SMU 2011 Forum

[texasforever]

Speaking as someone who is 42 years old and spent the last four semesters on the campus of SMU in undergrad - those of you who are unimpressed are bang on. The campus is old, very old. The side walks are cracking, the windows are original, well - everything is original. When you say the rooms have been renovated you will be dismayed when you look a little closer - renovated = another coat of paint. The floors are filthy and the facilities feel, smell, etc., etc. like 100 year old buildings. I won't even discuss the restrooms. The law library is small and cluttered. Unless you visit Meadows or Cox School of Business, get ready to be unimpressed and get ready to fight for parking. For $30k/year+, you will be hating life by the end of your first semester. I did.

And for the record, while SMU is old and unimpressive, I don't regret attending and I'd take a "held for further review" in a heart beat. In fact, I'd do cartwheels down the hall way - so everyone, based on my glaring "DENIED" - be thrilled with a held.

Best of luck.

This is bullshit. I am a 1L and will tell you that the campus is very impressive. Yes, it is old and probably needs some renovation but the library is spacious and quiet enough for me. The classrooms that the 1L's are in (they are the same every year) are very traditional (except one class depending on your section) and will remind you of the classroom in the paper chase. I enjoy walking through the campus every day realizing how lucky I am to be here and how many people are at South Texas, Baylor, or Weslayan wishing they were making that walk. Dallas is a great city, of course the job market is shit right now but I'm not getting a law degree solely for the money, you shouldn't either. This is coming from someone paying sticker. The bar scene is 10x better than Houston, I can assure you of that. Austin can't be beat in terms of fun, but if you have borderline numbers for SMU you probably aren't headed to Austin.

To everyone who was held, keep the faith. I was a reverse splitter and held, didn't receive my phone call until the last day of April. Admissions plays a mind game with everyone who doesn't have a 164+ which is horseshit, but it is what it is. Good luck, and don't let a few people on a forum discourage you from attending a great school. It has been one of the most trying times of my life, but I have made some really great friends and have enjoyed everything about SMU thus far (except finals, get ready bitches).

[simontemplar]

Speaking as someone who is 42 years old and spent the last four semesters on the campus of SMU in undergrad - those of you who are unimpressed are bang on. The campus is old, very old. The side walks are cracking, the windows are original, well - everything is original. When you say the rooms have been renovated you will be dismayed when you look a little closer - renovated = another coat of paint. The floors are filthy and the facilities feel, smell, etc., etc. like 100 year old buildings. I won't even discuss the restrooms. The law library is small and cluttered. Unless you visit Meadows or Cox School of Business, get ready to be unimpressed and get ready to fight for parking. For $30k/year+, you will be hating life by the end of your first semester. I did.

And for the record, while SMU is old and unimpressive, I don't regret attending and I'd take a "held for further review" in a heart beat. In fact, I'd do cartwheels down the hall way - so everyone, based on my glaring "DENIED" - be thrilled with a held.

Best of luck.

This is bullshit. I am a 1L and will tell you that the campus is very impressive. Yes, it is old and probably needs some renovation but the library is spacious and quiet enough for me. The classrooms that the 1L's are in (they are the same every year) are very traditional (except one class depending on your section) and will remind you of the classroom in the paper chase. I enjoy walking through the campus every day realizing how lucky I am to be here and how many people are at South Texas, Baylor, or Weslayan wishing they were making that walk. Dallas is a great city, of course the job market is shit right now but I'm not getting a law degree solely for the money, you shouldn't either. This is coming from someone paying sticker. The bar scene is 10x better than Houston, I can assure you of that. Austin can't be beat in terms of fun, but if you have borderline numbers for SMU you probably aren't headed to Austin.

To everyone who was held, keep the faith. I was a reverse splitter and held, didn't receive my phone call until the last day of April. Admissions plays a mind game with everyone who doesn't have a 164+ which is horseshit, but it is what it is. Good luck, and don't let a few people on a forum discourage you from attending a great school. It has been one of the most trying times of my life, but I have made some really great friends and have enjoyed everything about SMU thus far (except finals, get ready bitches).

Thanks for the insight....hope to be making that walk myself next year. Just out of curiosity, what do you base that 164+ theory on? I've heard that mentioned before.

[ebo]

Thanks for the insight....hope to be making that walk myself next year. Just out of curiosity, what do you base that 164+ theory on? I've heard that mentioned before.

SMU median is 164. If you look at last years stats on LSN, 164+ meant you were in pretty good shape:

http://smu.lawschoolnumbers.com/stats/0910/

[simontemplar]

Thanks for the insight....hope to be making that walk myself next year. Just out of curiosity, what do you base that 164+ theory on? I've heard that mentioned before.

SMU median is 164. If you look at last years stats on LSN, 164+ meant you were in pretty good shape:

http://smu.lawschoolnumbers.com/stats/0910/

Ok, thanks

[solidusardet]

Speaking as someone who is 42 years old and spent the last four semesters on the campus of SMU in undergrad - those of you who are unimpressed are bang on. The campus is old, very old. The side walks are cracking, the windows are original, well - everything is original. When you say the rooms have been renovated you will be dismayed when you look a little closer - renovated = another coat of paint. The floors are filthy and the facilities feel, smell, etc., etc. like 100 year old buildings. I won't even discuss the restrooms. The law library is small and cluttered. Unless you visit Meadows or Cox School of Business, get ready to be unimpressed and get ready to fight for parking. For $30k/year+, you will be hating life by the end of your first semester. I did.

