Seriously look at their criteria:QuoteQuality Assessment (weighted by .40) Peer Assessment Score (.25)In the fall of 2005, law school deans, deans of academic affairs, the chair of faculty appointments, and the most recently tenured faculty members were asked to rate programs on a scale from "marginal" (1) to "outstanding" (5). Those individuals who did not know enough about a school to evaluate it fairly were asked to mark "don't know." A school's score is the average of all the respondents who rated it. Responses of "don't know" counted neither for nor against a school. About 67 percent of those surveyed responded.Assessment Score by Lawyers/Judges (.15)In the fall of 2005, legal professionals, including the hiring partners of law firms, state attorneys general, and selected federal and state judges, were asked to rate programs on a scale from "marginal" (1) to "outstanding" (5). Those individuals who did not know enough about a school to evaluate it fairly were asked to mark "don't know." A school's score is the average of all the respondents who rated it. Responses of "don't know" counted neither for nor against a school. About 26 percent of those surveyed responded.Selectivity (weighted by .25) Median LSAT Scores (.125)The median of the scores on the Law School Admissions Test of the 2005 entering class of the full-time J.D. program.Median Undergrad GPA (.10)The median of the undergraduate grade point average of the 2005 entering class of the full-time J.D. program.Acceptance Rate (.025)The proportion of applicants to the full-time program who were accepted for entry into the 2005 entering class.Placement Success (weighted by .20) Employment Rates for GraduatesThe employment rates for 2004 graduating class. Graduates who are working or pursuing graduate degrees are considered employed. Those graduates not seeking jobs are excluded. Employment rates are measure at graduation (.04) and nine months after graduation (.14). For the nine-month employment rate, 25 percent of those whose status is unknown are counted as employed.Bar Passage Rate (.02)The ratio of the school's bar passage rate of the 2004 graduating class to that jurisdiction's overall state bar passage rate for first-time test takers in summer 2004 and winter 2005. The jurisdiction listed is the state where the largest number of 2004 graduates took the state bar exam.Faculty Resources (weighted by .15) Expenditures Per StudentThe average expenditures per student for the 2004 and 2005 fiscal years. The average instruction, library, and supporting services (.0975) are measured, as are all other items, including financial aid (.015).Student/Faculty Ratio (.03)The ratio of students to faculty members for the fall 2005 class, using the American Bar Association definition.Library Resources (.0075)The total number of volumes and titles in the school's law library at the end of the 2005 fiscal year.See how 40% of the damn rankings are simply what others think of the school? Bar passage rates and employment statistics are collectively given only half of that.Unfortunately though, they have a monopoly on the market of rankings so they can pretty much do whatever they want, and people (including lawyers and future lawyers who should be more skeptical of things like this) take these rankings for 100% accuracy and truth
Quality Assessment (weighted by .40) Peer Assessment Score (.25)In the fall of 2005, law school deans, deans of academic affairs, the chair of faculty appointments, and the most recently tenured faculty members were asked to rate programs on a scale from "marginal" (1) to "outstanding" (5). Those individuals who did not know enough about a school to evaluate it fairly were asked to mark "don't know." A school's score is the average of all the respondents who rated it. Responses of "don't know" counted neither for nor against a school. About 67 percent of those surveyed responded.Assessment Score by Lawyers/Judges (.15)In the fall of 2005, legal professionals, including the hiring partners of law firms, state attorneys general, and selected federal and state judges, were asked to rate programs on a scale from "marginal" (1) to "outstanding" (5). Those individuals who did not know enough about a school to evaluate it fairly were asked to mark "don't know." A school's score is the average of all the respondents who rated it. Responses of "don't know" counted neither for nor against a school. About 26 percent of those surveyed responded.Selectivity (weighted by .25) Median LSAT Scores (.125)The median of the scores on the Law School Admissions Test of the 2005 entering class of the full-time J.D. program.Median Undergrad GPA (.10)The median of the undergraduate grade point average of the 2005 entering class of the full-time J.D. program.Acceptance Rate (.025)The proportion of applicants to the full-time program who were accepted for entry into the 2005 entering class.Placement Success (weighted by .20) Employment Rates for GraduatesThe employment rates for 2004 graduating class. Graduates who are working or pursuing graduate degrees are considered employed. Those graduates not seeking jobs are excluded. Employment rates are measure at graduation (.04) and nine months after graduation (.14). For the nine-month employment rate, 25 percent of those whose status is unknown are counted as employed.Bar Passage Rate (.02)The ratio of the school's bar passage rate of the 2004 graduating class to that jurisdiction's overall state bar passage rate for first-time test takers in summer 2004 and winter 2005. The jurisdiction listed is the state where the largest number of 2004 graduates took the state bar exam.Faculty Resources (weighted by .15) Expenditures Per StudentThe average expenditures per student for the 2004 and 2005 fiscal years. The average instruction, library, and supporting services (.0975) are measured, as are all other items, including financial aid (.015).Student/Faculty Ratio (.03)The ratio of students to faculty members for the fall 2005 class, using the American Bar Association definition.Library Resources (.0075)The total number of volumes and titles in the school's law library at the end of the 2005 fiscal year.
actually it moved up 13 spots...i'm just pointing out that it's a stupid system
IMO I think 80% of the score should be on what LAWYERS and ACADEMICS think of the school. These are the people in charge of hiring and the people you will be associated most with for the rest of your life. In fact -- putting 20% on employment rate is complete crap for the T10 because all are like 98%+. Thus, it magnifies insignificant differences. I really only look at the reputation rankings of the schools when using USNWR.
Do you need US News ranking mythology to know that Suffolk and New England School of law are not as prestigious as BC, Boston U and that BC and BU are not as prestigious as Harvard?
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