Dilemma between Texas Tech and University of Houston Forum

[b.gump81]

Texas Tech is a shithole and not good for anything but BigBeefLaw in Amarillo or Lubbock.

UH is a decent, eminently respectable school which places well in the Houston Big/midlaw market.

+1. After growing up in the Texas Panhandle, I can assure you that Lubbock is one of the shittiest towns in Texas, if not the greater Southwest. Tech isn't worth living in for three years of your mid-20s (or 30s, or 40s... you get the idea).

-1.

It is all subjective. Some people want the full city experience...others dont

I'd argue Lubbock, with a population of 200,000+, has big city amenities (sports, concerts, nightlife, etc) without the traffic and crime...again others will disagree, but it really doesnt matter what any of us think

OP, just take a weekend off and visit lubbock yourself.

[texas man]

In Austin, their reputations are comparable based on the opinions of the attorneys I know at many of the big law firms in town. As a business owner who has hired several of these attorneys in the past, the quality of work from Texas Tech grads was first rate- from my experience even comparable to the UT grads.
While going to law school, I'd much rather live in Lubbock versus downtown Houston in the Third Ward (plus humidity, traffic, much more expensive cost of living).

[The Sound Of Truth]

I applied to Tech, Houston, SMU and UT....got in to all four. Tech offered me a free ride, which I considered mostly because of their litigation reputation and because i live in Lubbock. The fact that I'm interested in working at the DA's office made getting out of law school debt free tempting, but the fact the the scholarship requires you to stay in the top 1/3 and the pull of UT is leading me to go there instead.

Unless you are 110% sure you want to work in the panhandle, or at least be ok with it, go to U of H.

And if your scholarship has the top 1/3 restriction like mine did, I wouldn't even consider it. You'll be pissed paying full at Tech and have no chance of transferring to one of the better schools in the state if you lose the scholarship.

[b.gump81]

I applied to Tech, Houston, SMU and UT....got in to all four. Tech offered me a free ride, which I considered mostly because of their litigation reputation and because i live in Lubbock. The fact that I'm interested in working at the DA's office made getting out of law school debt free tempting, but the fact the the scholarship requires you to stay in the top 1/3 and the pull of UT is leading me to go there instead.

Unless you are 110% sure you want to work in the panhandle, or at least be ok with it, go to U of H.

And if your scholarship has the top 1/3 restriction like mine did, I wouldn't even consider it. You'll be pissed paying full at Tech and have no chance of transferring to one of the better schools in the state if you lose the scholarship.

1. full tuition at tech is 16....it's now 27 at UH
2. lubbock is very inexpensive compared to houston (unless you live in the ghetto)

even if you lost your scholarship, which means you would only be paying 2 years of tuition at tech ($32,000)...it would be only $5,000 more than just ONE year at UH

if you have a stipulation for your scholarship, then it is something to consider, but i wouldn't throw out tech because of it...if worse came to worse you would still have more debt at UH

[darknightbegins]

again...why would these be deciding factors in choosing a law school?

have you lived in lubbock? no...and law students wont have too much time for night life anyways

pat knight, aside from it being a total non-factor in choosing a law school, has actually recruited better talent since he has taken over from his father...and has handled the team left to him half way through the season pretty well...if anyone can coach like bob knight, it would be pat

coach tuberville is already a better coach than leach...he has coached and won a conference title in arguably the toughest conference in NCAA football...something leach never did...tech football will be just fine

back to whats important, it really boils down to what the OP wants...

biglaw: yes go to UH...it's too risky to think you'll be in the top of your class at tech
anything else: i'd say take the money and go to tech...you won't be able to get out of the state (just like with UH) but you'll be able to go all over the state...with about $100,000 less debt

So now I have to live in lubbock in order to comment on the night life? I have spent some nights there, I'm not some jackass that is commenting on the night life of a town I have never been too. It sucks.

As for the basketball and football, I didn't say someone should base choosing law school on this, I was just saying that in Lubbock the night life sucks ass but at least you could go to the basketball and football games but neither of those programs will likely be good in the near future. Leach lead the Tech to being ranked number 2 in the country at one point, lets see if the new coach can do the same, call me skeptical.

