From 6 to 6.5 to 7.5: Chicago's recent fall in the rankings

[Is UofC’s (minor?) drop in the rankings indicative of an actual change in quality, or is the drop a reflection of random fluctuation?]

Is UofC’s (minor?) drop in the rankings indicative of an actual change in quality, or is the drop a reflection of random fluctuation?

UofC is still a T6 in my books; it will be back there soon!

UofC is still a T6 in my books, but the new ranking will be a self-fulfilling prophecy.

The rankings drop reflects a substantive decrease in the quality of UofC.

Ron Paul

[ShadWhitmore]

Assuming, of course, the new rankings are legit.

Sure UofC has only dropped 1.5 places over the last couple of years, but placement in clerkships/academia varies substantially through the T14 spectrum. The current Dean seems unwilling to play U.S. News’s game. If this is true, the school should move back up if it begins to “game” the rankings. Still, UofC’s overall score of 80 is a bit troubling. The three schools tied for 9th have a score of 79, and it is possible to move up by multiple points in a single year. Chicago isn’t too far from being bumped even lower.

That being said, I think the quality of UofC still rivals other T6 schools. However, if UofC refuses to play along with other T14s, it could spell trouble in the long-run. Rankings can become self-fulfilling prophecies.

Thoughts?

(And no, I don’t think this is a silly question. Many of us won’t enter the job market for 3-5 years.)

[deedeeleigh]

I'm extremely neurotic about this trend.  Michigan was once, unquestionably, a T6 as well.

Luckily, the other Dylan has been cheering me up lately.

It's true. And a trend is generally something that has happened three times. But, I think Chicago will be absolutely just fine, and the rankings within the T14 are largely unimportant. The reputations are pretty solidified in employers minds.

[stephenr86]

Assuming, of course, the new rankings are legit.

They are absolutely legit. I bought a copy at my local bookstore today. They said they got it in yesterday afternoon.

Sure UofC has only dropped 1.5 places over the last couple of years, but placement in clerkships/academia varies substantially through the T14 spectrum. The current Dean seems unwilling to play U.S. News’s game. If this is true, the school should move back up if it begins to “game” the rankings. Still, UofC’s overall score of 80 is a bit troubling. The three schools tied for 9th have a score of 79, and it is possible to move up by multiple points in a single year. Chicago isn’t too far from being bumped even lower.

That being said, I think the quality of UofC still rivals other T6 schools. However, if UofC refuses to play along with other T14s, it could spell trouble in the long-run. Rankings can become self-fulfilling prophecies.

Thoughts?

(And no, I don’t think this is a silly question. Many of us won’t enter the job market for 3-5 years.)

I agree with you. I know a lot of people complain about the USNWR rankings. Admittedly, they are manipulatable to some extent. Even so, the USNWR rankings are so readily used by students and employers that they definitely become a self-fulfilling prophecy. If Chicago, for one reason or another, was tied with the likes of Northwestern/Virginia/Michigan at this time next year, that could have an effect on the type of students that apply and attend in the future.

[clairel]

everyone just chillax. i was a little freaked out when we tied penn in rankings last year, but as far as employer prospects go, chicago tying with penn or dropping to 7 makes no difference unless it continues to happen over the next 5 years or so. if you look at employer reputation scores (both partners and judges), it goes yhs, columbia, chicago, nyu/rest of t14. the tiers still go hys, ccn, t14 (with a bigger gap between hys than the rest of the t14, ccn only having a slight edge). i would be more worried about this banning of internet based on the boring-ness of 1L professors.

[Fountainhead]

Downward trend, most likely out of the T14 by 2010.