Events
Law Rattler Roadmap: Information for New Students
Welcome to St. Mary’s Law
Follow these steps to become a Rattler!
The Rattler Road Map is a resource for you to get answers to your questions and discover how to make the most of your St. Mary’s experience.
Now what’s next?
Already admitted?
We are excited to welcome you to our community and look forward to the many contributions you will make to our campus, the San Antonio community and beyond. Check back periodically for updates from St. Mary’s Law.
Awaiting your admission decision?
Check your admission status.
Still need to apply? We’re still accepting
We’re looking forward to receiving your application and learning more about you and your interests. Learn more about our admissions process and contact us with any questions.
#1 Visit and Join the Conversation
St. Mary’s is excited to host virtual and personalized on-campus events for our admitted students to celebrate and welcome new law students. We encourage you to set up an appointment for a tour in order to help guide your decision and to connect with the St Mary’s community.
#2 Consider Costs and Funding
Costs
As you approach financing your legal education, the Office of Financial Assistance partners with students to understand the process and how to demystify the various funding options available.
COST OF ATTENDANCE
The estimated Cost of Attendance (COA), or student budget, is the average cost to attend St. Mary’s Law for one academic year (fall and spring). The COA includes tuition and fees, books and supplies, room and board, transportation, and other personal expenses.
Please note that the COA includes estimated amounts for indirect costs (such as transportation and personal expenses). Your St. Mary’s bill will include only direct costs.
Funding
There are many different types of financial assistance available to law students. The most common categories of aid are merit-based sources (such as Dean’s scholarships) and need-based sources (such as federal loan programs).
ST. MARY’S SCHOLARSHIPS
If you have been awarded scholarship, it is detailed in a scholarship letter shortly after admission to St. Mary’s Law.
If you are interested in learning more, visit our JD Scholarship page.
Please note that St. Mary’s University reserves the right to replace your scholarship with other gift aid sources of the same amount. If you are eligible for more than one academic scholarship, only the scholarship of the highest value may be awarded.
Questions? Contact us.
#3 Complete Enrollment Confirmation and Submit your Enrollment Deposit
Ready to become a St. Mary’s Law Student? Great!
Seat deposit deadline for Fall 2025 – Please see your student status checker for your deposit deadline, if applicable.
Tuition deposit deadline for Fall 2025 – June 2025
If you do not submit the tuition deposit by the deadline, we reserve the right to cancel your place in the entering class. Once your payment is confirmed, an email acknowledgment will be sent to you within 48 hours.
Questions? Contact us.
#4 Submit Additional Forms
In addition to deposits, law students are also required to submit the following forms and before the first day of class:
- Official undergraduate transcript (students must order their transcripts from their respective undergraduate registrar’s office to be sent to St. Mary’s Law directly, c/o Catherine Mery)
- Emergency Contact Form (form sent via email in late spring/early summer from Office of Student Enrollment)
- Submit a personal/professional headshot photo to be used for student ID cards. There will be more information in the summer about where to submit this photo.
Direct Deposit (not required, but recommended)
Direct Deposit facilitates a quick return of receiving loan assistance or credit from your student account. Therefore, it is highly recommended to set up direct deposit to receive funds faster than mailed checks sent out by the Office of Financial Assistance.
SIGN UP FOR DIRECT DEPOSIT
Sign up for Direct Deposit by completing the following steps:
- Log into Gateway and select the Billing and Payment Center option from the Launchpad menu on the homepage.
- Select Electronic Refunds on the My Profile setup menu.
- Select Set Up Account.
- Enter your bank account information.
Bookstore Charge Account
You will not be able to buy books for your fall classes until you are registered (completed by the Office of Student Enrollment). Once you know which books you need based on registration, you will want to get your books prior to the start of classes, so that you can prepare for your first day. Most law students get their books from the Barnes & Noble at St. Mary’s University (the university bookstore).
BOOKSTORE CHARGE ACCOUNT
The University establishes a charge account at the bookstore for each law student at the time of registration. That account ($800 for full-time students and $400 for part-time students) is added to each student’s tuition bill. If you would prefer not to use the bookstore charge account and avoid this charge on your tuition bill, you will need to take action.
