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You will almost 100% certainly get into SMU most likely with some aid. But may I ask why it is your first choice when with a higher LSAT score you could easily break the T-14?

I LOVE the Dallas area. That's where I want to live and work. Does being a URM really help that much? Their average LSAT is 165. Hopefully, by December I will be closer to that.

In at SMU with money. Apply to UT, get in, go there, and then come to Dallas after going to UT.

URM puts you in a completely different league from the rest of the applicants, schools want your diversity and AA are particularly rare in law applications. And applying to UT is definitely credited, especially if you want Texas BigLaw. I'm not sure about SMU's placement into Texas BigLaw, and mid-law JD work but I can't imagine it's on par with UT's.

Puffin wrote:You will almost 100% certainly get into SMU most likely with some aid.

Puffin wrote:URM puts you in a completely different league from the rest of the applicants, schools want your diversity and AA are particularly rare in law applications.

Im going to disagree. Baylor, SMU's peer, was mostly accepting AAs with 158ish when the spread sheet scandal broke. http://abovethelaw.com/2012/04/the-bayl ... olarships/

OP, I think you have a shot as is, but retaking and scoring 158+ would give you a MUCH better shot. Scoring median, 162, would make you a practical lock with $$$.

Definitely RETAKE.

Baylor is not SMU's peer in anything.

I know a lot of people are telling you that you are in with money. I will disagree. I think you may get in, but I would apply right now, like on or before 11/1 do not wait until 02/15. You may get in, but I do not think with substantial money. Keep in mind SMU's steep tuition. I went their for undergrad, and I have spoken to a number of AA who got in and those who did not. Those who got in with money all score above 160. Also a strong resume is a plus; the shcool does like work experience. My suggestion is to apply to both day and parttime programs with your LSAT score and apply sooner than later.

Nova wrote:

Puffin wrote:You will almost 100% certainly get into SMU most likely with some aid.

Puffin wrote:URM puts you in a completely different league from the rest of the applicants, schools want your diversity and AA are particularly rare in law applications.

Im going to disagree. Baylor, SMU's peer, was mostly accepting AAs with 158ish when the spread sheet scandal broke. http://abovethelaw.com/2012/04/the-bayl ... olarships/

OP, I think you have a shot as is, but retaking and scoring 158+ would give you a MUCH better shot. Scoring median, 162, would make you a practical lock with $$$.

Definitely RETAKE.

Legacy Rabbit wrote:Baylor is not SMU's peer in anything.

Your UG bias is showing. SMU's leg up on Baylor is location. Baylor's employment stats are actually better. Their median LSAT's difference is one. They are the definition peer schools.

My original point was, according to the Baylor data dump last cycle, OP's numbers are typically not good enough to sneak into Baylor, so they probably are not good enough to sneak into SMU. No one should attend either school without a substancial scholarship unless they are loaded and dont care about over paying. The difference between OP's score and a 160+ is probably $60,000. The difference between OP's score and a 163+ is probably $100,000. Retaking the LSAT is the best course of action.

Baylor wrote:•70.1% of graduates were known to be employed in long-term, full-time legal jobs. This figure includes no school-funded jobs.
•76.4% graduates were employed in long-term jobs.
•83.4% graduates were employed in full-time jobs.

http://www.lstscorereports.com/?school=baylor

SMU wrote:•63.2% of graduates were known to be employed in long-term, full-time legal jobs. This includes an unknown number school-funded jobs, but it is as high as 0.7%.
•75.7% graduates were employed in long-term jobs.
•76.5% graduates were employed in full-time jobs.

http://www.lstscorereports.com/?school=smu

I haven't taken it yet. I still have a month but that's where I'm scoring on PTs right now. I'm a junior so there's no need to apply before November.

Legacy Rabbit wrote:Baylor is not SMU's peer in anything.

I know a lot of people are telling you that you are in with money. I will disagree. I think you may get in, but I would apply right now, like on or before 11/1 do not wait until 02/15. You may get in, but I do not think with substantial money. Keep in mind SMU's steep tuition. I went their for undergrad, and I have spoken to a number of AA who got in and those who did not. Those who got in with money all score above 160. Also a strong resume is a plus; the shcool does like work experience. My suggestion is to apply to both day and parttime programs with your LSAT score and apply sooner than later.

Nova wrote:

Puffin wrote:You will almost 100% certainly get into SMU most likely with some aid.

Puffin wrote:URM puts you in a completely different league from the rest of the applicants, schools want your diversity and AA are particularly rare in law applications.

Im going to disagree. Baylor, SMU's peer, was mostly accepting AAs with 158ish when the spread sheet scandal broke. http://abovethelaw.com/2012/04/the-bayl ... olarships/

OP, I think you have a shot as is, but retaking and scoring 158+ would give you a MUCH better shot. Scoring median, 162, would make you a practical lock with $$$.

Definitely RETAKE.

I've just recently decided to apply to law school so I'm new to the forum. I've now seen a few posts referring to money and your chances of getting into a school. I'm not sure I understand the correlation. Does this mean that I have a better chance at getting into smu if I don't request scholarships?

TheJanitor6203 wrote:I've just recently decided to apply to law school so I'm new to the forum. I've now seen a few posts referring to money and your chances of getting into a school. I'm not sure I understand the correlation. Does this mean that I have a better chance at getting into smu if I don't request scholarships?

No. You can either 1) get rejected from a school, 2) get accepted with no scholarship, or 3) get accepted with merit scholarship awards ("in with money").

Merit scholarships are typically awarded based on your LSAT score or GPA, or some combination of the two. SMU values LSAT scores more than GPA, so they will award merit scholarships to people with higher LSAT scores in an effort to get them to attend SMU.