<p>My H is considering going to law school this fall in order to get out of aviation. He has been told that his 165 LSAT is competitive for a #17 law school, but as you might guess we are in our mid-40's and still have a teenager at home. Would his post-law school job prospects be so much better graduating from the #17 school that it would justify picking up our son and moving him to another state? There is a law school locally considered #43 on the USNews site...any advice? BTW-he's considering IP/Patent law with his engineering background.</p>
<p>IMHO, people place too much importance on not moving kids around. Is he/she in a special program at a unique high school?</p>
<p>No, he's not in any "special" programs but a interstate move is not an insignificant undertaking without considering whether there will be reward associated with the "risk." It's certainly doable, but will it really make a difference?</p>
<p>I certainly would have felt very upheaved by such a move. How much longer is the son in HS? Can the husband wait it out?</p>
<p>No chance to wait it out...he's on 7th grade, but can't wait to do all the same things that his older b and s did in HS. It's not that we can't move him, but why do it if it really won't make that much difference if you come out of a #17 or #43 law school. If going to the higher ranked school will make a significant difference on post-grad opportunities, then we'll do it. Just looking for some advice from those who have gone before.</p>
<p>Check with the career offices of both schools for info & stats. I'm guessing the difference is pretty significant.</p>
<p>As for moving, it's a very common experience. It's probably a good idea to stay in 1 high school, though, for academic continuity/compatibility in classes.</p>
<p>you should do it. the money your husband makes can help pay for your kid's college. a 7th grader's social life should have no bearing on you doing what's best for the family.</p>
<p>and about the #17 and the #43 ranked schools, that's a big jump. i'm sure its ranked so much higher for a reason....</p>
<p>juliemrn, </p>
<p>Seeing you are from Southlake narrows #43 down to SMU Law School, no slouch in corporate law. An excellent resource to see what firms recruit on the law school campus, take a look at nalpdirectory.com. Click on advanced search and then select "intellectual property" and SMU as the school. You'll see that 45 law firms (and offices of the same firm) recruit at SMU. Pick a couple firms in Dallas and then identify partners in intellectual property and have your husband contact them for advice. Do the same for law school #17Southlake is a great school district so if #17 doesn't clearly beat SMU Law School, I would be hesitant to jump.</p>
<p>Thanks for the advice....that's a great idea and I appreciate your taking the time to write. It helps that you know that SL is a good district.</p>
<p>Julie: Moving to another state to attend law school might be justified if your H would be looking for employment in that area after law school. But lonestardad's comments seem right on point. You also might want to check in your area for opportunities in aviation law. Could be that going locally is as good a choice as any.</p>
<p>I knew that I could get some good/timely advice on this site. We don't have any particular desire to live anywhere else so if he can go to school locally and be equally as competitive as moving to be closer to the #17 school, then we'll stay put.</p>
<p>Julie, I personally don't think there is much of a difference between say Vanderbilt and SMU (two ramdom programs picked out of the blue). If your husband were considering say Yale or Harvard, I could see the dilemna, but in my opinion, and I am no expert on Law schools, very little separates #17 from #43. </p>
<p>On a separate note, I think that moving areas with a 7th grader is not that difficult. 7th graders adjust quickly and make new friends without any trouble. Trust me, I know. I moved from the Middle East to the East Coast of the US on my own when I was 14 years old. It only gets tricky once a student hits the latter high school years. Moving a 10th or 11th grader is never wise.</p>
<p>To the OP, </p>
<p>I used to live in North Dallas and was seriously considering SMU as well - its a lovely campus, I thought that the staff I met there were supportive, and as you probably know as a resident, SMU is very very very well thought of in your region. </p>
<p>The perception is that going to a Top 10/14/20 school secures employment opportunities nationally, which is important to 20-somethings who have no idea of where they want to live and work, and thus need the flexibility in employment options that a national law school may provide. </p>
<p>However, if you are lucky enough to already know what region you want to/already are settled in, then you can take advantage of the top schools in your region, such as SMU, and be confident that the portion of employment decisions that are based off of the degree granting institution will be taken care of. </p>
<p>Also, arguments can be made that the median salary differences are great between a 17 and 43 school too - But your husband may be able to land a job in the upper quartile of those available at SMU, particularly given his past experience and maturity that I think employers value in older applicants. For SMU, that would equate to 100k+ first year alone! And with Texas cost of living, thats easily comparable to the $135s being boasted in the Bay Area or NY. </p>
<p>With that in mind, there is a business case for staying local. First, although everyone seems quick to dismiss large moves, they are costly - especially when you are a family, not just a single student. You may be talking about selling a house, which I just did, and there were a lot of costs!! Your definitely talking about going from a household where your husband was bringing in full time income to part time at best (and by most advisement, not working at all). So you all will have to adjust to that. If you work, you may be depending on an intercompany transfer or get a new job altogethor...so cashflow for the entire family is effected in a major way. On top of that, there is a value to consistency for your sons sake - but also your own! You don't sound like a family that was itching to move ....you sound happy in your current locale....so you may want to assign some value to your happiness and having familiarity with and connections within your current area as well. </p>
<p>With all of this info, I'm not saying that a Vanderbilt is a bad idea, it just sounds like you have already heard the pro-args for moving and are searching for some "pro-local" messages - so I hope this is helpful! </p>
<p>Oh - and PS, SMU has a bit of a reputation for many and generous scholarships from the other attendees/admissions people I spoke to in the area. Their scholarships are also normally guaranteed for the full 3 years, not just the first year as is common at other schools, and there is usually NO GPA requirement on keeping the scholarships....students are only required to stay in "good standing" (i.e. dont flunk out).</p>