Top Law Schools

I have visited each area, and wouldn't be unhappy at either. COA is estimated to be around 6k/year cheaper at SMU, and while my original plans were for IP law(no patent prosecution), that's not set in stone. There will be no debt either way. IUB needs its decision by May 1st, and I don't wanna hang up other people on the waitlist. Also, I don't need big law, and would be happy in either Indiana or Texas so long as the quality of life was somewhat comfortable. (I don't need BMWs, 4k TVs in every room, and to eat rib eye every night)

Comparison of the two LST reports: http://www.lstscorereports.com/compare/smu/indiana/

Jobs: SMU has a better LST job score and places well into small and mid-sized firms, which it sounds like you'd be interested in, as there are lots of firms in the DFW area. SMU is in a much larger city and legal market and provides good opportunities for externships, internships, and jobs. IUB looks like it's good a ton of people going to public service gigs and has 4% in school-funded jobs.

For your IP preference, Dallas has a large IP presence (Rocket Docket in E.D. Tex, lots of tech companies, Patent Office opening office in Dallas, lots of IP firms). I just don't see Indy coming anywhere close to the number of IP opportunities, and IP folks at SMU tend to do pretty well, especially if you're patent bar eligible and have decent grades.

Cost: 6K a year isn't a ton of money, but you'd need to say if it's 44K v. 50K or 10 v. 16K and what are the stips (if any)? Based on LST, IUB has a racket going with granting lots of conditional scholarships with high stips on them.

Location: It's preference, but Dallas has sucky summers, Indiana has sucky winters. Dallas has more to do. Your call based on what you prefer.

Bottom line: If you wouldn't mind living and practicing in Dallas, SMU as long as it's not close to sticker. More IP opportunities in Dallas if you decide to pursue that route. Depending on what your scores are, if you want to practice in TX, retake and go to UT or max out scholly money from SMU.

I would refer you back to the advice you have been given in other choosing threads. Personally, I wouldn't go to either school without some strong ties to the markets they place in.

If you have no debt coming from either, Indiana is a much nicer place than Dallas to live, but Dallas will have a lot more tech opportunities.

Although if Indiana needed a decision by May 1, I feel like the posts here are a bit late.

If you've got sufficient ties to Indiana go there. If you've got sufficient ties to Texas go to SMU.

I don't know what kind of prices you're looking at, but I hope that whatever you're paying is coming from a rich relative or an incredible college fund and not from your personal savings.

BigZuck wrote:I would refer you back to the advice you have been given in other choosing threads. Personally, I wouldn't go to either school without some strong ties to the markets they place in.

Unfortunately, the prevailing advice also suggested trying to retake. The response I got back from my parents was "We think you've been lazy, just working a part time job and studying." In the end, no retake for me. My dad actually suggested just picking a college out from the ones that admitted me either at random, or by choosing whichever offered the largest scholarship. Needless to say, I narrowed it down further than that, and visited both SMU and Maurer. From what I've read, sometimes you can build ties in states while attending college there, and I was curious if the new 2013 stats had changed peoples' minds about the colleges. Regardless, I sent a withdrawal notification to Bloomington (despite loving the town), and put down the second deposit on SMU. Texas' market just seems a little too robust to pass up a shot at. The hope is to stay in Texas after I graduate.

squee116 wrote:

BigZuck wrote:I would refer you back to the advice you have been given in other choosing threads. Personally, I wouldn't go to either school without some strong ties to the markets they place in.

Unfortunately, the prevailing advice also suggested trying to retake. The response I got back from my parents was "We think you've been lazy, just working a part time job and studying." In the end, no retake for me. My dad actually suggested just picking a college out from the ones that admitted me either at random, or by choosing whichever offered the largest scholarship. Needless to say, I narrowed it down further than that, and visited both SMU and Maurer. From what I've read, sometimes you can build ties in states while attending college there, and I was curious if the new 2013 stats had changed peoples' minds about the colleges. Regardless, I sent a withdrawal notification to Bloomington (despite loving the town), and put down the second deposit on SMU. Texas' market just seems a little too robust to pass up a shot at. The hope is to stay in Texas after I graduate.

Good luck