texas law schools

[vap]

Yes, but the numbers I heard were higher.  I can't verify, but was told that up to 70% of San Antonio area legal community is made up of St. Mary grads.

I got the 45% number from the Texas Bar 2006-2007 statistical survey.  http://www.texasbar.com/Template.cfm?Section=reports&CONTENTID=17241&TEMPLATE=/ContentManagement/ContentDisplay.cfm

[Thane Messinger]

Yes, but the numbers I heard were higher.  I can't verify, but was told that up to 70% of San Antonio area legal community is made up of St. Mary grads.

Fair stats, but these numbers can be a bit misleading; it's important to consider the positions as well.  There are substantial differences depending upon where, specifically, one is looking.  Clearly, local is local (and San Antonio is very local), but the importance of ranking (both national and regional*) is important as well.  Raw numbers can thus be quite misleading, depending upon what one wants from the degree and upon one's specific circumstances.

Thane

*  Texas is large enough, geographically, demographically, and by market growth, that it's almost its own region.

[Sceva31st]

I attend school the University of Texas at Tyler.  Without exception all of the people I have met on campus that want to practice law, want to attend law school in Texas (approximately 10 students).  I personally did not consider attending law school outside of Texas until the pre law advisor encouraged me to look at colleges outside of Texas.  I was wondering if it is normal for most students to generally only consider law schools in their state, is it a phenomenon unique only to Texas, or is it just coincidental that I know 10 other people that only want to go to law school in Texas?

[Contract2008]

I attend school the University of Texas at Tyler.  Without exception all of the people I have met on campus that want to practice law, want to attend law school in Texas (approximately 10 students).  I personally did not consider attending law school outside of Texas until the pre law advisor encouraged me to look at colleges outside of Texas.  I was wondering if it is normal for most students to generally only consider law schools in their state, is it a phenomenon unique only to Texas, or is it just coincidental that I know 10 other people that only want to go to law school in Texas?

If you want to stay in Texas, there is no reason to attend a lawschol outside of Texas.  Unlike most states, Texas has a Top Tier 1 to bottom Tier 4 and anything in between.  Texas has expensive private schools to cheap in-state schools.  You have everything you need.  The only exception is when you got accepted to schools much better than UT, such as Stanford, Columbia or Yale. 

Anhything less than those schools, it's best to stick with Texas law schools. 

[nealric]

The only exception is when you got accepted to schools much better than UT, such as Stanford, Columbia or Yale.  

Anhything less than those schools, it's best to stick with Texas law schools.  

I disagree here. I think any T14 is better than any school in Texas- this is from personal experience as someone who interviewed there. I was given better treatment as a GULC student than UT students were. For biglaw in Texas, UT students, while sought after, are a dime a dozen. T14 students who are from Texas are a comparably rare and valuable commodity. I know of at least two bigtex firms where the grade cutoffs are higher for UT students.

Of course, the above only applies to biglaw jobs- but most people going to a T14 are probably either biglaw or PI oriented. If PI oriented, the better LRAP programs of the T14 probably make them worth it.

[Thane Messinger]

The only exception is when you got accepted to schools much better than UT, such as Stanford, Columbia or Yale.  

Anhything less than those schools, it's best to stick with Texas law schools.  

I disagree here. I think any T14 is better than any school in Texas- this is from personal experience as someone who interviewed there. I was given better treatment as a GULC student than UT students were. For biglaw in Texas, UT students, while sought after, are a dime a dozen. T14 students who are from Texas are a comparably rare and valuable commodity. I know of at least two bigtex firms where the grade cutoffs are higher for UT students.

Of course, the above only applies to biglaw jobs- but most people going to a T14 are probably either biglaw or PI oriented. If PI oriented, the better LRAP programs of the T14 probably make them worth it.

Much as I would like to disagree, there's a lot of truth to this.  There seems to be "Harvard envy" among Texas firms--even among UT-grad partners--so while there are jobs for UT grads, the size of the law school makes competition for the top jobs rather fierce.  I've been told, further, that the grade system has changed greatly since when I was there, but that has probably made a difference (unfairly) among firms.

It might be more fair to look at this from whichever vantage one has:  if one has a shot at a T14 (I would probably narrow that a bit to the top half to two-thirds of the T14), that might be a better shot than the just-below T14 UT, even if one wants to stay in Texas.  If, however, one is nowhere near T14 territory, then UT will be a solid choice.

On the plus side, Austin is arguably one of the best cities in the U.S. to live in (and I've lived in a few).  I've a friend who thinks me crazy, but I'd choose Austin over just about any city on either coast.

A second plus for any Texas resident is, of course, the almost-bargain tuition.

[Contract2008]

A second plus for any Texas resident is, of course, the almost-bargain tuition.

That's what I meant.  Would it be wise to have extra $100K in debt for a Georgetown degree over a UT degree?

[Thane Messinger]

A second plus for any Texas resident is, of course, the almost-bargain tuition.

That's what I meant.  Would it be wise to have extra $100K in debt for a Georgetown degree over a UT degree?

There's yet another aspect of this, relating to the stratum one is operating in (or aspiring to).  If competing with grads from the likes of Harvard and Stanford, a Texas grad is going to face an uphill battle, especially now.  Against another mid-top tier 1 school?  It's much more of a wash.  (So, the analysis that applies to UT applies as well to just about all schools.)

And within Texas?  Again, unless someone is coming in with a top-5 credential, it's likely to be a wash, or almost so.  In most markets in Texas, there's still a strong boost with a UT degree.  Outside Texas, there's a *much* stronger boost for those with degrees from Texas schools of a UT degree.

This too goes to the misperception most have about rankings.  It's not a linear process, but very much tied to recognition (national, regional, local) and proximity to the locale of choice.  A University of Texas degree will be recognized nearly everywhere; other Texas schools, less so.  And, for a Texas resident, the financial argument is compelling.

[nealric]

That's what I meant.  Would it be wise to have extra $100K in debt for a Georgetown degree over a UT degree?

The difference is 42k at today's tuition prices. (29k in-state UT vs. 43k GULC). Out of state UT is actually more than GULC.

[Ninja1]

Texas over GT any day, no doubt.