Southern Methodist University, Dedman School of Law Admission
Southern Methodist University, Dedman School of Law Undergraduate Program
Southern Methodist University, Dedman School of Law Application

The Facts

Southern Methodist University is a rather large, private institution located in the city of Dallas, Texas, and is affiliated with the Methodist church. The university has a combined graduate and undergraduate population of over 10,500 students. The university's Dedman School of Law, however, is significantly smaller, and is home to about 860 graduate law students. The average age of enrollment is around 27, and it is quite rare for any of the students to enter the school directly from their undergraduate education. The school is perhaps best known for its excellent connections within the Dallas legal and professional communities, as well as for the school's heavy use of the Socratic method. The school offers degrees in the 3 year JD, the 1 year LLM in taxation, the 1 year LLM in comparative and international law, as well as combined degrees in the 4 year JD/MBA, and the 4 year JD/MA. Some of the most popular programs of study include courses in the areas of taxation, international law, alternative dispute resolution, as well as civil procedure.

Admission to the Southern Methodist University's Dedman School of Law is quite competitive among the many students who apply; last year, over 2,650 students applied for admission to the school, and approximately 405 of those students were accepted. Eventually however, only about 175 of the admitted students actually enrolled for the coming semester. The admitted students had an average LSAT score ranging from 156 to 164, as well as an average undergraduate GPA of about a 3.4. Students are notified of their admissions status on a rolling basis, and are able to take advantage of the school's early application program if they so choose.

The Dedman School of Law has 96 faculty members, all of whom come from very diverse and experienced legal, academic, and professional backgrounds. In general, students rave about the accessibility and availability of their professors, saying that they do everything they can to be available to offer assistance to their students. The school has a very manageable student to faculty ratio of about 16:1, and the small classes allow for plenty of discussion and interaction between students and their professors.

Employment Facts

Students at the Dedman School of Law don't seem terribly concerned about finding jobs after graduating. In fact, over 96% of the most recently graduating students were able to find jobs within a few months of receiving their degrees. Students are most frequently hired by employers such as Akin Gump Strauss Hauer and Feld LLP, Baker Botts, Haynes and Boone, Jones Day Reavis and Pogue, Vinson and Elkins, as well as the Dallas County district attorney's office.

What's Good

"Dallas is a great place to study law. There are a lot of firms here, which mean potential jobs."

"The whole campus has a wonderful feeling of community. There's a nice balance between work and play."

"The professors are really dedicated to this place, and they're always there to help you out."

What's Bad

"There isn't nearly enough financial aid available. And trust me, law school is not cheap."

"There is never enough on campus graduate housing available, and it's very difficult to find affordable off campus apartments nearby."

"The buildings are a bit outdated, and could use some work."

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