University of Denver vs. Texas Tech Forum

[bbbw]

I would like to get some opinions regarding which school would be best for me to attend. I've been accepted to both schools for sticker price and I'm a Texas resident. I would prefer to be in Texas after law school but wouldn't have a problem being in Colorado either. Word is that Texas Tech's tuition may be increased to around $22,000 (due to the Texas legislature slashing education funds), which would make total cost about $35,000 per year whereas I was awarded about $55,000 from DU to cover all of my 1st years expenses. I know there's much debate over the rankings, but for what its worth, DU is ranked 77 overall in Tier 2 and Tech is in Tier 3 at 117. There isn't a specific area of law that I am set on pursuing. Any thoughts/advice would be greatly appreciated as the deposit deadlines are looming for each school.

[BarbellDreams]

What is your total cost of attendance for each school over the three years?

[bbbw]

What is your total cost of attendance for each school over the three years?

Texas Tech would be about $95,000-$100,000 and DU would be about $155,000-$160,000.

[crit_racer]

Tech, especially since you want Texas.

[YankeesFan]

How does DU cost 155,000 if all of your first year expenses were covered. Wouldn't it be closer to 100,000 or less?

[bbbw]

How does DU cost 155,000 if all of your first year expenses were covered. Wouldn't it be closer to 100,000 or less?

Sorry I wasn't very clear. I was awarded $55,000 in financial aide, not scholarship, for the 1st year. Assuming I get that each year, I'm looking at about $155,000-$160,000 in total debt if I don't receive any grants, etc. for my 3 years (DU does seem to offer a lot of grants that you can apply for).

[BeautifulSW]

These two law schools provide a good many N. Mex. lawyers. I'm afraid that it really does matter where you intend to make your career. For the Panhandle, South Plains, Eastern N. Mex. and West Texas, Tech would be the better choice because DU wouldn't be worth the extra expense and Tech is pretty well known and respected. For the Front Range and Rio Grande Valley, DU might give you better employment options.

Can you bear Lubbock for three years? I could, I know the city fairly well, but the High Plains aren't for everybody. There's a cultural chasm between Denver and Amarillo; if you are a "scenery" person, Lubbock might be pretty hard to bear. (Yes, I know about Palo Duro Canyon but...)

My personal opinion is that Tech wouldn't be a mistake but that DU might be. $50,000 is a lot of additional debt to gain access to a market that is already pretty heavily lawyered. If you go to Tech, you will get a decent legal job upon graduating, if you don't mind the smell of cattle or oil fields. DU? Maybe not. But you will starve in Paradise.

[bbbw]

These two law schools provide a good many N. Mex. lawyers. I'm afraid that it really does matter where you intend to make your career. For the Panhandle, South Plains, Eastern N. Mex. and West Texas, Tech would be the better choice because DU wouldn't be worth the extra expense and Tech is pretty well known and respected. For the Front Range and Rio Grande Valley, DU might give you better employment options.

Can you bear Lubbock for three years? I could, I know the city fairly well, but the High Plains aren't for everybody. There's a cultural chasm between Denver and Amarillo; if you are a "scenery" person, Lubbock might be pretty hard to bear. (Yes, I know about Palo Duro Canyon but...)

My personal opinion is that Tech wouldn't be a mistake but that DU might be. $50,000 is a lot of additional debt to gain access to a market that is already pretty heavily lawyered. If you go to Tech, you will get a decent legal job upon graduating, if you don't mind the smell of cattle or oil fields. DU? Maybe not. But you will starve in Paradise.

Do you think that the job prospects are much better for DU grads than Texas Tech grads? The thing about Tech that worries me is not being in Lubbock for three years (I can handle that), but the fact that I'd be competing with SMU, Baylor, UT, and UH grads for jobs in Texas whereas in Colorado the only other competition is UC grads (and my understanding is neither school has an upper hand for jobs in Denver). Thanks for the help!

[BarbellDreams]

I strongly recommend not taking out 6 figures of debt from either of these schools. The employment prospects simply dont justify it.

[Aberzombie1892]

I strongly recommend not taking out mid five figures of debt from either of these schools. The employment prospects simply dont justify it.

FTFY

[bbbw]

I strongly recommend not taking out 6 figures of debt from either of these schools. The employment prospects simply dont justify it.

I'm not too worried about the debt from Tech. DU is more risky, but I'll have just turned 25 when I finish my law degree and will have plenty of time to pay it off. Maybe it will bite me in the ass, but it's a risk I'm willing to take.

[kalvano]

TTU has to compete with a lot in the Texas area. DU compete mainly with CU. However, DU would probably restrict you to Colorado. Also, Lubbock sucks. But an additional $50K in debt might suck more.

[bbbw]

TTU has to compete with a lot in the Texas area. DU compete mainly with CU. However, DU would probably restrict you to Colorado. Also, Lubbock sucks. But an additional $50K in debt might suck more.

I've heard that some of both Tech and DU grads end up in New Mexico. Other than that, both are fairly restricted to their respective states.

[kalvano]

TTU has to compete with a lot in the Texas area. DU compete mainly with CU. However, DU would probably restrict you to Colorado. Also, Lubbock sucks. But an additional $50K in debt might suck more.

