3.2 GPA Prospects in Texas Forum

[muscleboundlaw]

Hello all-

I am a graduate from Loyola University in Chicago. I got my BBA in Finance and BA in History. I am currently getting my MBA from the Kelley school of business with a 3.4 GPA.

Anyway, I have residency in Texas and wish to Apply to the following: Baylor, SMU, and UT Austin. I know my GPA is in the lower tier for all three, but was wondering what LSAT I should aim for to 1. get in and 2. get in with scholarship money.

Thank you for your responses.

[TragicBronson]

75th at UT is 168, I'd plan on a 169 to make sure you get in and a 170 to feel good about $$.

[muscleboundlaw]

75th at UT is 168, I'd plan on a 169 to make sure you get in and a 170 to feel good about $$.

What is my low for SMU and Baylor if you have any idea? Thank you for your help by the way!

[poptart123]

Probably low 160s for SMU/Baylor; 162-163. However, I've heard SMU is ending their part-time program. So you may need 164/165 for SMU this year.

[muscleboundlaw]

Probably low 160s for SMU/Baylor; 162-163. However, I've heard SMU is ending their part-time program. So you may need 164/165 for SMU this year.

Just to get in or with scholarship?

I saw a 155-159 range for Baylor depending on the quarter you apply for. I wonder if that remains true.

[cavalier1138]

Probably low 160s for SMU/Baylor; 162-163. However, I've heard SMU is ending their part-time program. So you may need 164/165 for SMU this year.

Just to get in or with scholarship?

I saw a 155-159 range for Baylor depending on the quarter you apply for. I wonder if that remains true.

I wonder what you're planning on doing with a JD from Baylor...

[muscleboundlaw]

Probably low 160s for SMU/Baylor; 162-163. However, I've heard SMU is ending their part-time program. So you may need 164/165 for SMU this year.

Just to get in or with scholarship?

I saw a 155-159 range for Baylor depending on the quarter you apply for. I wonder if that remains true.

I wonder what you're planning on doing with a JD from Baylor...

I plan on staying in Texas and Baylor law has a good reputation down here from what I read. Do you believe that's not the case?

[poptart123]

.

[muscleboundlaw]

Baylor has great reputation in the small firms (under 25 attorneys) down here that I've interacted with; however, big firms, not so much. I think most of its reputation comes from its undergrad being seen as "Texas prestigious" after Rice/UT. Also, I can only speak to the Houston reputation. Part of the problem with Baylor is that it doesn't really have a home market. Dallas has SMU, Houston has South Texas/UH, Austin has UT (and UT all of Texas), and SA has St. Mary's. TSU/A&M.. come on. Tech and Baylor have decent reputations, but there graduates are competing with others in these markets with much more alumni connections and connections just formed from interacting in the area throughout law school.

As far as law students go, it has a horrible reputation for being a brutal and hellish boot camp experience.

Wow. Thank you for all of that. If I wish to stay in the San Antonio market, is my best option UT then?

[cavalier1138]

Baylor has great reputation in the small firms (under 25 attorneys) down here that I've interacted with; however, big firms, not so much. I think most of its reputation comes from its undergrad being seen as "Texas prestigious" after Rice/UT. Also, I can only speak to the Houston reputation. Part of the problem with Baylor is that it doesn't really have a home market. Dallas has SMU, Houston has South Texas/UH, Austin has UT (and UT all of Texas), and SA has St. Mary's. TSU/A&M.. come on. Tech and Baylor have decent reputations, but there graduates are competing with others in these markets with much more alumni connections and connections just formed from interacting in the area throughout law school.

As far as law students go, it has a horrible reputation for being a brutal and hellish boot camp experience.

This is what I was getting at.

If your answer is, "I want to use my JD from Baylor to work for a small firm in Texas," then full steam ahead. But like pretty much everywhere else in the US, Texas has too many law school graduates for not enough jobs. If you were thinking of a bigger firm (or something else entirely), you may want to rethink Baylor.

[poptart123]

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[muscleboundlaw]

Baylor has great reputation in the small firms (under 25 attorneys) down here that I've interacted with; however, big firms, not so much. I think most of its reputation comes from its undergrad being seen as "Texas prestigious" after Rice/UT. Also, I can only speak to the Houston reputation. Part of the problem with Baylor is that it doesn't really have a home market. Dallas has SMU, Houston has South Texas/UH, Austin has UT (and UT all of Texas), and SA has St. Mary's. TSU/A&M.. come on. Tech and Baylor have decent reputations, but there graduates are competing with others in these markets with much more alumni connections and connections just formed from interacting in the area throughout law school.

As far as law students go, it has a horrible reputation for being a brutal and hellish boot camp experience.

Wow. Thank you for all of that. If I wish to stay in the San Antonio market, is my best option UT then?

Yeah, probably UT followed by St. Mary's as far as Texas schools go. I lived in SA for a while, and there isn't a lot of big firm placement. Although those that were in big firms were from UT, and basically every other law position I could think of came from St. Mary's. St. Mary's won't get you anywhere outside of South Texas/San Antonio, though, and their scholarships can have some steep requirements.

