UT $$$ vs SMU $$ Forum

[RonMexico5858]

Title says it all. Career goal is big law in either Texas or NY/DC and seeing where that takes me. I’m also not opposed to doing a JD/MBA, but I would have to run the numbers and take into account the extra year of school before I pulled the trigger there. Any advice?

[cavalier1138]

I mean, there's no earthly reason to go to SMU over UT unless you'd be saving (a lot of) money.

But where else did you get in? If you got a significant scholarship at UT, it sounds like you probably got decent scholarship offers in the T13.

[nixy]

I kind of assumed the dollar signs here equal cost rather that the usual scholarship, but if not, yeah, UT over SMU is a no-brainer. (That’s why I’m assuming $$ = cost.)

[crazywafflez]

UT

[RonMexico5858]

I mean, there's no earthly reason to go to SMU over UT unless you'd be saving (a lot of) money.

But where else did you get in? If you got a significant scholarship at UT, it sounds like you probably got decent scholarship offers in the T13.

I didn't seriously consider any of the T14 schools. Still waiting on Notre Dame and Vanderbilt. I got waitlisted at UVA and Georgetown and withdrew from both. Maybe this question was more one-sided than I had thought, but my impression was that UT and SMU are roughly equal in Dallas but that UT provides more geographic flexibility and prestige.

[RonMexico5858]

I kind of assumed the dollar signs here equal cost rather that the usual scholarship, but if not, yeah, UT over SMU is a no-brainer. (That’s why I’m assuming $$ = cost.)

The dollar signs are scholarship as a percentage. At UT, I got over half but not quite full. At SMU, I got slightly over half (not sure if that's the max they offer). SMU's total award is bigger, but UT's is more as a % of tuition. Said this in the last post but this does seem to be much more one-sided than I had thought it would be. I'm also waiting to see if I get in/get scholarships at Notre Dame and Vanderbilt.

[Wubbles]

SMU is substantially behind UT in terms of biglaw placement power, including in Dallas. I'm guessing that UT is also cheaper from your approximates. Not even a remotely close decision assuming no T13's are in play

[nixy]

I kind of assumed the dollar signs here equal cost rather that the usual scholarship, but if not, yeah, UT over SMU is a no-brainer. (That’s why I’m assuming $$ = cost.)

The dollar signs are scholarship as a percentage. At UT, I got over half but not quite full. At SMU, I got slightly over half (not sure if that's the max they offer). SMU's total award is bigger, but UT's is more as a % of tuition. Said this in the last post but this does seem to be much more one-sided than I had thought it would be. I'm also waiting to see if I get in/get scholarships at Notre Dame and Vanderbilt.

Oh, then definitely UT. SMU isn’t bad, but UT is better, especially for biglaw. I might take Vanderbilt with similar money if you for sure wanted to get out of Texas, but if Texas is a good option with you, I’d stick with UT. I wouldn’t take ND over either of them.

[RonMexico5858]

SMU is substantially behind UT in terms of biglaw placement power, including in Dallas. I'm guessing that UT is also cheaper from your approximates. Not even a remotely close decision assuming no T13's are in play

No T13 on the table so UT is my highest ranked option. It looks like UT is obviously the better choice. Thanks

[RonMexico5858]

I kind of assumed the dollar signs here equal cost rather that the usual scholarship, but if not, yeah, UT over SMU is a no-brainer. (That’s why I’m assuming $$ = cost.)

The dollar signs are scholarship as a percentage. At UT, I got over half but not quite full. At SMU, I got slightly over half (not sure if that's the max they offer). SMU's total award is bigger, but UT's is more as a % of tuition. Said this in the last post but this does seem to be much more one-sided than I had thought it would be. I'm also waiting to see if I get in/get scholarships at Notre Dame and Vanderbilt.

Oh, then definitely UT. SMU isn’t bad, but UT is better, especially for biglaw. I might take Vanderbilt with similar money if you for sure wanted to get out of Texas, but if Texas is a good option with you, I’d stick with UT. I wouldn’t take ND over either of them.

I really have no idea where I want to end up. I'd be fine with Dallas or Texas generally, but I also like the idea of going to NY. Vanderbilt/UT would be a pretty tough call for sure, but I would probably take UT without a substantially bigger scholarship from Vanderbilt. ND is just kind of there, but it's an option and I'm hoping that they give me some sort of scholarship. Thanks for the advice -- the consensus is pretty overwhelming here.

[nealric]

One more confirmatory vote for Texas. No reason at all to go to SMU over UT in this situation.

[RonMexico5858]

Thanks to all for the responses and candor. I will be going to UT in the fall. For what it is worth, I got into NDLS with $$$ and waitlisted at Vandy