Head-to-head · 38 cross-admits
When applicants got into both, 84% chose SMU. Side-by-side on admissions, costs, and outcomes — sourced from 38 self-reported decisions and ABA 509 filings.
Choice, not ranking
These are decisions, not opinions. Scholarship offers, location, intended practice, and personal fit are all priced into the split.
Cross-admit decision
Chose SMU
Median scholarship (chose SMU)
Median scholarship (chose UH)
View all-time (95 cross-admits)
Trend · SMU's share
Lowest cycle
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Admissions
Rankings, LSAT/GPA, acceptance & yield 2025 ABA 509
Financial
Sticker price, scholarships, and debt burden 2025 ABA 509
Employment & outcomes
Post-graduation placement and bar passage 2024 ABA Employment
Cross-admit by cycle
How preferences shifted over recent cyclesRelated comparisons
Other popular cross-admit matchups
Overview
About SMU vs UH
Across 38 applicants admitted to both schools and self-reporting on LSD, 84% enrolled at Southern Methodist University and 16% at University of Houston. The split has shifted +40 points across the tracked cycles.
These numbers reflect every factor that goes into a real decision: scholarship offers, geographic preference, intended practice area, and fit. Choosing one school doesn't mean it's "better" — it means the pool of cross-admits, weighing their options, ended up there more often. Pair this with the scholarship distribution and employment outcomes above for full context.
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Detailed comparison narrative
This page compares Southern Methodist University and University of Houston across admissions data, cost of attendance, and employment outcomes — plus cross-admit decision data from 38 applicants admitted to both.
Based on 38 applicants admitted to both schools, 84% chose to attend Southern Methodist University. This cross-admit data reflects real enrollment decisions from verified law school applicants on LSD.Law.
In the U.S. News rankings, Southern Methodist University is ranked #42 compared to #54 — a gap of 12 positions that often correlates with differences in employment outcomes and peer assessment scores.
There is a meaningful difference in admissions competitiveness: Southern Methodist University has a median LSAT of 167 compared to 163, a gap of 4 points. This suggests applicants to Southern Methodist University face a more competitive admissions pool.
Both schools are located in Texas — Southern Methodist University in Dallas and University of Houston in Houston — meaning graduates often compete in the same regional legal market.
On cost, University of Houston has lower tuition at $31,326 per year compared to $60,844. Combined with employment rates of 97.6% (SMU) and 93.5% (UH), prospective students should weigh the cost-to-outcome ratio carefully.
Among cross-admitted applicants, Southern Methodist University offered a median scholarship of $99,999 compared to $15,000, a difference of $84,999 that may factor into enrollment decisions.