Top Law Schools

Application status went to completed on 10/26.

Where are the perspective ponies at?!

Checking in

Hi All,

I graduated from SMU this year and just passed the bar. Willing to try and answer any questions you may have.

My online status was marked "Application Completed" on September 14th, and I applied for early decision. I know the deadline for them to respond is the end of January, but I am hoping to hear back earlier. Does anyone know when I should realistically expect to receive a decision?

I'm sure you guys saw the posts in other threads, but just to re-iterate:

SMU is the slowest law school ever.

They will be the last school you hear from. If you're regular decision, you might even hear from them after the deposit deadline for other schools. Not kidding.

I think last year ED came down around March and regular was early July.

Stevoman wrote:I'm sure you guys saw the posts in other threads, but just to re-iterate:

SMU is the slowest law school ever.

They will be the last school you hear from. If you're regular decision, you might even hear from them after the deposit deadline for other schools. Not kidding.

I think last year ED came down around March and regular was early July.

That's crazy! Their website says that for ED the deadline to receive a decision is end of January. I have a 173 LSAT and 4.0 GPA, so I feel confident that I'll be accepted, I'm just eager to hear their scholarship offer.

SMU grad working in Dallas here if you have any questions. I graduated in 2013, though, so my knowledge of the application process is outdated at this point, I fear.

Stevoman wrote:I'm sure you guys saw the posts in other threads, but just to re-iterate:

SMU is the slowest law school ever.

They will be the last school you hear from. If you're regular decision, you might even hear from them after the deposit deadline for other schools. Not kidding.

I think last year ED came down around March and regular was early July.

I'm confused at why you say that. Looking at the class of 2018 thread, people started hearing back as early as December for regular decision. Are you just saying that it can potentially go as late as July?

Checking in. Application complete ED 10/16

Stevoman wrote:I'm sure you guys saw the posts in other threads, but just to re-iterate:

SMU is the slowest law school ever.

They will be the last school you hear from. If you're regular decision, you might even hear from them after the deposit deadline for other schools. Not kidding.

I think last year ED came down around March and regular was early July.

This is incorrect. I don't remember exact dates, but admitted student days were at the end of March/beginning of April. There were certainly people there. I was ED and heard by the beginning of January. They are slow, and may well be the last school you hear from, but not THAT slow.

I don't know where Stevoman is getting his info, but this is way off.

So the 2-3 page "optional question" is mandatory for students applying for the named full-tuition scholarships, not merit-based scholarships, right? Thinking I should probably just suck it up and write it either way.

Wondering if anyone has heard anything yet? Looking back at the c/o 2018 page it was this time last year when the first wave of acceptances started.

Edit to add "Completed 11/16"

Fitz112 wrote:Wondering if anyone has heard anything yet? Looking back at the c/o 2018 page it was this time last year when the first wave of acceptances started.

Edit to add "Completed 11/16"

My application was complete 9/14 and I haven't heard anything back yet. I also would like to know if anyone else has hear anything?

AJ121 wrote:

Fitz112 wrote:Wondering if anyone has heard anything yet? Looking back at the c/o 2018 page it was this time last year when the first wave of acceptances started.

Edit to add "Completed 11/16"

My application was complete 9/14 and I haven't heard anything back yet. I also would like to know if anyone else has hear anything?

Nothing yet, still file complete.

Is anyone else only applying to SMU and Texas? I've got high numbers and hoping I'd get into both, but I'm inclined to go to SMU over Texas. Anyone else feel this way? Or anyone who can give me some good reasons to pick smu? i'd love to know more about the social aspect of the school if there's anyone out there reading this who could give me some insight! I know Texas has small group societies and mentors and stuff. Does SMU do this?

finleykira wrote:Is anyone else only applying to SMU and Texas? I've got high numbers and hoping I'd get into both, but I'm inclined to go to SMU over Texas. Anyone else feel this way? Or anyone who can give me some good reasons to pick smu? i'd love to know more about the social aspect of the school if there's anyone out there reading this who could give me some insight! I know Texas has small group societies and mentors and stuff. Does SMU do this?