Bookstore charge accounts are per-semester lines of credit that can be used to purchase books and supplies at the Barnes & Noble Bookstore at St. Mary’s. A bookstore account is optional and can be waived. Contact the Business office at businessoffice@stmarytx.edu for a waiver. Include your Student ID number in all communications.
Questions? Contact us.
#5 See Yourself as a Law Student of St. Mary’s University
Learn why we say we have a “passion for compassion” at St. Mary’s Law:
Questions? Contact us.
#6 Attend Orientation and Take the Pledge
Starting law school is an exciting time of transition – academically and socially – and St. Mary’s Law’s Ready, Set, Go! mandatory acclimation program is designed for your success. Over the summer you will start preparing with virtual synchronous and asynchronous “Ready” sessions. These sessions lead into the two-day in-person Orientation in August, so you are “Set” to start the semester well. Once classes start and you are on the “Go!”, we will provide continued weekly academic, professional, and wellness support to minimize overwhelm and maximize your growth as a law student.
Ready, Set, Go! Timeline
Ready
Summer 2025, exact days TBD (virtual)
Set
August 2025, exact days TBD (in-person)
Go!
August-September 2025, exact days TBD (hybrid)
Take the pledge
“I, (name), do solemnly pledge that:
I will engage in the diligent study of law, always acting in an honest, moral, and professional manner;
I will be guided by the spirit of hospitality, collaboration, mutual support, and scholarship, which are the ideals of a Marianist university; and
I will be trustworthy, honorable, and professional in all aspects of my life.”
Questions? Contact us.
#7 Get Involved
Connect with St. Mary’s Law admitted students, admins and current students as we share important information and the student experience to welcome the newest 1Ls to our community.
Suggested Reading List
Cannot wait to start law school? The suggested reading list for incoming fall students may help to prepare you for the nuances of law school, including the common study methods, pedagogy, and experiences of law students.
VIEW THE SUGGESTED READING LIST
About Law School
- Michael S. Ariens, Law School: Getting In, Getting Out, Getting On (2010)
- Andrew J. McClurg, 1L of a Ride (2013)
- Nancy B. Rapoport and Jeffrey D. Van Neil, Law School Survival Manual (2010)
- Albert J. Moore and David A. Binder, Demystifying the First Year of Law School (2009)
- Karl N. Llewellyn, The Bramble Bush: The Classic Lectures on the Law and Law School (2008)
U.S. Law
- Allan Farnsworth, An Introduction to the Legal System of the United States, Fourth Edition (2010)
- Linda Greenhouse, The U.S. Supreme Court: A Very Short Introduction (2012)
- Lawrence M. Friedman, Law in American: A Short History (Modern Library 2002)
About Lawyers
- Anthony Lewis, Gideon’s Trumpet (1989)
- Jonathan Harr, A Civil Action (1996)
- Matthew Desmond, Evicted (2016)
- Steven J. Harper, The Lawyer Bubble: A Profession in Crisis (Basic Books 2013)
- Bryan Stevenson, Just Mercy (2014)
Thinking and Writing
- Anthony Weston, A Rulebook for Arguments (2008)
- William Strunk Jr. and E.B. White, The Elements of Style, Fourth Edition (1999)
- Richard C. Wydick, Plain English for Lawyers, Fifth Edition (2005)
- Gerry Spence, How to Argue and Win Every Time
Legal Reference
- Wolters Kluwer Bouvier Law Dictionary, Compact Edition (2011)
- Black’s Law Dictionary (10th ed. Bryan A. Garner ed.-in-chief 2014)
Legal Fiction
- Harper Lee, To Kill a Mockingbird (1960)
- John Grisham, Sycamore Row (2013)
- John Jay Osborne Jr., The Paper Chase (1971)
Contact Us
The Office of Law Admissions
Call: 210-436-3523
lawadmissions@stmarytx.edu
The Office of Financial Assistance
St. Louis Hall, Room 301
210-436-3141
finaid@stmarytx.edu