I'd also be willing to pay a bit more to live in a place I'll enjoy. Wherever I go to school I plan on living in the area for 5-8 years after graduation.

[darknightbegins]

I applied to Tech, Houston, SMU and UT....got in to all four. Tech offered me a free ride, which I considered mostly because of their litigation reputation and because i live in Lubbock. The fact that I'm interested in working at the DA's office made getting out of law school debt free tempting, but the fact the the scholarship requires you to stay in the top 1/3 and the pull of UT is leading me to go there instead.

Unless you are 110% sure you want to work in the panhandle, or at least be ok with it, go to U of H.

And if your scholarship has the top 1/3 restriction like mine did, I wouldn't even consider it. You'll be pissed paying full at Tech and have no chance of transferring to one of the better schools in the state if you lose the scholarship.

You would be nuts to not go to UT.

[b.gump81]

I'd also be willing to pay a bit more to live in a place I'll enjoy. Wherever I go to school I plan on living in the area for 5-8 years after graduation.

"a bit more" does not equal ~$100,000

and a tech degree is respected throughout the state...if you did not want to stay in lubbock, you wouldnt have to

i'm not saying that doesnt go for UH as well (if a UH grad wanted to leave houston, they could)...but is living in a big city really worth that much money, when one could be just as happy where a tech degree would take them?

[darknightbegins]

I'd also be willing to pay a bit more to live in a place I'll enjoy. Wherever I go to school I plan on living in the area for 5-8 years after graduation.

"a bit more" does not equal ~$100,000

and a tech degree is respected throughout the state...if you did not want to stay in lubbock, you wouldnt have to

i'm not saying that doesnt go for UH as well (if a UH grad wanted to leave houston, they could)...but is living in a big city really worth that much money, when one could be just as happy where a tech degree would take them?

I highly question just how portable a texas tech degree is, especially compared to Houston.

[b.gump81]

I highly question just how portable a texas tech degree is, especially compared to Houston.

you would know this because your younger cousin goes to school in lubbock?
because you have some insightful position within the legal community of texas?
or because you go to either of these schools...or a law school in texas for that matter?

just for fun i picked a random firm in dallas...jones day came to my mind first. i looked up the attorneys from each school.

tech- had thirteen, with 4 being partners (keep in mind tech has only been around since the 70s)

houston- had two...no partners (how long has UH been around again?)

http://www.jonesday.com/_lawyers/Search.aspx - check for yourself

now this may not be true for every firm in dallas...i suggest you do your own research, but it does prove tech has reach to dallas

edit: those numbers include UG, but Tech law still has more than UH law in Dallas at JonesDay...both in partners and associates

[merichard87]

Where the hell do you guys live? U of H is in the middle of 3rd ward (still quite "ghetto") not 2nd.

[FunkyJD]

I applied to Tech, Houston, SMU and UT....got in to all four. Tech offered me a free ride, which I considered mostly because of their litigation reputation and because i live in Lubbock. The fact that I'm interested in working at the DA's office made getting out of law school debt free tempting, but the fact the the scholarship requires you to stay in the top 1/3 and the pull of UT is leading me to go there instead.

Unless you are 110% sure you want to work in the panhandle, or at least be ok with it, go to U of H.

And if your scholarship has the top 1/3 restriction like mine did, I wouldn't even consider it. You'll be pissed paying full at Tech and have no chance of transferring to one of the better schools in the state if you lose the scholarship.

You would be nuts to not go to UT.

+1

[texas man]

Where the hell do you guys live? U of H is in the middle of 3rd ward (still quite "ghetto") not 2nd.

Yes - you're correct- it's the 3rd ward. I was thinking of the other side of I-45. Both aren't that great. I grew up in Houston, but have lived in Austin for the last 20 years.
(posts corrected)

[TheReignmaker]

I'm a little skeptical about living in Lubbock also. But Tech is probably one of my top contenders because of the money they've thrown at me. Plus the cost of living there is next to dirt. From what I hear, the degree travels pretty well. I'm also married, have a kid, and don't really care about nightlife as much as being in a decent community.

