Why is Syracuse a T3?

[pendreamy]

What's so bad about the school?

[msher3yn]

Why is any school a Tier 3 or 4? I don't think that Penn State, De Paul, New York Law, Syracuse, etc. are bad schools. In fact, I think that one may even get a better education at a school like that because it is trying to prove itself. Every law school has amazing professors, and let's face it, there are only 180-something law schools--they all have to be pretty good. But rankings are somewhat political. What schools have been around and ahve money. I read a great article about the dean of NYU law. He said something along the lines that if there was a Princeton Law, it would immediately be a top ten school, and he is right. All of us are going to get great legal educations at all of our schools, but it is human nature to want to be the best, so we have to designate something as the best and something as the worst. Sorry this isn't more specialized to Syracuse. Maybe some one who goes there can help you out more, but I do think that it is a good school.

[pidge]

Speaking of Syracuse being a T3, is it worth the tuition they charge? I'm trying to decide if I can even afford to go at such a high cost.

[Duner]

I think it's not well respected because of the 28k+ tuition that one is going to have a hard time repaying with its below average starting salaries after graduation. at the same time, the location isn't typically where people strive to be. finally there are at least 7 other ny law schools ranked in the top two tiers....it's an uphill battle for them.

as for the comment about penn state....it's ranked in the 3rd tier because its only been affiliated with psu for a few years. on top of that, the campus is 80 miles from state college in the middle of nowhere. if they get the go ahead to move the school to state college it will skyrocket....unfortunately if dickinson keeps fighting the matter and maintains its sovereignty, i'd be willing to bet psu builds its own school and lets dickinson become independent again.   

[msher3yn]

Yea, I have figured the same thing about Dickinson. I was accepted there, and everyone that I have told thinks that it is a really highly ranked school because it is affiliated with Penn State. As soon as I would say Penn State everyone would be like wow that's a great school. But, I never went to visit the school because it is in the middle of nowhere and because everyone seems to think rankings are more important than living, so I thought I might be better off going to my Tier 2 and forgetting about it. However, I do regret not giving it more of a chance because I think that if it continues to stay affiliated with Penn State it will become Tier 2 in no time--name is the only thing that matters in these rankings--I don't think the rankings really say much about the schools besides how much money they kick back and what sort of reaction the name brings about.

[flecktone]

What's so bad about the school?

I have been asking myself and others the same question about NYLS and still don't know the answer.  I agree with msher that rankings have become more important than life itself.  I also agree that there are no bad law schools, just bad students who don't know how to maximize their potential and rise to the top in spite of negative circumstances like bad teachers, students who have no business being there, ineffectual career centers, etc. - and top tier schools are no more immuned to these circumstances than bottom tier schools.  I think the best lawyers are those that seize an opportunity and get as much out of it as possible.  Consider excelling in a 3rd tier school to land a choice starting position the first of many hurdles you will overcome throughout your career.  What doesn't kill you makes you stronger.

[ttiwed]

check out what people have to say here:

http://www.lawschooldiscussion.org/prelaw/index.php/topic,1272.20#msg7782

i myself am interested in syracuse. hopefully next year they'll move back to T2.