I've heard that some of both Tech and DU grads end up in New Mexico. Other than that, both are fairly restricted to their respective states.

TTU is basically in New Mexico.

[bbbw]

TTU has to compete with a lot in the Texas area. DU compete mainly with CU. However, DU would probably restrict you to Colorado. Also, Lubbock sucks. But an additional $50K in debt might suck more.

I've heard that some of both Tech and DU grads end up in New Mexico. Other than that, both are fairly restricted to their respective states.

TTU is basically in New Mexico.

Well their grads do end up all over the state. But yeah, geographically they are up there right next to New Mexico.

[kalvano]

Outside of the panhandle region, you are going to face heavy competition in Texas.

[BeautifulSW]

There are job opportunities in the Texas and Eastern N. Mex. areas I mention. Even the ABA Journal for this month singles out the El Paso area as offering better opportunities than most parts of the country. But it is true; El Paso's high-level commercial work is done mostly by Texas-wide firms who hire from the upper ranking Texas schools and the usual T14ers.

A Tech degree might not travel very well beyond the oil patch and High Plains but it will sell well inside those areas. This is mostly small-firm stuff but that isn't to say it can't pay well. There are more than a few N.Mex. lawyers who made a million for themselves out there in O&G and the current energy crunch means that there's potentially more money to be made.

That's what I meant when I said that it really matters where you intend to make your career.

Have you applied to UNM Law? UNM is surprisingly hard to get into as a non-resident but if you are thinking seriously about N. Mex and West Texas, a UNM degree (and a high class rank) will open a lot of doors. I will also tell you that DU and Tech are the two most common schools New Mexican lawyer wanna-bees go to if they can't get into UNM and there have been a lot of these people over the years so if you go to either one and come looking here, you will find friendly faces.

Strangely, there is also a largish contingent of Gonzaga grads here. No idea why. Also a number of Georgetown grads. Also no idea why.

[bbbw]

There are job opportunities in the Texas and Eastern N. Mex. areas I mention. Even the ABA Journal for this month singles out the El Paso area as offering better opportunities than most parts of the country. But it is true; El Paso's high-level commercial work is done mostly by Texas-wide firms who hire from the upper ranking Texas schools and the usual T14ers.

A Tech degree might not travel very well beyond the oil patch and High Plains but it will sell well inside those areas. This is mostly small-firm stuff but that isn't to say it can't pay well. There are more than a few N.Mex. lawyers who made a million for themselves out there in O&G and the current energy crunch means that there's potentially more money to be made.

That's what I meant when I said that it really matters where you intend to make your career.

Have you applied to UNM Law? UNM is surprisingly hard to get into as a non-resident but if you are thinking seriously about N. Mex and West Texas, a UNM degree (and a high class rank) will open a lot of doors. I will also tell you that DU and Tech are the two most common schools New Mexican lawyer wanna-bees go to if they can't get into UNM and there have been a lot of these people over the years so if you go to either one and come looking here, you will find friendly faces.

Strangely, there is also a largish contingent of Gonzaga grads here. No idea why. Also a number of Georgetown grads. Also no idea why.

I've been rejected to UNM. Quite frankly though, I'd prefer Tech to UNM simply because Tech places just fine in NM and would also give me the ability to work most places in Texas if I do well enough.

[bbbw]

So one TLS poster has recommended me not going into debt for either school. Can somebody articulate to me what, if any, difference there is in employment prospects between these two schools. Is there much of a difference in the prospects of tier 2 to tier 3 schools?

[Mce252]

So one TLS poster has recommended me not going into debt for either school. Can somebody articulate to me what, if any, difference there is in employment prospects between these two schools. Is there much of a difference in the prospects of tier 2 to tier 3 schools?

Go to a simple loan repayment calculator and get a good idea of what your monthly payments are going to look like when you graduate. Then, figure out how much in annual income you are going to need after you finish in addition to your loan payment. Add those two numbers together and go find out how many graduates of each school were making that salary -- or had a job at all. No one is going to be able to give you an exact answer; you just have to decide how much risk is involved and how much you're willing to take on.

[mrwarre85]

I have a close contact who graduated from Tech and I have done a lot of homework on DU. I think they are both very fine schools, but neither offers great employment opportunities. If you go you will need to be in the top 1/3, but if you pull that off you can get a good job (say 60k?) in Denver with DU and maybe a similar job in Dallas with Tech.

I think Tech is a safer bet, but how much safer is debatable. If you have a strong preference for a big city law school (which is gorgeous btw) with plenty of clinics and different course openings and a wide range of students, DU is your place. If you want a meat and potatoes law degree at a fine institution that will give you what you need to be a very good and competent lawyer in Texas or Eastern NM, go to Tech and save the 50k. My take.

[BeautifulSW]

I think that this is right. You really can't compare the schools directly. Given the choice myself, I would go for Tech but it's a close thing.

Like I said, getting into UNM is surprisingly hard given the school's rankings. Tech is about the closest thing we have to a "second New Mexico Law School" and Tech degrees do sell pretty well here. If N.Mex. is your target, Tech would be the better option.