Great. I didn't expect to get this kind of area specific information. I didn't even think about St.Mary's as an option because it is tier 3. Never thought that it would play out by region, and I read that there are pretty good connections for Baylor students. I had no clues that was for smaller sized firms, though.

[poptart123]

St. Mary's is very region specific. It has great reputation in the region, mainly because 70% of the attorneys in the region went there. You don't read about it a lot on these forums because most people aren't from SA or want to go back, and those who do are targeting Texas.

[BigZuck]

If you want to work at a large firm then UT is really the only reasonable choice in Texas. I would avoid Baylor at all cost due to the "unique" law school experience they tout.

I would work as hard as you can on the LSAT (taking it 3 times if need be) and do your very best to get into UT. SMU/UH can be good options depending on cost. I'd probably avoid every other law school unless it was very cheap and you had specific career goals that those schools could (realistically) help you realize.

[muscleboundlaw]

If you want to work at a large firm then UT is really the only reasonable choice in Texas. I would avoid Baylor at all cost due to the "unique" law school experience they tout.

I would work as hard as you can on the LSAT (taking it 3 times if need be) and do your very best to get into UT. SMU/UH can be good options depending on cost. I'd probably avoid every other law school unless it was very cheap and you had specific career goals that those schools could (realistically) help you realize.

That's fair. I don't mean to be naive, but can you tell me about the unique experience you are talking about?

Now that I know what I know about St. Mary's, I will have to put it back into the fold. I want to stay in San Antonio, but have always thought it was a joke of an option. Happy you guys contributed.

I assume that St. Mary's will only be good if I graduate near the top of my class correct?

[BigZuck]

If you want to work at a large firm then UT is really the only reasonable choice in Texas. I would avoid Baylor at all cost due to the "unique" law school experience they tout.

I would work as hard as you can on the LSAT (taking it 3 times if need be) and do your very best to get into UT. SMU/UH can be good options depending on cost. I'd probably avoid every other law school unless it was very cheap and you had specific career goals that those schools could (realistically) help you realize.

That's fair. I don't mean to be naive, but can you tell me about the unique experience you are talking about?

Now that I know what I know about St. Mary's, I will have to put it back into the fold. I want to stay in San Antonio, but have always thought it was a joke of an option. Happy you guys contributed.

I assume that St. Mary's will only be good if I graduate near the top of my class correct?

Thread on Baylor: http://www.top-law-schools.com/forums/v ... 1&t=224879

St. Mary's would be fine for any class rank, but that's because you should only attend if you had your sights set on a job that can be attained regardless of class rank (small firm, local government, things like that)

What kind of legal job are you hoping to get? How much money are you realistically hoping to make?

[muscleboundlaw]

If you want to work at a large firm then UT is really the only reasonable choice in Texas. I would avoid Baylor at all cost due to the "unique" law school experience they tout.

I would work as hard as you can on the LSAT (taking it 3 times if need be) and do your very best to get into UT. SMU/UH can be good options depending on cost. I'd probably avoid every other law school unless it was very cheap and you had specific career goals that those schools could (realistically) help you realize.

That's fair. I don't mean to be naive, but can you tell me about the unique experience you are talking about?

Now that I know what I know about St. Mary's, I will have to put it back into the fold. I want to stay in San Antonio, but have always thought it was a joke of an option. Happy you guys contributed.

I assume that St. Mary's will only be good if I graduate near the top of my class correct?

Thread on Baylor: http://www.top-law-schools.com/forums/v ... 1&t=224879

St. Mary's would be fine for any class rank, but that's because you should only attend if you had your sights set on a job that can be attained regardless of class rank (small firm, local government, things like that)

What kind of legal job are you hoping to get? How much money are you realistically hoping to make?

Thanks for the Baylor thread!

I am definitely looking for something smaller. I am thinking of immigration, family among a few but nothing is set in stone. I am hoping to make around 100 to 120. Also, at some point, I would like to own my own small firm.

[BasilHallward]

If you want to work at a large firm then UT is really the only reasonable choice in Texas. I would avoid Baylor at all cost due to the "unique" law school experience they tout.

I would work as hard as you can on the LSAT (taking it 3 times if need be) and do your very best to get into UT. SMU/UH can be good options depending on cost. I'd probably avoid every other law school unless it was very cheap and you had specific career goals that those schools could (realistically) help you realize.

That's fair. I don't mean to be naive, but can you tell me about the unique experience you are talking about?

Now that I know what I know about St. Mary's, I will have to put it back into the fold. I want to stay in San Antonio, but have always thought it was a joke of an option. Happy you guys contributed.

I assume that St. Mary's will only be good if I graduate near the top of my class correct?

Thread on Baylor: http://www.top-law-schools.com/forums/v ... 1&t=224879

St. Mary's would be fine for any class rank, but that's because you should only attend if you had your sights set on a job that can be attained regardless of class rank (small firm, local government, things like that)

What kind of legal job are you hoping to get? How much money are you realistically hoping to make?

Thanks for the Baylor thread!