Having attended both, I can speak to some of your questions. Generally, I would say choosing SMU over Texas is not unjustifiable, but it depends on money and your goals.

SMU places well in Dallas (even among those who I know to be below the median), but its placement diminishes quickly as you travel away from the metroplex; Texas, OTOH, places well around the state. For money, Texas starts out about $50k cheaper, so any dollar they throw your way has even greater impact on your COA. If you're more set on Dallas than you are on Biglaw, and SMU offers a good deal lower COA than UT, then SMU might be the place to go. (Just don't make this decision assuming that because you have high numbers you'll own top 10% at SMU. There are a lot of smart folks at both schools.)

SMU doesn't have small group societies per se like Texas, but I never got much out of that (maybe that was a transfer issue). But at SMU you've got your section (75 students) and your small section (18 students). And your small section has mentors. Plus, SMU is a smaller student body overall (about 200/class vs 350) and as a result has a lot tighter feel, making something like societies less necessary.

SMU's 1L experience is more uniform than Texas'. At SMU both sections have the same schedule and curves are put together. At Texas, there are four sections and each of them has a different 1L mix. So at SMU your 1L classes in the fall and spring will be the same classes for the same number of hours as the other section (just different professors and times of day). At UT, some sections will have torts in the fall, some in the spring, etc. (the only class that all 1Ls have in the same semester is LRW, which you have both semesters). Also at UT, some will have 5 hours of Con Law, some will have 5 hours of Crim Law, some 5 hours of Civ Pro.

Also, most 1L courses are two-semester five-hour affairs. (e.g. Property I in fall is 2 hours, Property II in spring is 3 hours; same with K. Civ Pro and Torts are 3 and 2 hours, respectively.) The exceptions are LRW (3 hours each semester) and Crim/Con Law which are each only one semester, with crim being 3 hours in the fall and con law being 2 in the spring.

Additionally, all LRW at SMU is uniform and run under a set structure using the same assignments and issues. (One may argue whether this is a good thing or not, but it is at least fair, even if everyone hates it.)

And finally, at SMU, 1L curves are normalized together. At both law schools, there is not a whole lot of flexibility for 1L profs in distributing grades, but there is a little bit. At SMU, however, before grades come out the profs of the two sections of each subject must come together on a distribution. E.g. if one torts prof had been planning on giving 7 As and the other one only 4, though both might be within the permitted range, they will likely have to find a middle ground.

Post removed...

PatriotP74 wrote:Anyone get a fee waiver from SMU?

I did, got one at a fair. But I know a couple friends who have just sent an email and asked with some success.

gdaniel wrote:

PatriotP74 wrote:Anyone get a fee waiver from SMU?

I did, got one at a fair. But I know a couple friends who have just sent an email and asked with some success.

After emailing admissions, I got one in the morning the next day.

I was hoping by the time I had perused some of the previous cycle's pages we'd have some movement from admissions. Now I've run out of new things to read I fear I'll be looking at the status checker even more frequently. This is already cutting into my work productivity as it is...

Checking in! Applied mid-September.

Post removed...

Acceptances are beginning to populate on LSN! Any news?

finleykira wrote:Is anyone else only applying to SMU and Texas? I've got high numbers and hoping I'd get into both, but I'm inclined to go to SMU over Texas. Anyone else feel this way? Or anyone who can give me some good reasons to pick smu? i'd love to know more about the social aspect of the school if there's anyone out there reading this who could give me some insight! I know Texas has small group societies and mentors and stuff. Does SMU do this?

Just to touch on the class size for UT, we have 265 this year. Check that. 264. Someone just got expelled. It feels pretty tight knit. With that being said, I'm a Dallas native and was close to going to SMU with $$$, but opted for UT because of the chances of BigLaw and flexibility to go into multiple markets. I miss Dallas and SMU has a gorgeous campus. If you have realistic expectations, want to be in Dallas, and are getting at least $$ from SMU, it is a justifiable choice.

Accepted via status checker, no email (yet).