2009 USNWR Rankings

[steuby]

I agree. All the other data is quite questionable. I mean who cares how big is the library or some other data that can easily be fudged. I suppose you could include student/faculty ratio and maybe one or two other factors. But student quality should be the strongest factor. 

I dunno lonewolf... It takes soil and seed for something to grow, doesn't it?

[TeresaPinfold]

Well, the rankings based on 25-75 are easily available - there's no point in making a ranking if you are going to do that.

If you are saying that firms should rely on that rather than US News, it's not so clear that they don't. Certainly, NYU being ranked ahead of Columbia, or Iowa ahead of Fordham, doesn't mean that they have better placement.

[doibhilin]

Coxless,

Just a little FYI. Don't just look at the LSAT scores posted on LSAC. Iowa has to accept close to 50% in state students, which brings down their LSAT scores. I was told directly by a member of the admissions committee that it is MUCH MUCH harder to get in if you are from out of state. I don't have the specific numbers, so take it for what it's worth.

I don't know if that makes sense. I remember thinking similarly about Texas when I applied last year, until I actually asked a Texas admissions person. She pointed out that their yield is vastly different for in-state students than it is for out-of-state students. That would seem to be even more true at a school like Iowa.

Think about it: The statistical probability of an Iowan accepting an offer of admission is much, much higher than for any out-of-stater. He/she actually has a reason to go to the University of Iowa; the out-of-stater probably just applied to a ton of tier 1 schools. So if they want their school to be 50/50, they have to accept a whole lot more out-of-state students than in-state students. Of course, there probably aren't many great in-state candidates; maybe that changes the math. But, still, I would think the out-of-state yield would be very low compared to in-state.

[plex]

If you want to see a rankings based just upon LSAT/GPA, I believe a Marquette professor made a list, it is posted on here somewhere, have it saved on my computer since it actually numbers all of the schools, so you can tell who the absolute worst schools are easily. I think it is pretty accurate all the way through. For example, if you look at the bottom end, it says, Cooley, Texas Southern and Southern.

[familyman]

We also need to consider who the audience is for these rankings. Obviously there are a number of key ones, including current law students, future law students and practicing lawyers. Seems to me that the first two groups should be primarily interested on one thing - what the law experience and degree will do for their careers and lives. Yes, more output oriented. 75/25 LSAT data will feed my ego, and perhaps lead to a more challenging learning environment, but it is meaningless so far as my broader career is concerned. Of course I care about it to an extent, but I'd rather be introduced to data that shows me specifically how going to this particular law school will enhance my salary potential, non profit law opportunities, chances for high profile clerkships, etc. Once I graduate, I doubt that I will care much about how many publications the law faculty produce per year. Show me the friggin money and opportunities, and prove to me that your school is not just a degree factory. Yes, Mr. dean, I am thrilled that you have a 1,000,000 volume library run by a PHd in library science, but please tell me what percentage of your graduating class from 1995 are currently practicing law, what their salaries are, how many have made partner, where they work etc. And while you are at it, why don't you unscrew last year's salary data on your web site and give me a better breakdown of what your graduates are getting paid.

[upgrade]

Imo, the only thing that *really* matters when choosing a school (rankings-wise) is the employment stats from the school.

I agree, but transparent employment data is the most difficult information to obtain from a school.  What USNWR uses for measuring employment after graduation is pretty worthless.