But in the following counties, the percentage of Tech grads in the attorney population rank as follows:
Tarrant: 3rd (tied with SMU and Baylor)
Dallas: 4th
El Paso: 2nd
Bexar: 3rd (tied with UH)
Travis: 4th (tied with Baylor and STCL)

So in these counties, Tech appears to be more "portable" than its overall rank in Texas would suggest. Thus, Tech grads don't appear to be limited to the panhandle.

http://www.texasbar.com/Content/Navigat ... rtment.htm

Yea I think I've seen those statistics before and now that I think of it the post I was referring to was a choice between Tech and UofH and it seems like Tech's portability stops at the Harris County line so like the posters were saying it depends on what the OP wants to do. If he wants Houston he needs to go to UofH, if he wants Dallas SMU or UT would be a safer bet but Tech would work too (you would just have to live with that TTT degree for the rest of your life).

ggocat wrote:If you want to practice in Texas, then Tech.

If you want to practice in Miami and already have connection to Miami (i.e., you are from Miami or went to college there), then Tech.

If you want to practice in Miami and have no connections to Miami, then retake the LSAT so you can get a scholarship to Miami.

TITCR

There really is no way you can justify Miami at sticker (~175k in debt), over a full ride at Texas Tech. Last year I tried to justify this kind of debt, and almost went there. Thankfully I wasn't a complete idiot and backed out. I retook the LSAT, and received a good amount of money from Miami this year (although I'm not going there).

Take the full ride at Tech or retake.

Not sure if it is fair to assume that the OP will be $175,000 in debt. If that is the case, then the OP needs to share more info. to get reasonable suggestions.

CanadianWolf wrote:Not sure if it is fair to assume that the OP will be $175,000 in debt. If that is the case, then the OP needs to share more info. to get reasonable suggestions.

It's fair to say maybe he won't be that much in debt. However, that doesn't change the fact that spending that much money (no matter where it comes from) on Miami is tough to justify.

Hey All:

Thanks for the responses!

I would ideally like to end up doing either Tax Law (maybe get LLM at SMU within the next decade or so) or real-estate law. Not exactly sure yet.

I am also seriously considering Pepperdine. I'm on the WL to Pepperdine right now, and if I do get in, thats where I'm going, hands down. As far as job placement ugh . . . . . .

My mom, step-dad and sisters are in Texas, I love how completely badass Texas is. I have lived in Texas for 13 years now, I'm comfortable here. I feel like Texas is home. 115 degree days in July and August don't bother me one bit. I'd much rather have 115 than 55. I'm familiar with the culture of west-Texas, as I attend a small(er) private Christian school in West Texas, so there would be no culture shock if I were to attend Tech. . . . .
--however--

Attending both, UG, Grad, and Law all in west Texas really narrows my job-placement capabilities to North and West Texas, maybe Oklahoma, but honestly, its just Texas' largest country, so nothing too special. If I want to get 'out' and experience a different culture, a different place to live, now would be the time before I settle down, get married, etc.

I can imagine potential employers on either of the coasts dinging me, even if I am an competitive candidate if all my education is from west Texas, and other candidates have a more diverse geographic background.

Miami, my dad, step-mom, etc. are in Atlanta, within driving distance for holidays. Miami is a great school! TII USNWR 60, #6 in Tax Law, which is what I got my UG and Grad in (I sit for the CPA this summer). Miami has over 10,000 practicing attorneys nationwide right now, Tech only has 3,800.

If however I get a WaveNet login, this whole thread is pointless. haha

So in my mind, Pepperdine > Tech. I just don't know where UM fits in there. Is the alumni base, and ranking worth an extra $50,000?

I do not know.

Gatriel wrote: If I want to get 'out' and experience a different culture, a different place to live, now would be the time before I settle down, get married, etc.

I can imagine potential employers on either of the coasts dinging me, even if I am an competitive candidate if all my education is from west Texas, and other candidates have a more diverse geographic background.

So in my mind, Pepperdine > Tech. I just don't know where UM fits in there. Is the alumni base, and ranking worth an extra $50,000?

If you want to experience the world, take a trip; don't go to law school.

Employers on either coast? You're not leaving Texas, at least for a very long time after LS if you go to Tech, so I wouldn't worry about that.

Pepperdine and Miami are nowhere near worth sticker. Investing sticker would be a very bad, soul-crushing-debt-inducing decision with a payoff of hilariously mediocre job prospects. ggocat's advice is still TCR.

Honestly, it sounds like you want to be in Texas. I don't think Pepperdine or Miami are worth 160K+ in debt to attend, especially considering you want to end up in Texas.

Plus, do you think you will be making around $160,000 a year when you get out of Pepperdine or Miami? Hardly, unless you graduate the very top of your class.

Miami is not within driving distance of Atlanta, at least not a reasonable drive.
Not sure if this is still accurate, but Miami offers the only LLM in Estate Planning which might fall in line with your interest in tax law.
Since you love Texas & plan to get an LLM (Tax) degree, take the full tuition scholarship at Texas Tech, then get an LLM at SMU, Miami, Florida, Georgetown or NYU & utilize those placement offices if you want to expand your job opportunities geographically.

I recommend this article (http://www.law.com/jsp/nlj/PubArticleNL ... hbxlogin=1) and the regional chart of employment prospects found in that article.

Pepperdine has similar biglaw placement to Tech, and Miami has about 6% more biglaw placement than Tech (and that was in a thriving economy). You're talking about paying significant costs for a mediocre gain in employment prospects. And both those schools are outside the state you want to practice in.

CanadianWolf wrote:Miami is not within driving distance of Atlanta, at least not a reasonable drive.

Yeah totally forgot to mention that. My buddies did the drive a couple weeks ago. It took them 10-11 hours with stops.

Your buddies drove fast. At best they travelled from North Miami to south of Atlanta.

g gun, go to tech, unless you want to live in Miami

from what it sounds like to me though, you have made your mind up that you want to be in texas...which should make this a pretty easy decision

merichard87 wrote:There was a huge debate on another post about how portable a Tech degree is even in Texas. Most of us agreed that Tech is only useful in the shit hole area of Texas its located in and maybe Dallas if you push really really hard. So I would only take take Tech if I had some connections to a firm/job already or if I was from the area and didn't mind staying. HTH.

you obviously didn't read the whole thread...it was pretty obvious that outside of their respective markets, UH and Tech are comparable

Yea they are comparable but where would you rather be, Houston or East Texas?

merichard87 wrote:Yea they are comparable but where would you rather be, Houston or East Texas?

tech is in west texas

as for me, I went to tech for UG and love west texas. I grew up in Galveston and have no desire to go back to the southern part of the state. After LS, I would like to go to the DFW area, which is attainable with a Tech degree, as discussed in the other thread

Yea I meant West Texas (direction fail) and there is nothing wrong with West Texas but many people would not enjoy it. Most would rather have the big city feel of Houston or DFW and as I said earlier UofH for Houston or SMU or Tech for DFW, if you wanted a big city.

ggocat wrote:I recommend this article (http://www.law.com/jsp/nlj/PubArticleNL ... hbxlogin=1) and the regional chart of employment prospects found in that article.

That regional chart is not really a regional chart. Let's just stop calling it that.

Time will tell. I know I'd be happy at any one of the three. Tech is nice as I am accustomed to west Texas culture, and I know quite a few people out there.

Tech is great for DFW, which I would love to live again someday. I just don't know where I fit in 100% yet. Time will tell. I assume you were at admitted students day?

merichard87 wrote:Yea they are comparable but where would you rather be, Houston or East Texas?

Austin, so Tech.