SMU C/O 2017 (2013-2014 Applicants) Forum

[BVest]

I'm assuming the 10% that live a distance away are probably the same 10% or so with families right? For the ones that choose to go to bar review every once in while, do they fit in with the crowd, or is it more of a "closed group" if you know what I mean?

It's a very welcoming environment. You can participate to the extent you wish and it's welcome. I'm one of the 30+ and married members of my section and did not feel estranged from my section mates. The first Bar Review was a little odd because it can tend to be a little meat-markety with the upper level students hitting on the 1L girls.

[kobe1020]

love the fact that this thread is turning into "accepted thread"...

[Snowboarder1588]

love the fact that this thread is turning into "accepted thread"...

Congrats to all of those of you admitted...but here...I'll try to get us back on track lol...Still complete as of 9/18, anyone else with a similar date?

[kobe1020]

love the fact that this thread is turning into "accepted thread"...

Congrats to all of those of you admitted...but here...I'll try to get us back on track lol...Still complete as of 9/18, anyone else with a similar date?

don't worry man we will all be good.

what is your status?

[kobe1020]

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc ... sp=sharing

hey guys feel free to add your stats/status to this google doc. I'm trying to create a master spreadsheet that shows big picture to all applicants. if SMU doesn't publish Median next year...we will do it..

[TheJanitor6203]

love the fact that this thread is turning into "accepted thread"...

Congrats to all of those of you admitted...but here...I'll try to get us back on track lol...Still complete as of 9/18, anyone else with a similar date?

It's you and me bud. Complete 10/11

[TheJanitor6203]

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc ... sp=sharing

hey guys feel free to add your stats/status to this google doc. I'm trying to create a master spreadsheet that shows big picture to all applicants. if SMU doesn't publish Median next year...we will do it..

I can't add my stuff to this.

[Snowboarder1588]

love the fact that this thread is turning into "accepted thread"...

Congrats to all of those of you admitted...but here...I'll try to get us back on track lol...Still complete as of 9/18, anyone else with a similar date?

don't worry man we will all be good.

what is your status?

I applied on 9/15 and went complete on 9/18, and nothing since then..... ....I hope you, myself, and TheJanitor6203 will hear soon...

[kobe1020]

love the fact that this thread is turning into "accepted thread"...

Congrats to all of those of you admitted...but here...I'll try to get us back on track lol...Still complete as of 9/18, anyone else with a similar date?

It's you and me bud. Complete 10/11

ok go ahead. i just changed the settings

[Doctolaw]

love the fact that this thread is turning into "accepted thread"...

Congrats to all of those of you admitted...but here...I'll try to get us back on track lol...Still complete as of 9/18, anyone else with a similar date?

don't worry man we will all be good.

what is your status?

I applied on 9/15 and went complete on 9/18, and nothing since then..... ....I hope you, myself, and TheJanitor6203 will hear soon...

Add me to the list. Complete 10/31. Accepted to Baylor with full scholarship, but SMU is my first choice by far. Hope we hear soon!

[kobe1020]

[quote/]Add me to the list. Complete 10/31. Accepted to Baylor with full scholarship, but SMU is my first choice by far. Hope we hear soon![/quote]

hey you can add yours now. i opened the "edit" function up for everyone

[slayerhn]

I'm assuming the 10% that live a distance away are probably the same 10% or so with families right? For the ones that choose to go to bar review every once in while, do they fit in with the crowd, or is it more of a "closed group" if you know what I mean?

The married students tend to live further away. It makes less sense for someone with a family to move for school. The others that live far away are those who are choosing to commute in order to live with family and save money, but they are rare.

As for the bar review, I'm pretty antisocial. I'm not weird or anything (or at least I don't think so), but I'm definitely introverted. I don't really enjoy going out, and I don't have any interest in talking to people in a social sense. I don't enjoy getting drunk and don't care to party. Even with all of that, the community at Bar Review was really open to me. They invited me into conversation and practically all introduced themselves. I don't go very often, but they were quite welcoming to me. I guess my only complaint is that some of the girls are quite aggressive after drinking, but I'm sure none of you single guys will consider that an issue.

[kalvano]

Cool, that seems like a good mix. Thanks. It's because if you're single and don't know anyone in Dallas, a really commuter-ish campus would make law school suck even more than it needs to haha

Yeah, I don't think that will be a problem. If you're single and want to meet people, you will. Dallas is a great area for that. You'll be broken down into one of three sections, and then put into a smaller section for your legal writing of about 10 people. You'll really get to know your section and legal writing section. You can show up to a Bar Review and drink on SMU's tab or join one of the many student organizations that will invite you out and meet tons of people.

They do three sections now?

