Fast Facts

Fast Facts

Applications completed by the regular decision deadline will automatically be considered for academic scholarships. Scholarships for full-time students are typically awarded on the basis of an outstanding undergraduate record and a strong performance on the LSAT.

In addition, there are several scholarships funded by private foundations.  Two of the private scholarships for entering law students– the Hatton W. Sumners Scholarship and the Sarah T. Hughes Scholarship - require a separate application.

Review our full offering of scholarships.

Dartmouth, Emory, Harvard, NYU, Rhodes, Stanford, Tulane, UCLA, Vanderbilt, Washington University, Wellesley, Yale, all of the major Texas universities, and many more.

Graduates are located in every state in the United States and in more than 80 countries around the world.

Recent CEOs, Chairmen, Presidents and Executive Directors
7-Eleven; Allegiance Title Company; Austin Industries; Building Materials Holding Corporation; Cathay Life Insurance; ClubCorp; Communities Foundation; Dallas Cowboys; DuPont Chile; Fogo de Chao; The Hart Group; Hexter-Fair Title Company; Kroger; Omni Hotels; Potter's House of Dallas; Six Holding; State Farm Insurance Companies; Stewart Title Company; Texas Oil and Gas; TXU; Tupperware; WellPoint; Worldwide Shipping; Matador Resources; TRT Holdings; Human Rights Initiative; HBK Capital

Recent General Counsel
7-Eleven; Affiliated Computer Services; Archon Group; AT&T; Belo Corporation; BJ Services Group; Blockbuster; Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Texas; Brinker International; Commercial Metals; CompUSA; Cuban Enterprises; Dallas Mavericks; Dr Pepper Snapple; EDS; Fossil; FedEx Kinko’s; Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas; Frito-Lay; Fujitsu; Hicks Muse; Hunt Oil; La Madeleine; MADD; Neiman Marcus; Papa Johns; Rosewood Hotels & Resorts; Triad Hospitals; TXU; Interstate Batteries; Dallas Stars

Judiciary
Over the years, the Dedman School of Law has counted among its alumni six Justices of the Supreme Court of Texas, a Justice of the Supreme Court of Missouri, three Justices of the Supreme Court of Japan, as well as justices on the highest courts of the Philippines and Taiwan.  In addition, alumni currently serve as Judges on Courts of Appeal and as trial judges in Texas, throughout the United States and around the world.

We would be happy to arrange for you to meet with an admissions counselor, tour the law quad, or observe one of our classes.  To schedule a campus visit or ask questions, please call the Admissions Office at (214) 768-2550 or e-mail us at lawadmit@smu.edu. 

* For a full description of these courses, download the 2020-2021 Catalog.

Clinics

Publications

Rankings
Dedman School of Law holds top local and national rankings in job placement.  

All rankings based on statistics provided to the American Bar Association (ABA) by the 194 ABA accredited law schools for the class of 2020. Visit the CAREER SERVICES website and view all of our employment statistics.
 
  • #15 in the nation with the highest percentage of 2022 graduates placed in long-term, full-time, bar-passage required jobs; Reuters, May 2023
  • #29 “Go-To Law Schools” highest percentage of 2022 graduates into associate jobs at the nation’s 100 largest law firms; The National Law Journal, March 2023
  • #38 Top 50 “Go-To Law Schools” ; The National Law Journal, March 2023
Examples of Work Experience
Banking and finance, consulting, education, engineering, government, information technology, judicial clerkships, insurance, law, law enforcement, marketing & sales, medicine, real estate, and social work.

SMU Law graduates' pass rate on the 2023 bar exam was 87.18% for first time takers.

J.D. Application Deadlines
Applications are processed on a continuous basis beginning in early November.  It is in your best interest to submit your application as early as possible.
 

Regular Decision Late Decision
Application and Supporting Materials Due April 1 After April 1
Decision Notification End of May After file completion, on a rolling basis





The law school is committed to having a diverse student body, and 28 percent of the 2023 incoming class are students of color and approximately 55 percent are female. We also boast these student organizations which are active within the law school and the community: Black Law Students Association (BLSA), Hispanic Law Students Association (HLSA), Asian/Pacific American Law Students Association (APALSA), South Asian Law Students Association (SALSA) and OUTLaw Students Association. Visit the Office of Diversity and Inclusion for more information.

Full-Time Tuition and Fees (12-17 hours ea. semester for Fall/Spring)
Tuition $58,504
Fees $7,540
Total $66,044







The 2023 entering class admission statistics to be certified in November 2024 by the American Bar Association and the Law School Admission Council.
Number Enrolled 190
Median GPA 3.83
Median LSAT 164
Racial and Ethnic Diversity 28%