Overview

Applicants
1,518
Acceptance Rate
46%
Median Undergrad GPA
3.58
Accepted Applicants Who Attend
226

Test Scores

LSAT
25th-75th percentile
(enrolled students)
156 - 163

Deadlines

Application Deadlines
February 15

Application Process

Rolling Admissions
Yes

CAS Service Used
Yes

Applicants accepted in terms other than fall
No

Transfer Applicants Accepted
Yes

Deferred Admission
Yes

Other Admission Factors

Academic

LSAT Score
Undergraduate GPA
Essay / Personal Statement

Selectivity Rating

Faculty Information

Total Faculty
122

27
Female
11
Underrepresented Minorities


Students Say

Boasting 鈥渁 great program鈥reat size鈥n a city with great opportunity,鈥 the Dedman School of Law at Southern Methodist University has it all. 鈥淭he local legal community draws heavily from the law school, and with a little initiative, a law student can easily network with numerous lawyers and judges in the area and beyond.鈥 鈥淒iverse course offerings鈥 in 鈥渆verything from the philosophical to the tediously practical鈥 define the curriculum here, and 鈥淭he legal clinics are absolutely amazing.鈥 Externships and scholarly journals are abundant. Students say there are plenty of opportunities to get involved: 鈥淲e have consistently won national moot court and mock trial competitions over the past two years, and the school has a great Trial Advocacy program co-taught by practitioners and judges.鈥 A unique JD/MA program allows students to study economics as well as law, and students have the opportunity to study abroad in Oxford each summer.
Academic complaints often revolve around the legal writing program, which 鈥渘eeds a massive overhaul鈥 and, 鈥渨hile informational, [can] feel more like fifth grade English in the way [it is] approached.鈥 Fortunately, the 鈥渧ery distinguished鈥 yet 鈥渆asily approachable鈥 professors 鈥渁re very receptive to students and concerned with [their] learning鈥 and 鈥渕ake an effort to be available.鈥 They are 鈥渄emanding of their students,鈥 but 鈥渋nteresting and entertaining in the classroom.鈥
Professors 鈥渕ake the classroom experience fun,鈥 gushes one student. 鈥淢y civil procedure exam was one of the funniest things I have ever read, with witty undercurrents and subtle political satire.鈥 Opinions of the administration vary considerably. Some students say the deans seem 鈥渄istant at times, but whenever you need them, they鈥檙e available and helpful.鈥 Others tell us that the administration 鈥渄oes not care about the students鈥 and gripe about 鈥渂ureaucratic inefficiencies.鈥
Job prospects are very promising for SMU grads. Career Services is 鈥渁ctually concerned with helping you find a job.鈥 鈥淒allas is a wonderful market that pays salaries on par with New York, but the quality of life is so much better,鈥 according to students. 鈥淚f you want to stay and practice in Dallas, you could not go to a better school.鈥 SMU鈥檚 鈥渆xceptionally strong relationship with the Dallas legal market鈥 provides an 鈥渆xtensive network of attorneys鈥 鈥渋n every field imaginable.鈥 鈥淭he alums are very supportive and willing to help out.鈥 鈥淎 lot of doors are opened by attending the SMU Dedman School of Law, regardless of your class rank.鈥 鈥淚 was able to secure a six-figure job without being on law review or moot court,鈥 says a 3L. 鈥淭here is definitely a huge hurdle鈥 for students to face who do not want to practice in Texas, though.
The 鈥済orgeous鈥 campus is full of 鈥渧ery pretty, collegiate-looking brick buildings鈥 and 鈥渘estled in one of the nicest, most affluent neighborhoods in the Dallas area.鈥 鈥淭he law school itself is further cloistered away from the rest of the university and, once inside, it is easy to forget you are sitting in the middle of a bustling metropolis.鈥 鈥淟arge oak trees provide shady walkways, and outdoor study places are ample.鈥 鈥淭he majority of classrooms are 鈥渧ery comfortable and accommodating,鈥 and the 鈥渘early flawless鈥 wireless signal is 鈥渟trong in every corner of the law school.鈥 The library is 鈥渁mazing,鈥 鈥渂oth with regard to holdings and ease of use.鈥