And for the record, while SMU is old and unimpressive, I don't regret attending and I'd take a "held for further review" in a heart beat. In fact, I'd do cartwheels down the hall way - so everyone, based on my glaring "DENIED" - be thrilled with a held.

Best of luck.

It's a law school, not the French Embassy. But I don't think I've EVER heard the aesthetics of the SMU campus being mentioned as a negative for the school as a whole. Some of the buildings (including the law school) are older inside, but overall the campus itself is as nice as any I've ever visited. Granted, some schools might have newer facilities for their law schools, but how big of a postive/negative can that be, all things considered? I think there's a plethora of more important things to consider in the long run- reputation, location, job prospects, cost of tuition, etc.

yeah, normally i would just read and keep to myself cause i'm in the middle of a hectic semester, but look... this guy complaining about the law quad? dead wrong. everytime i walk through i feel great about my decision... the school is nice and the law library is impressive. this is after seeing most of the major schools in the region up close - houston, baylor, tech, oklahoma, and UT... after getting WLed at UT, i went for SMU and haven't looked back. couldn't ask for much more out of the facilities.

some of the teachers and student body are whack, but ultimately law school outside of the top 15 or so is really what you make of it. get on a journal, stay around at least the top half, network in a field once you figure out what you think you wanna do and plays to your strengths, and you're game.

[ebo]

some of the teachers and student body are whack,

Explain?

[Billy Batts]

Honestly, I doubt that the law school administration has very much input regarding the amount of money spent on the upkeep of the law buildings. Law schools are generally big money-makers for universities. Do the math. 500 students paying an average of around $30,000 per year in tuition (considering scholarships). I think the university should invest more back into the law facilities. This became really apparent to me after I went over to the building that houses the financial aid office. That place seems like Buckingham Palace, particularly when compared with our buildings. Then take a look at the gym. It looks like a lot of the money that we're paying is going toward parts of the university that we rarely visit.

However, it does look like they are in the process of doing some work on the law library. They've cut all of those holes in the ceilings. I hope there was some point to that. Personally, I would like to see them do something about insulating the walls separating the study carrels. I'd like to be less aware when the guy in the carrel next to me cuts a loud fart.

[txsunshine]

Checking in here. My app just went out. I know its late in the game but there were some mitigating factors. My LSAT is over the 75th% and my GPA is ~25th% so we'll see what happens! Goddd it feels good to get these apps out finally! =]

[Burgstaller04]

From what I've seen (the one campus visit and tour I had):
The classrooms are nice inside
The hallways are shady (don't plan on being in them all that much)
The outsides of the buildings seem to be fine, maybe a little old
The library is dated. It's not bad and I feel like it has enough space. It is just very 70's-esque.
The rest of the campus is great
The neighborhood can't be beat. I'm applying to USC as well and am concerned for my life about being on the fringe of campus at night. All you have to worry about at SMU is being run over by a porsche.
Overall, I'd be excited to be there and these are only my opinions.

Bring on the acceptances!

[ebo]

My status was just updated to Application Completed 1/28/2011

[Burgstaller04]

My status was just updated to Application Completed 1/28/2011

What was it before?

[ebo]

My status was just updated to Application Completed 1/28/2011

What was it before?

Application Completed and the date from when my file went complete back in November

[simontemplar]

My status was just updated to Application Completed 1/28/2011

+1!!! please be a good thing!!!

[ebo]

Also, this at the top:

"You may notice that your current status date has changed. This is either because a portion of your file has been updated or the initial review of your file has been completed. Nither of these situations change your early, regular, or late decision standing. We are unable to release decisions by phone or email. All final decisions will be mailed."

[Burgstaller04]

Also, this at the top:

"You may notice that your current status date has changed. This is either because a portion of your file has been updated or the initial review of your file has been completed. Nither of these situations change your early, regular, or late decision standing. We are unable to release decisions by phone or email. All final decisions will be mailed."

Me too!

[kalvano]

Personally, I would like to see them do something about insulating the walls separating the study carrels. I'd like to be less aware when the guy in the carrel next to me cuts a loud fart.

I'm more bothered by the fact that you can clearly hear what goes on in the bathrooms.

[lokist86]

Also, this at the top:

"You may notice that your current status date has changed. This is either because a portion of your file has been updated or the initial review of your file has been completed. Nither of these situations change your early, regular, or late decision standing. We are unable to release decisions by phone or email. All final decisions will be mailed."

Me too!

+2!

[ebo]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9jK-NcRmVcw

[Burgstaller04]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9jK-NcRmVcw

bhahaha

[plug1]

My status was just updated to Application Completed 1/28/2011

same here - before it was at 12/3

[simontemplar]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9jK-NcRmVcw

bhahaha

Lol!! Yes!

[lawboy22]

Also, this at the top:

"You may notice that your current status date has changed. This is either because a portion of your file has been updated or the initial review of your file has been completed. Nither of these situations change your early, regular, or late decision standing. We are unable to release decisions by phone or email. All final decisions will be mailed."

Me too!

+2!

+3!!!! Hopefully today is the day!

[Longhorn88]

So what's the over/under that acceptances start coming out?

Also, anyone who rips on SMU because they don't think the paint on the walls is fresh enough is a doucher and I'm glad I won't have to spend 3 years in class with you.

[thewarflamingo]

What are yalls lsats? Mine hasn't updated and I'm freaking out! Also, first letter of last names?

[emhellmer]

So what's the over/under that acceptances start coming out?

Also, anyone who rips on SMU because they don't think the paint on the walls is fresh enough is a doucher and I'm glad I won't have to spend 3 years in class with you.