As I look at some of the higher ranked schools I've been accepted to, I don't see a big enough difference in the offerings. That being said, if I get into a major reach that'll change things a bit. Debt is a huge factor though, especially in this economic environment. 'Course if mommy and daddy are covering it, go where ever you want.

[Esc]

I highly question just how portable a texas tech degree is, especially compared to Houston.

you would know this because your younger cousin goes to school in lubbock?
because you have some insightful position within the legal community of texas?
or because you go to either of these schools...or a law school in texas for that matter?

just for fun i picked a random firm in dallas...jones day came to my mind first. i looked up the attorneys from each school.

tech- had thirteen, with 4 being partners (keep in mind tech has only been around since the 70s)

houston- had two...no partners (how long has UH been around again?)

http://www.jonesday.com/_lawyers/Search.aspx - check for yourself

now this may not be true for every firm in dallas...i suggest you do your own research, but it does prove tech has reach to dallas

edit: those numbers include UG, but Tech law still has more than UH law in Dallas at JonesDay...both in partners and associates

Jones Day's Dallas office has 6 lawyers who got their J.D.s at Texas Tech. That's not very impressive. A little searching on Martindale shows that Texas Tech and UH perform at comparable rates in Dallas, but UH performs very well in Houston, while Texas Tech is barely a blip on the radar screen there. Considering that UH has a huge primary market for its grads where it does very well, and Dallas is as good as Texas Tech gets, that does NOT speak well of Texas Tech. Look at the numbers below, from the first big 3 Texas firms that came to my mind.

Fulbright & Jaworski Dallas

UH Grads: 8
Texas Tech Grads: 9

Baker Botts Dallas

UH Grads: 5
Texas Tech Grads: 6

Vinson & Elkins Dallas

UH Grads: 0
Texas Tech Grads: 3

FYI, a few quick Martindale searches revealed these numbers for Houston firm offices.

Fulbright & Jaworski Houston

UH Grads: 57
Texas Tech Grads: 3

Baker Botts Houston

UH Grads: 49
Texas Tech Grads: 0

Vinson & Elkins Houston

UH Grads: 25
Texas Tech Grads: 0

[FunkyJD]

I highly question just how portable a texas tech degree is, especially compared to Houston.

you would know this because your younger cousin goes to school in lubbock?
because you have some insightful position within the legal community of texas?
or because you go to either of these schools...or a law school in texas for that matter?

just for fun i picked a random firm in dallas...jones day came to my mind first. i looked up the attorneys from each school.

tech- had thirteen, with 4 being partners (keep in mind tech has only been around since the 70s)

houston- had two...no partners (how long has UH been around again?)

http://www.jonesday.com/_lawyers/Search.aspx - check for yourself

now this may not be true for every firm in dallas...i suggest you do your own research, but it does prove tech has reach to dallas

edit: those numbers include UG, but Tech law still has more than UH law in Dallas at JonesDay...both in partners and associates

This probably has to do with self-selection. Many UH grads decide to stay in Houston.

Here's a better measure, if whether a law school places students in a biglaw firm like Jones Day is the measuring stick. Where's Tech place on this list?

http://www.law.com/jsp/nlj/PubArticleNL ... hbxlogin=1

[darknightbegins]

I highly question just how portable a texas tech degree is, especially compared to Houston.

you would know this because your younger cousin goes to school in lubbock?
because you have some insightful position within the legal community of texas?
or because you go to either of these schools...or a law school in texas for that matter?

just for fun i picked a random firm in dallas...jones day came to my mind first. i looked up the attorneys from each school.

tech- had thirteen, with 4 being partners (keep in mind tech has only been around since the 70s)

houston- had two...no partners (how long has UH been around again?)

http://www.jonesday.com/_lawyers/Search.aspx - check for yourself

now this may not be true for every firm in dallas...i suggest you do your own research, but it does prove tech has reach to dallas

edit: those numbers include UG, but Tech law still has more than UH law in Dallas at JonesDay...both in partners and associates

My opinion comes from the fact that my Great Aunt was a close personal friend of Ann Richards and deeply involved with Texas politics and the legal community.