[slayerhn]

Cool, that seems like a good mix. Thanks. It's because if you're single and don't know anyone in Dallas, a really commuter-ish campus would make law school suck even more than it needs to haha

Yeah, I don't think that will be a problem. If you're single and want to meet people, you will. Dallas is a great area for that. You'll be broken down into one of three sections, and then put into a smaller section for your legal writing of about 10 people. You'll really get to know your section and legal writing section. You can show up to a Bar Review and drink on SMU's tab or join one of the many student organizations that will invite you out and meet tons of people.

They do three sections now?

Sorry, two for the full time students. I lumped the part time student section into it.

[kalvano]

I thought they had just gone crazy with the changes.


Random thoughts:

SMU is an LSAT school, so if your GPA is high but not your LSAT, that's why the money was not being shown.


Students, on average, tend to be quite friendly with one another. There are obviously outliers and jerks in every group, but most people are nice and pleasant to be with. You definitely don't have to be a regular participant in campus social stuff to have fun with people now and then.

SMU does not negotiate scholarship money. You can try, but I've yet to hear of anyone being successful.

[BVest]

SMU does not negotiate scholarship money. You can try, but I've yet to hear of anyone being successful.

Yeah, the closest I've heard to this was people who were not actively trying to negotiate (e.g. attending elsewhere a week before school when they get a call upping their $$ and luring them to SMU).

[kobe1020]

I thought they had just gone crazy with the changes.

SMU does not negotiate scholarship money. You can try, but I've yet to hear of anyone being successful.

sad to hear that. what if i got a big bump in LSAT? well it always doesn't hurt to try..

[IgosduIkana]

.

[Winston1984]

I thought they had just gone crazy with the changes.


Random thoughts:

SMU is an LSAT school, so if your GPA is high but not your LSAT, that's why the money was not being shown.


Students, on average, tend to be quite friendly with one another. There are obviously outliers and jerks in every group, but most people are nice and pleasant to be with. You definitely don't have to be a regular participant in campus social stuff to have fun with people now and then.

SMU does not negotiate scholarship money. You can try, but I've yet to hear of anyone being successful.

Really? That's a real shame.

[BVest]

SMU does not negotiate scholarship money. You can try, but I've yet to hear of anyone being successful.

Really? That's a real shame.

It is and it isn't. Now that you know that, you'll know where you stand with SMU and can way it against any competing offers. UH moved the ball on me a couple times (after initially WLing me). And their final offer was +/- $200 from SMU's only offer in terms of cost of attendance.

[AT9]

Finally got my packet - $30K/year! Looks like that's the standard offer for 163's with a 3.8+, as at least two others with those numbers got the same offer. Speaking of offers, how did the poster with a 165/4.0 only get $24K (?) per year?

I think it's safe to say that SMU is my top choice now, followed closely by UGA and William & Mary...

Good luck to everyone who's still waiting!

[kalvano]

Since this is easily the most PM'ed question I get, I'll answer it here.

Job prospects:

They are OK. Not fabulous, but better than other similar schools. OCI is pretty solid, and will take care of you if you're up to around top 1/3. There is the traditional large firm OCI in August, and a smaller OCI in October or so for smaller, more local firms. Between those two things, up to top 1/3 has a good shot at good employment.

After top 1/3, things drop off a lot. You'll have to hustle and find semester clerkships with firms, things like that. Jobs will come in a trickle, not a flood. Eventually, I think everyone will find work from my class, it will just take some time. But SMU's employment numbers are legit. Most of the class will work as a lawyer at some point.


If you've got anything specific, feel free to ask. But that's the best I can sum up the job prospects.

[AT9]

Since this is easily the most PM'ed question I get, I'll answer it here.

Job prospects:

They are OK. Not fabulous, but better than other similar schools. OCI is pretty solid, and will take care of you if you're up to around top 1/3. There is the traditional large firm OCI in August, and a smaller OCI in October or so for smaller, more local firms. Between those two things, up to top 1/3 has a good shot at good employment.

After top 1/3, things drop off a lot. You'll have to hustle and find semester clerkships with firms, things like that. Jobs will come in a trickle, not a flood. Eventually, I think everyone will find work from my class, it will just take some time. But SMU's employment numbers are legit. Most of the class will work as a lawyer at some point.


If you've got anything specific, feel free to ask. But that's the best I can sum up the job prospects.

It seems to me like SMU is highly underrated. Arguably the second best law school in the second most populous state in the country - and it also happens to be a state with a relatively healthy and growing economy. The employment stats seem more in line with a top 25 school than one in the 40's and 50's (yes, I know rankings are stupid).

In your experience, how important are ties to Dallas or Texas for an SMU grad? I have loose ties (used to live in TX, have old friends there, etc.), but nothing super convincing.

[kalvano]

Eh, used to live here is fine. It's important but not a deal-breaker. The smaller the firm gets, the more important it becomes.

[odonnlld5]

Got a call last thursday 11/14 and I'm in! Kind of surprised I found out this early given I have 3.84/154, but I'm pretty excited! I'll be even more shocked if I got a scholarship. I'm assuming I'll probably get the admissions packet sometime this week.