Career overview

Pass Rate for First-Time Bar Exam
86%
Median Starting Salary
$85,000
% of graduates who are employed within ten months of graduation
93%
% of job accepting graduates providing useable salary information
70%

Career Services

On campus summer employment recruitment for first year JD students
Yes

On campus summer employment recruitment for second year JD students
Yes

# of Employers that Recruit on Campus Each Year
250

Employers who most frequently hire graduates
Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld Latham & Watkins Haynes and Boone McKool Smith

Graduates Employed by Area

58%
Private Practice
24%
Business/Industry
5%
Government
4%
Judicial Clerkships
2%
Academic
1%
Public Interes

Graduates Employed by Region

91%
South West
3%
Mountain
2%
Mid-Atlantic
2%
MidWest
1%
International

Prominent Alumni

Michael Boone
Founding partner, Haynes & Boone

Nathan Hecht
Chief Justice, Texas Supreme Court

Wayne Watts
Sr. Executive VP and General Counsel, AT&T

Edward B. Rust Jr.
Chairman & CEO, State Farm Insurance

Dates


Financial Aid Statistics


Expenses per Academic Year

Tuition
$43,626
Estimated Cost for Books / Academic Expense
$2,000
Fees
$5,170

Student Body Profile

Parent Institution Enrollement
11,000

Demographics

18.00%
% Under-represented Minorities

76% are full time
24% are part time
48% female
52% male

Campus Life

Students Say

鈥淪tudents in the full-time day program tend to be younger鈥攅ither directly out of their undergraduate program or with only a year or two of work experience. Nevertheless, there are still many full-time students in their thirties or older.鈥 Most are 鈥淭exas natives,鈥 and all are 鈥渇un, attractive, and smart.鈥 Some students are 鈥渃ooperative, collegial, and very supportive of one another.鈥 Others are 鈥渧ery competitive.鈥 鈥淭here are definitely a few trust fund kids, but a lot of us are living off student loans as well,鈥 says one student. 鈥淭he parking garage does boast an unusual concentration of BMWs and Hummers,鈥 agrees a 2L. 鈥淏ut as a non-Texan who shares a beat-up Honda with my wife, I鈥檝e never felt out of place.鈥 鈥淧olitical views run the gamut, but the large majority of students are tolerant of opposing views.鈥 SMU is also 鈥渞emarkably LGBT-friendly.鈥
Regarding social events on campus, students say, 鈥淭here鈥檚 a club for everyone, whether you鈥檙e a gun-toting Second Amendment crusader or a die-hard liberal.鈥 鈥淭he students put together a lot of fun activities,鈥 ranging from happy hours to baseball games to tailgating events. 鈥淭he highlight of everyone鈥檚 week is Bar Review where the Student Bar Association gets drink specials at a different local bar every Friday.鈥 There鈥檚 also 鈥渁 picnic/sports spectacular every semester.鈥 SMU鈥檚 ritzy location is 鈥済reat鈥 in terms of safety but 鈥渃an make finding student housing right next to school virtually impossible.鈥 Beyond the neighborhood surrounding campus, 鈥淏ig D鈥 is one of the liveliest cities in the South and 鈥渁 fun place to live.鈥 鈥淵ou get a great all-around legal education and have the resources of the Dallas鈥揊ort Worth Metroplex right at your doorstep.鈥

More Information

% of Classrooms with Internet Access
100%

Admissions Office Contact

Contact
Jill Nikirk
Assistant Dean for Admissions

Address
P.O. Box 750110
Dallas, TX 75275-0110

Phone
214-768-2550

Email
lawadmit@smu.edu


Articles & Advice