The University of Texas School of Law, one of the two original schools of the University of Texas at Austin, is one of the largest law schools in the country. Its academic specialties including tax law and trial advocacy. The sheer size of the school and the attached university translates to a wide array of specialty classes and concentrations for students to choose from, such as the nine formal dual degree programs ranging from a JD/MBA to a JD/MA in Russian, East European and Eurasian Studies.

Despite its size, the law school is committed to professor-student interaction; first-year students participate in a small group program for one of their core classes. After completing the roster of standard requirements, students design their own concentration or opt to specialize in one of several areas. Students tell Vault they are particularly happy with the variety and availability of classes--even popular courses are relatively easy to get into.

UT Law's reputation carries weight outside of the Southwest, though most on-campus interviewers come from Texan cities and big firms in Austin. And staying in Austin is OK with students; our survey insiders love Austin's laid-back, college town feel. Students have the option of joining in on the larger university social scene through parties and football tailgating, or laying low and absorbing Austin's live music scene. The school has on-campus housing for about 5 percent of law students, and the rest scatter around surrounding neighborhoods.