SMU 2011 Forum

[EricBerry]

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[jenesaislaw]

If anyone is interested, the Law School Transparency data for SMU for the class of 2008 (the bad old years) -

--LinkRemoved--

It's actually pretty good.

Unless I am reading this wrong, those charts are just a rehashing of the numbers the school reported to USNEWS (meaning their value is still debatable).

It is rehashing in the sense that it relies on the U.S. News data, which in my mind isn't rehashing at all. The U.S. News data are unlikely bad (the sum of all U.S. News-reported salaries (2008) matches up pretty well to the figures reported to NALP for 2008). The problem is how people use the U.S. News data. The median salary for NYLS is not $160,000 like it may appear to an uninformed consumer, it's the median of known to be employed graduates in the private sector work FT who reported. Perhaps you were able to figure out what that means on your own, but many people do not. The point of this "rehashing" - I'd prefer enhancing - is to demonstrate that things don't mean quite what you think they mean. In fact, the numbers are so different from school to school that you can't compare between schools well at all. This standardizes comparisons a bit more, though it has its limitations.

[merc280]

where can I find out about SMU's optional essay's. does the application talk about this? Also, my recommender did not write a letter specifically for SMU, does this mean i still fill out that supplemental form for recommendation or is it okay to just not send that in?

[cartercl]

where can I find out about SMU's optional essay's. does the application talk about this? Also, my recommender did not write a letter specifically for SMU, does this mean i still fill out that supplemental form for recommendation or is it okay to just not send that in?

Yes. The directions for the optional essays are located within the application. You don't fill out the supplemental form if your LOR was sent to LSAC already.

Add: Optional essay instructions are located at numbers 14 & 15 on the application, to be exact.

[thewarflamingo]

So are y'all submitting just a regular PS or doing a why law PS for SMU? My PS doesn't mention law or academics at all so I'm conflicted on whether to write a whole new essay for SMU or just submit my PS as is. Any thoughts?

[Thirteen]

So are y'all submitting just a regular PS or doing a why law PS for SMU? My PS doesn't mention law or academics at all so I'm conflicted on whether to write a whole new essay for SMU or just submit my PS as is. Any thoughts?

Do both. Submit your regular PS, and write a separate "Why SMU" essay.

[thewarflamingo]

So are y'all submitting just a regular PS or doing a why law PS for SMU? My PS doesn't mention law or academics at all so I'm conflicted on whether to write a whole new essay for SMU or just submit my PS as is. Any thoughts?

Do both. Submit your regular PS, and write a separate "Why SMU" essay.

Oh no sorry, that wasn't my question; I probably wasn't very clear though. I definitely plan to write a separate Why SMU essay, but SMU said they want a PS with info that is relevant to your decision to study law, what you wish to accomplish with your degree, etc. So my question is, should I just send in my non-law related PS or find a way to include why I want to pursue law school in it? I was thinking of just combining why I want to go to law school into my Why SMU essay and sending in my regular PS.

[kalvano]

The "Why SMU" is required.

[thewarflamingo]

Ok just to clarify what I'm talking about, here is the personal statement prompt:

13. A personal statement containing any information that is especially relevant to your decision to study law, which may include factors such as what motivates you to study law, what you seek to accomplish with your law degree, and how your past experiences may help you to accomplish your goals.

This is completely separate from the "Why SMU" essay which is also required.

Anyway, I think I'll just keep my PS as is.

[Burgstaller04]

Ok just to clarify what I'm talking about, here is the personal statement prompt:

13. A personal statement containing any information that is especially relevant to your decision to study law, which may include factors such as what motivates you to study law, what you seek to accomplish with your law degree, and how your past experiences may help you to accomplish your goals.

This is completely separate from the "Why SMU" essay which is also required.

Anyway, I think I'll just keep my PS as is.

My PS has some elements of things that made me want to study law. I'm just leaving it as is and submitting the why smu essay to narrow down why i wanna do it in dallas.

[kalvano]

Get a 164 or better. Submit PS about murdering hookers.

Win.

[thewarflamingo]

Ok just to clarify what I'm talking about, here is the personal statement prompt:

13. A personal statement containing any information that is especially relevant to your decision to study law, which may include factors such as what motivates you to study law, what you seek to accomplish with your law degree, and how your past experiences may help you to accomplish your goals.

This is completely separate from the "Why SMU" essay which is also required.

Anyway, I think I'll just keep my PS as is.

My PS has some elements of things that made me want to study law. I'm just leaving it as is and submitting the why smu essay to narrow down why i wanna do it in dallas.

Ok thanks, I was just curious about what other people are doing. When are you planning to submit?

[Burgstaller04]

Ok just to clarify what I'm talking about, here is the personal statement prompt:

13. A personal statement containing any information that is especially relevant to your decision to study law, which may include factors such as what motivates you to study law, what you seek to accomplish with your law degree, and how your past experiences may help you to accomplish your goals.

This is completely separate from the "Why SMU" essay which is also required.

Anyway, I think I'll just keep my PS as is.

My PS has some elements of things that made me want to study law. I'm just leaving it as is and submitting the why smu essay to narrow down why i wanna do it in dallas.

Ok thanks, I was just curious about what other people are doing. When are you planning to submit?

Gotta retake in October to get that 164 that Kal is talking about. I'll submit asap after that scores comes in

[Thirteen]

Get a 164 or better. Submit PS about murdering hookers.

Win.

Haha, credited. My PS was about making the football team in 11th grade, and didn't mention law school or anything even remotely academic.

[texasforever]

Get a 164 or better. Submit PS about murdering hookers.

Win.