I am definitely looking for something smaller. I am thinking of immigration, family among a few but nothing is set in stone. I am hoping to make around 100 to 120. Also, at some point, I would like to own my own small firm.

Lawl at that sweet mid-law gig at that payscale out of St. Mary's. Expect a 40-60k gig at graduation. Again, if you're going for free, it's justifiable (I guess) to start here and "work your way up"

[muscleboundlaw]

If you want to work at a large firm then UT is really the only reasonable choice in Texas. I would avoid Baylor at all cost due to the "unique" law school experience they tout.

I would work as hard as you can on the LSAT (taking it 3 times if need be) and do your very best to get into UT. SMU/UH can be good options depending on cost. I'd probably avoid every other law school unless it was very cheap and you had specific career goals that those schools could (realistically) help you realize.

That's fair. I don't mean to be naive, but can you tell me about the unique experience you are talking about?

Now that I know what I know about St. Mary's, I will have to put it back into the fold. I want to stay in San Antonio, but have always thought it was a joke of an option. Happy you guys contributed.

I assume that St. Mary's will only be good if I graduate near the top of my class correct?

Thread on Baylor: http://www.top-law-schools.com/forums/v ... 1&t=224879

St. Mary's would be fine for any class rank, but that's because you should only attend if you had your sights set on a job that can be attained regardless of class rank (small firm, local government, things like that)

What kind of legal job are you hoping to get? How much money are you realistically hoping to make?

Thanks for the Baylor thread!

I am definitely looking for something smaller. I am thinking of immigration, family among a few but nothing is set in stone. I am hoping to make around 100 to 120. Also, at some point, I would like to own my own small firm.

Lawl at that sweet mid-law gig at that payscale out of St. Mary's. Expect a 40-60k gig at graduation. Again, if you're going for free, it's justifiable (I guess) to start here and "work your way up"

Oh, God no, I meant at a max point in my career. Not initially. I will be focusing on repayment rather than cost of living initially since my wife and I have a decent set up outside of my career.

[poptart123]

Just to be clear, St. Mary's is an okay (check the employment numbers) school for SA/South Texas (which doesn't really have a plethora of legal jobs), but don't really expect to go anywhere else with it or to make a very high salary. Set your sights on UT if you can, but if you're settled in SA and want to stay in SA, and have reasonable expectations, St. Mary's will be one of the best by default, mainly because it's really the only other option in the region.

I'm glad to hear you married the doctor.

[poptart123]

Also, try http://www.top-law-schools.com/forums/v ... 2&t=175385 -- Dean Perez was once an instructor at St. Mary's and may have some insight. He's currently the dean of Texas Tech Law.

[muscleboundlaw]

Just to be clear, St. Mary's is an okay (check the employment numbers) school for SA/South Texas (which doesn't really have a plethora of legal jobs), but don't really expect to go anywhere else with it or to make a very high salary. Set your sights on UT if you can, but if you're settled in SA and want to stay in SA, and have reasonable expectations, St. Mary's will be one of the best by default, mainly because it's really the only other option in the region.

I'm glad to hear you married the doctor.

Oh, wow, good guess- how did you pull that one out? Prior posts? But, yes, I am lucky enough to have worked/ saved while our situations have finalized where I can focus mostly on repayment after law school if I don't get as much in scholarship money as needed.

I see. Well we do plan on staying in San Antonio and don't have any doubts about it. Our family is here and everything else that we will need will be here too. Here is a better question then- after years of labor can I expect an easy road to make a salary that makes 100 to 150 or will that be difficult? Will finishing top 5% in the class help in that pursuit or will I have to strive for finding connections more than grades and hard work? Again, I don't mind making 50 to 70 coming out but I would like to have some kind of income after a decent time of employment.

Also, thank you for the link. Really, thank you for all of this information. I couldn't have asked for a better answer to my question. St. Mary's wasn't even a thought.

Final question- if I go to an SMU/ U of H are my prospects of getting into a bigger firm equivalent to St. Mary's since they are outside of the region or will the reputation of these schools hold up in my region?

Given what I have discovered about Baylor over the last couple of days, I am not leaning more towards UT, SMU, U of H, and St. Mary's.

[muscleboundlaw]

One thing I forgot to add- I am an American citizen who moved here from Russia and am of Cuban/ Russian decent. Will that improve my odds in a school like UT, or does that mean nothing?

I am currently scoring in the high 150's to low 160's on the LSAT. I know my goal has to be 170 in order to think about UT and money, but is there a low range that may give me a shot?

[poptart123]

.

[BasilHallward]

One thing I forgot to add- I am an American citizen who moved here from Russia and am of Cuban/ Russian decent. Will that improve my odds in a school like UT, or does that mean nothing?

I am currently scoring in the high 150's to low 160's on the LSAT. I know my goal has to be 170 in order to think about UT and money, but is there a low range that may give me a shot?

Fir UT, your low range is about 167+. Your GPA is well below 25th percentile. It's hard to imagine you have a viable shot with an LSAT that is below median. Kill the LSAT! All of this is conjecture until then. You need to be thinking 170+