[darknightbegins]

I'm a little skeptical about living in Lubbock also. But Tech is probably one of my top contenders because of the money they've thrown at me. Plus the cost of living there is next to dirt. From what I hear, the degree travels pretty well. I'm also married, have a kid, and don't really care about nightlife as much as being in a decent community.

As I look at some of the higher ranked schools I've been accepted to, I don't see a big enough difference in the offerings. That being said, if I get into a major reach that'll change things a bit. Debt is a huge factor though, especially in this economic environment. 'Course if mommy and daddy are covering it, go where ever you want.

Wife and kid may change your priorities then. However you need to really look into how portiabe the Tech degree is. I've had schools sling money my way to but several of those I have rejected because I don't want to be living there after graduation. As with anything life, usually (but not always), you get what you pay for.

[FunkyJD]

I highly question just how portable a texas tech degree is, especially compared to Houston.

edited for space nd associates

My opinion comes from the fact that my Great Aunt was a close personal friend of Ann Richards and deeply involved with Texas politics and the legal community.

Believe me, dude, you're not the only person who knows people in this state.

[texas man]

Here are the Texas grads at some big firms in Austin (with less bias toward UH or Tech based on location) - only UT gives you the big advantage in Austin:

Baker Botts:
UT: 36
SMU: 1
UH: 2
Baylor: 0
Texas Tech: 1
South Texas: 0
St. Mary's: 2
Texas Wesleyan: 0
TSU: 0

Fulbright & Jaworksi:
UT: 38
SMU: 1
UH: 4
Baylor: 2
Texas Tech: 2
South Texas: 0
St. Mary's: 2
Texas Wesleyan: 0
TSU: 0

Locke Lord Bissell & Liddell:
UT: 17
SMU: 5
UH: 1
Baylor: 2
Texas Tech: 4
South Texas: 1
St. Mary's: 0
Texas Wesleyan: 0
TSU: 0

Vinson & Elkins:
UT: 55
SMU: 1
UH: 3
Baylor: 1
Texas Tech: 1
South Texas: 2
St. Mary's: 1
Texas Wesleyan: 0
TSU: 0

Thompson & Knight:
UT: 8
UH: 1
SMU: 1
Baylor: 0
Texas Tech: 2
South Texas: 0
St. Mary's: 1
Texas Wesleyan: 0
TSU: 0

Andrews Kurth:
UT: 19
SMU: 2
UH: 4
Baylor: 0
Texas Tech: 1
South Texas: 2
St. Mary's: 0
Texas Wesleyan: 0
TSU: 0

[b.gump81]

Jones Day's Dallas office has 6 lawyers who got their J.D.s at Texas Tech. That's not very impressive. A little searching on Martindale shows that Texas Tech and UH perform at comparable rates in Dallas, but UH performs very well in Houston, while Texas Tech is barely a blip on the radar screen there. Considering that UH has a huge primary market for its grads where it does very well, and Dallas is as good as Texas Tech gets, that does NOT speak well of Texas Tech. Look at the numbers below, from the first big 3 Texas firms that came to my mind.

Fulbright & Jaworski Dallas

UH Grads: 8
Texas Tech Grads: 9

Baker Botts Dallas

UH Grads: 5
Texas Tech Grads: 6

Vinson & Elkins Dallas

UH Grads: 0
Texas Tech Grads: 3

FYI, a few quick Martindale searches revealed these numbers for Houston firm offices.

Fulbright & Jaworski Houston

UH Grads: 57
Texas Tech Grads: 3

Baker Botts Houston

UH Grads: 49
Texas Tech Grads: 0

Vinson & Elkins Houston

UH Grads: 25
Texas Tech Grads: 0

firstly, if you read my other posts, you'll see i said UH was the better choice for biglaw

with my jones day post, i was just demonstrating that Tech has just as much reach as UH outside of Houston. Ofcourse, UH is going to have better representation in Houston. I would be disturbed if it didnt, but the same goes for Texas Tech, which is going to have the same type of hold on West Texas in comparison to UH. keep in mind, these schools are about 500 miles apart from each other.