Tom is pretty LSAT biased, I am one of the few 1L's who was a reverse splitter. I applied FT only by EA deadline, but didn't get an EA decision because I retook in December and made the same score.

I didn't get in until mid-April, but for all the white males out there who are sub-160, you still have a shot with a 3.8+ and a good PS. 157, 3.98 got me in.. good luck everyone

[Burgstaller04]

Get a 164 or better. Submit PS about murdering hookers.

Win.

Tom is pretty LSAT biased, I am one of the few 1L's who was a reverse splitter. I applied FT only by EA deadline, but didn't get an EA decision because I retook in December and made the same score.

I didn't get in until mid-April, but for all the white males out there who are sub-160, you still have a shot with a 3.8+ and a good PS. 157, 3.98 got me in.. good luck everyone

That 3.98 definitely helped you out. How are you liking class so far?

[texasforever]

Get a 164 or better. Submit PS about murdering hookers.

Win.

Tom is pretty LSAT biased, I am one of the few 1L's who was a reverse splitter. I applied FT only by EA deadline, but didn't get an EA decision because I retook in December and made the same score.

I didn't get in until mid-April, but for all the white males out there who are sub-160, you still have a shot with a 3.8+ and a good PS. 157, 3.98 got me in.. good luck everyone

That 3.98 definitely helped you out. How are you liking class so far?

1L is a bitch, this will probably be the case from T1-T3. I put in 19 hour days usually Monday - Thursday, with 17 hours devoted solely towards law school. This isn't nearly enough to get it all done though, but if I put anymore in I would probably kill myself. Everyone here is pretty smart, though you can definitely tell the people who could take the LSAT well from the people who actually know how to study. Everything is relative, the weeks are god awful but most of the normal people go and have crazy drunken shenanigans on the weekends, which is awesome in Dallas. Using the line "Yeah I'm a law student" has yielded a roughly .750 batting average over the past seven weekends, the undergrads here seem to have been bred on silicon and daddy's black card and all you really have to do is look at them, say attorney, and it's a done deal. The only way to get through 1L, IMO, is to live for the weekend. And for God's sake, throw away your cargo shorts and affliction tees when you get to law school and trade them in for a button down and slacks, no one likes looking at a bad jersey shore episode from across the room.

If you have any specific ?'s feel free to PM me.

[mbusch22]

Get a 164 or better. Submit PS about murdering hookers.

Win.

Tom is pretty LSAT biased, I am one of the few 1L's who was a reverse splitter. I applied FT only by EA deadline, but didn't get an EA decision because I retook in December and made the same score.

I didn't get in until mid-April, but for all the white males out there who are sub-160, you still have a shot with a 3.8+ and a good PS. 157, 3.98 got me in.. good luck everyone

reverse-splitter 1L here too, (no URM) and I got in early action in early January. Reverse splitting is typically the worst though.

[kalvano]

I put in 19 hour days usually Monday - Thursday, with 17 hours devoted solely towards law school. This isn't nearly enough to get it all done though, but if I put anymore in I would probably kill myself.

What in the holy flaming testicles of asshattery are you doing? I don't know anyone putting in that much time. The way everything is broken down into chunks means it really isn't that hard to grasp.

Unless you're doing your class reading, then supps, then hornbooks back-to-back, I can't imagine spending that much time on anything we've done so far.

I'm not trying to be mean, I'm honestly curious. Sometimes I think I am not doing enough, but whenever they throw out a hypo, I've usually got a pretty good grasp of whatever it is. The only think I'm having issues with is Civ Pro (thanks, Mr. Glannon!) and to a degree, Contracts, but I have no econ background.

And for God's sake, throw away your cargo shorts and affliction tees when you get to law school and trade them in for a button down and slacks, no one likes looking at a bad jersey shore episode from across the room.

I don't know what an affliction is, but I wear a tee-shirt and cargo shorts most every day. No one (except one or two people) dress up at all. Dressing up is tucking your shirt into your jeans.

[texasforever]

but I wear a tee-shirt and cargo shorts most every day.

Fucking GDI.

[Thirteen]

I put in 19 hour days usually Monday - Thursday, with 17 hours devoted solely towards law school. This isn't nearly enough to get it all done though, but if I put anymore in I would probably kill myself.

I pray that you're in Section 2.

[kalvano]

but I wear a tee-shirt and cargo shorts most every day.

Fucking GDI.

Still confused. It's comfortable.

[Thirteen]

but I wear a tee-shirt and cargo shorts most every day.

Fucking GDI.

Still confused. It's comfortable.

Yep. I wear khaki shorts and a polo, or Nike shorts and a dri-fit shirt. We'll have to dress up for the rest of our lives; I want to enjoy being back in school and dressing down for class. If I'm going to spend a few hours in the library every night, I want to be comfortable.

[cartercl]

Everything is relative, the weeks are god awful but most of the normal people go and have crazy drunken shenanigans on the weekends, which is awesome in Dallas. Using the line "Yeah I'm a law student" has yielded a roughly .750 batting average over the past seven weekends, the undergrads here seem to have been bred on silicon and daddy's black card and all you really have to do is look at them, say attorney, and it's a done deal.

This is all I read. Effin awesome.

[Thirteen]

Everything is relative, the weeks are god awful but most of the normal people go and have crazy drunken shenanigans on the weekends, which is awesome in Dallas. Using the line "Yeah I'm a law student" has yielded a roughly .750 batting average over the past seven weekends, the undergrads here seem to have been bred on silicon and daddy's black card and all you really have to do is look at them, say attorney, and it's a done deal.

This is all I read. Effin awesome.

If you're a decent looking guy with confidence, you're golden in this town.