Baylor, SMU, and Houston Forum

[$1.99]

what is the mccombs business school?

[Aberzombie1892]

Texas-Austin

[$1.99]

is it suppose to be good? seems like OP implied it. instead of saying berkeley, it is like saying i go to the haas school. you can't do that unless the school is well known. just saying

[reepS]

is it suppose to be good? seems like OP implied it. instead of saying berkeley, it is like saying i go to the haas school. you can't do that unless the school is well known. just saying

Normally you say it for a grad school, not UG

[kalvano]

is it suppose to be good? seems like OP implied it. instead of saying berkeley, it is like saying i go to the haas school. you can't do that unless the school is well known. just saying

It's a very good program. I think it's pretty highly ranked, like top 20 or so.

[Cshark440]

(Deleted)

[$1.99]

lol specialty rankings and #7 isn't that good anyways

[Billy Batts]

I'll tell you one thing: maybe not for the very largest international firms in Dallas and Houston, but if you go to the websites of the firms in Dallas and Fort Worth that are a little smaller, there are always a shitload of Baylor alums. It's not like you won't be able to find a good job from Baylor, especially if you do well. You may have a harder time at the huge firms, but it's not like it's easy to get hired at the biggest firms from SMU either.

[fathergoose]

Mccombs is ranked #7 by US News for Undergrad Business school. Finance is Ranked #6 Undergrad Finance program by US News.

Good school and enjoyed it.

Would like to continue my education in Law now.

So people hate Baylor. That leaves SMU which I am unlikely to be able to afford and Houston, which doesn't have much of a name other than direct contact with a buzzing legal market.

Baylor's difficulty doesn't frighten me nor does waco. and job prospects seem to be the one big complaint and looking at there employment stats it looks like around 90% of the kids found jobs.

Forgive me for playing the devil's advocate on this but I didn't realize there was such a distaste for baylor out there.

SMU is certainly more expensive and that should be a serious concern.
Houston does lack name recognition.

But

Baylor doesn't really have much of a name outside of the Baylor community and they aren't connected to a buzzing legal market. Yes 90% of kids found jobs but 90% did not find jobs that required a JD to perform. And even if it was, for three years of your life and gobs of money, it better be way more than 90%.

Baylor's difficultly is not what scares all of us from going there. It was the job prospects, the scholarship stipulations, and the cutthroat student culture. HTH

Edit: Chrisokc is right too though. I'm not trying to say SMU is a great choice either. I'm just trying to say that I feel more confident putting my money on black instead of red on this particular roulette table

[Cshark440]

OK good input. Appreciate all the tips guys.

Final questions:

I am going to take my first LSAT in October. Fingers crossed, pretty nervous:

Worst case, if I bomb it and retake in December, what scores do these 3 schools take (lowest, highest, average,?)

Thanks for all the help. It has been invaluable.

[Bustang]

If you can find one Baylor 2L-3L that is happy about going there then I think you should apply.

Have fun at SMU/UH!

[Cshark440]

Ok, so did some looking around.

Looks like SMU and Houston take your Highest LSAT scores (not sure if an addendum is necessary)

Baylor, I am unclear on. Looks like they might take highest? (also not sure if an addendum is necessary)

Any insight from past applicants or those knowledgeable on this subject?

[RaspberryBeret]

Ok, so did some looking around.

Baylor, I am unclear on. Looks like they might take highest? (also not sure if an addendum is necessary)

Any insight from past applicants or those knowledgeable on this subject?

They will either take your highest. No addendum is necessary. However, if you score, say a 150 on your first LSAT and a 170 on your second LSAT, you might want to submit something explaining yourself. They will definitely wonder about a huge difference. I would say if your difference is more than 10 points, explain it.

[holdencaulfield]

Here's my take from the other side (the already-out-and-employed side):

Baylor does have a reputation for training great advocates. My firm hires most of our litigation associates from there. Also, after chatting with several Baylor grads, I'm pretty sure they graduate much more prepared for the bar than SMU grads. However, one of our 2L Baylor SA's told me that most of his class was seriously hurting for jobs and most have nothing lined up. Summary: terrific training, but not as good job prospects.

As an SMU grad that fell around top 1/3, I had no trouble finding a job. There are basically only two required courses after 1L so it's very flexible; this however, can backfire as far as bar prep goes (I learned crim pro, family law, wills & trusts, evidence, secured transactions, oil & gas, and commercial paper all after graduating from law school). The teachers are great and I felt the overall atmosphere to be much more laid back than expected. SMU has a good rep where I practice; everyone generally recognizes it as a great school.

I know nothing about Houston except I absolutely cannot stand the only lawyer I know who went there. I'm at a midsize firm in DWF (30-ish lawyers) and I only see one Houston grad regularly; take that for what it's worth.

All that said, while school matters, your personality and law school accomplishments matter just as much, if not more.

You've probably heard the aforementioned advice and views over and over; in the end, just make a decision and don't look back.

[fathergoose]

in the end, just make a decision and don't look back.

Agreed

[Cshark440]

Does anybody know where I can go to look at Baylor admissions number for spring or summer classes? Looking at LSN they most accurately reflect the fall numbers by the look of it.

Also thank you holdencaulfield. I appreciate your insight.

[icecold3000]

Just did a quick search. Here is a direct link. You are welcome.

http://www.baylor.edu/law/ps/index.php?id=74827

[Cshark440]

Wow never though to look on the School's webpage!

In all seriousness, if anybody could direct me to a page that has data points similar to LSN on Baylor's spring and summer classes I would appreciate it!

[TurtlesAllTheWayDown]

is it suppose to be good? seems like OP implied it. instead of saying berkeley, it is like saying i go to the haas school. you can't do that unless the school is well known. just saying

lol specialty rankings and #7 isn't that good anyways

I may be a little late to this party, but the irony is too good to pass up. McCombs isn't ranked 7th, except for a few of those specialty rankings; it is ranked 17th. Haas is 7th.

[kalvano]

In all seriousness, if anybody could direct me to a page that has data points similar to LSN on Baylor's spring and summer classes I would appreciate it!

You mean a breakdown of admission / rejection data on spring and summer people? I doubt that exists.

[ClutchCity24]

Hit a 165 LSAT and SMU will give you money. Kill the LSAT and cost will be quite low. SMU gives out a lot more money then UH and UH has a bad tendency lately to dramatically increase the tuition since the State is cutting funding to the public universities.