This probably has to do with self-selection. Many UH grads decide to stay in Houston.

Here's a better measure, if whether a law school places students in a biglaw firm like Jones Day is the measuring stick. Where's Tech place on this list?

http://www.law.com/jsp/nlj/PubArticleNL ... hbxlogin=1

well, when they decide to leave houston, they are comparable to tech. but i'm not so sure they decide to stay in houston, as much as they get most of their biglaw offers in houston, whether they wanted to stay there or not right out of law school...and debt has a lot to do with the type of job one takes...someone with $100,000+ in debt is going to take that $90,000 a year job, even if it means spending their life in their office for the next 4 to 5 years

again, i never said tech was the better choice for biglaw...re-read my posts.
houston is one of the best legal markets in the nation, and UH has great placement there. but for anything other than biglaw, tech is the way to go when you have a full-ride and no scholly at UH.

[darknightbegins]

I highly question just how portable a texas tech degree is, especially compared to Houston.

edited for space nd associates

My opinion comes from the fact that my Great Aunt was a close personal friend of Ann Richards and deeply involved with Texas politics and the legal community.

Believe me, dude, you're not the only person who knows people in this state.

Well if you have family who was a personal friend of the Gov then I would welcome your advice. My Aunt was also the National President of the Speech and Hearing Association. Ann Richards attended her funeral and the state legislature held a moment of silence for her.

[FunkyJD]

Well if you have family who was a personal friend of the Gov then I would welcome your advice. My Aunt was also the National President of the Speech and Hearing Association. Ann Richards attended her funeral and the state legislature held a moment of silence for her.

Good for you. I'm not going to out myself in this forum, but I'm pretty sure that the people I'm getting my advice from are pretty authoritative.

[darknightbegins]

Well if you have family who was a personal friend of the Gov then I would welcome your advice. My Aunt was also the National President of the Speech and Hearing Association. Ann Richards attended her funeral and the state legislature held a moment of silence for her.

Good for you. I'm not going to out myself in this forum, but I'm pretty sure that the people I'm getting my advice from are pretty authoritative.

Fair enough, I don't know your situation so I'm not going to call you out on it. Just providing my personal background on the subject of how the legal community views Texas Tech.

[Esc]

firstly, if you read my other posts, you'll see i said UH was the better choice for biglaw

with my jones day post, i was just demonstrating that Tech has just as much reach as UH outside of Houston. Ofcourse, UH is going to have better representation in Houston. I would be disturbed if it didnt, but the same goes for Texas Tech, which is going to have the same type of hold on West Texas in comparison to UH. keep in mind, these schools are about 500 miles apart from each other.

There are no large legal markets in West Texas. Your argument has no merit.

[HOPPER4213]

Go to UH without a doubt. Tech is a tier 3-4 law school that is trumped by an in state school in both of the major legal markets in the state in Houston and Dallas. SMU and UH own their respective markets, and with this current economy you may be getting a free education that results in searching for employment for the next two years.

Of course, the top 3-5% of students in a tier 3-4 school will have access to some good job offers, but the vast majority will be pushed to the side for students at a more reputable school. UT, SMU, and UH are the three best schools in the state with UT being the obvious number one. If I had a chance to go to one of these schools I would take it regardless of price.

Someone on here says that UH isnt worth sticker? Its rated as one of the top bang for your buck schools in the country, as it has low tuition and great placement in big law for a non T25. You will regret not taking the best school in the long run regardless of debt incurred.

In this economy, you would be nuts to go to any tier 3-4 law school and have high expectations after graduation. The only thing crazier would be to turn down a tier one to do it. Take UH, dont listen to anyone who thinks that Tech places well in Dallas/Houston. They may place, but def not well.