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Thurgood Marshall or South Texas College of Law
Posted: Wed Jun 20, 2012 10:07 pm
by josemnz83
I'm trying to decide between these two T4 schools. The main advantage for TSU is that it is cheap. Tuition is only 14,000 a year. However its passing rate is only 67%.
South Texas has a passing rate of 87%. However its tuition is 27,000.
My current salary is about 52,000 a year. I could keep my job full time if I attend law school part time [second and third year]. There is no way that I want to work as a 1L. Working the last two years would reduce "lost gained income." Only South Texas has a part time program.
Both schools are in the Houston area, where I live. Please give me input, especially if you have attended either school.
Re: Thurgood Marshall or South Texas College of Law
Posted: Wed Jun 20, 2012 10:09 pm
by dpk711
Even if you did not have a job that paid decently, I would seriously recommend that you do not attend any of these schools.
Re: Thurgood Marshall or South Texas College of Law
Posted: Wed Jun 20, 2012 10:12 pm
by Tom Joad
Do you hate your current job? Is there any chance for career advancement with what you are currently doing? 50 some grand isn't chump change.
Re: Thurgood Marshall or South Texas College of Law
Posted: Wed Jun 20, 2012 10:18 pm
by Teflon_Jeff
OP: I can't think of a compelling reason that I would give up the job you have for even a year to go to either of those law schools.
On top of that, they probably aren't worth attending on their own unless you have some convincing circumstances that are not mentioned here.
Re: Thurgood Marshall or South Texas College of Law
Posted: Wed Jun 20, 2012 10:19 pm
by Broseidon
The chances of you ever getting a job out of those schools that pays more than your current job are dishearteningly low. Also, your focus on bar passage rates is strange.
Retake if necessary, or don't go to law school.
Re: Thurgood Marshall or South Texas College of Law
Posted: Wed Jun 20, 2012 10:24 pm
by timbs4339
Simple answer- neither.
Re: Thurgood Marshall or South Texas College of Law
Posted: Wed Jun 20, 2012 10:36 pm
by Nova
Neither are worth attending at full price. Not even for free. Paying full tuition (~90k) for a degree from STCL (or any TTT) is a bad idea. Retake and get into UHLC/SMU/Baylor or STCL/TSU for free.
Re: Thurgood Marshall or South Texas College of Law
Posted: Wed Jun 20, 2012 11:15 pm
by Titleist
IF you HAVE to go to one of these schools then go to South Texas. It's waaay better than TMSL.
Re: Thurgood Marshall or South Texas College of Law
Posted: Wed Jun 20, 2012 11:18 pm
by josemnz83
Thanks for the feedback guys. There is a BIG thing that I did not mention earlier. I didn't want to write an essay about it. I was dismissed from SMU Law about 8 years ago for failing grades. I simply did not take the finals and received Fs my third semester. I successfully completed my first year and even got an A in my favorite class my second year. I was dumb and stupid and there is no other explanation for it. Now I'm more mature and ready to tackle law school and am afraid schools like SMU would laugh at my application : )
Re: Thurgood Marshall or South Texas College of Law
Posted: Thu Jun 21, 2012 12:42 am
by Titleist
It is worth a shot. Who cares if they laugh?
Re: Thurgood Marshall or South Texas College of Law
Posted: Thu Jun 21, 2012 1:32 am
by Teflon_Jeff
Worst case, they say no, and you don't go there.
But it just isn't worth the time, money, or effort to try the two schools you've listed here.
Re: Thurgood Marshall or South Texas College of Law
Posted: Thu Jun 21, 2012 6:43 am
by TexasAggie13
Stick with your 50k job. Check lawschooltransparency.com. Neither school has anything close to decent employment stats.
Re: Thurgood Marshall or South Texas College of Law
Posted: Thu Jun 21, 2012 6:55 am
by Br3v
dpk711 wrote:Even if you did not have a job that paid decently, I would seriously recommend that you do not attend any of these schools.
Re: Thurgood Marshall or South Texas College of Law
Posted: Fri Jun 22, 2012 1:23 am
by Pokarface
I'm from Texas and I keep listening reasons to just avoid Thurgood, coincidentally, many of the attorneys in my area graduated from Thurgood s-=
Re: Thurgood Marshall or South Texas College of Law
Posted: Fri Jun 22, 2012 8:24 am
by abc12345675
I've heard from some attorneys that South Texas isn't that bad in Houston. But that's not exactly a ringing endorsement. You aren't likely to make more money out of these school than you already make. Stay where you are and retake the LSAT. Maybe you can score well enough to sneak into U of H or Baylor
Re: Thurgood Marshall or South Texas College of Law
Posted: Fri Jun 22, 2012 9:02 am
by TexasAggie13
abc12345675 wrote:I've heard from some attorneys that South Texas isn't that bad in Houston. But that's not exactly a ringing endorsement. You aren't likely to make more money out of these school than you already make. Stay where you are and retake the LSAT. Maybe you can score well enough to sneak into U of H or Baylor
+1
No doubt that South Texas places a slim few of its grads in decent jobs in Texas, but if you are completing against Baylor/UH/SMU/UT grads for jobs (which you will be) you are going to get beat 99.9% of the time. Retake.
Re: Thurgood Marshall or South Texas College of Law
Posted: Fri Jun 22, 2012 9:16 am
by Easy-E
Br3v wrote:dpk711 wrote:Even if you did not have a job that paid decently, I would seriously recommend that you do not attend any of these schools.
Re: Thurgood Marshall or South Texas College of Law
Posted: Fri Jun 22, 2012 9:42 am
by fatduck
josemnz83 wrote:Thanks for the feedback guys. There is a BIG thing that I did not mention earlier. I didn't want to write an essay about it. I was dismissed from SMU Law about 8 years ago for failing grades. I simply did not take the finals and received Fs my third semester. I successfully completed my first year and even got an A in my favorite class my second year. I was dumb and stupid and there is no other explanation for it. Now I'm more mature and ready to tackle law school and am afraid schools like SMU would laugh at my application : )
i think you should be good at either one, then. you've already done 1L so you know all the answers. can't see why you wouldn't end up near the top of your class at either school.