Do the new rankings change your mind?

[CCC]

Are the new rankings changing your mind about where you might attend next year? Since i want to stay in the NW, I personally was considering taking the money at Willamette, but seeing them drop to T4 tells me that maybe I should rule them out.

[paul1454]

Hasn't affected my decision at all.  Talking to many mid and biglaw hiring partners has opened my eyes to the fact that, since I won't be going to a t14, location should be the single most important factor in my decision. It sounds like you are in the same boat as me. Don't let USNews choose your law school for you.

[gratif]

location should be the single most important factor in my decision.

Yeah, and my #2 choice in my preferred locale ($t. Thoma$) just popped up to a T3.  I'm feeling good.

[oudidntno]

Hasn't affected my decision at all.  Talking to many mid and biglaw hiring partners has opened my eyes to the fact that, since I won't be going to a t14, location should be the single most important factor in my decision. It sounds like you are in the same boat as me. Don't let USNews choose your law school for you.

I am amazed how so many 0L disagree with you and think only rankings, rankings, rankings, and how many hring lawyers agree with you and think location, location, location. 

[Matokah]

Nope.  I got into 4 schools ranked higher than Pacific (according to the new rankings), but Sacramento and Northern California is where I want to be.  The school's got a good reputation in the location in which I want to practice, so I'm good to go.

[stsherri]

Not at all. 

[Navygirl]

I have absolutely no idea where I want to eventually live (and practice), so I can't really base my decision on location.  One thing is for sure...after visiting the Penn State campus, I think that has dropped to one of my last choices...(funny too, since my luck will probably include me getting dinged everywhere BUT there...lol)

Oh well.  Rankings aren't as important as atmosphere, and if the school seems like a good fit.  Unfortunately, if I get any acceptances back (still waiting), I probably won't have the funds (or the time) to check out the school before deciding.  So I'm stuck with looking at rankings, and message boards where hopefully I can talk to people at those schools.

Wish I knew where I wanted to live when I finish law school...would have made the process easier 

[oudidntno]

I have absolutely no idea where I want to eventually live (and practice), so I can't really base my decision on location.  One thing is for sure...after visiting the Penn State campus, I think that has dropped to one of my last choices...(funny too, since my luck will probably include me getting dinged everywhere BUT there...lol)

Oh well.  Rankings aren't as important as atmosphere, and if the school seems like a good fit.  Unfortunately, if I get any acceptances back (still waiting), I probably won't have the funds (or the time) to check out the school before deciding.  So I'm stuck with looking at rankings, and message boards where hopefully I can talk to people at those schools.

Wish I knew where I wanted to live when I finish law school...would have made the process easier 

I had a debate in a thread a few months ago about this issue and students in your situation.  I will say that I don't think rankings are absolutely worthless, but I wouldn't base my entire decision on attending one school over another simply because this one is a 54 and this one is a 57, etc.  What you can do is first decide on a few regions you may want to practice.  That doesn't have to mean down to a particular part of a state but more like Southeast, Mid-Atlantic, NE, West Coast, etc.  Surely there are a few preferences here.  As for myself, I had 2 regions of the country I liked so then I used the rankings to pick out the 15 or so highest ranked schools in those regions.  Then I began my research comparing and contrasting the schools- for instance, their national reputation, starting salaries for new grads, cost of education, teacher to student ratios, feedback from current students, pictures of their campus (like yourself, finances and a very busy job prevented a trip to college campuses for me), info. about the city and even states where these law schools were located especially in regards to the job market, local public schools (fiancée is a teacher), proximity to friends and family, and then also likelihood of acceptance, etc.  After  this I got down to about 8 schools and then also prioritized them.

Now in the end, for me, because of it's location, my familiarity with the campus and law school, available job already offered to my fiancee, the proximity to most of my friends and family, the cost of education and scholarship money, UGA won, even though Alabama is now equally ranked and offered me more $$$$, and to be honest was a better recruiter.  Still I know I will be happy at UGA, and a happy student general makes a better student.   

[Ravynous Elegance]

The new rankings did not change my mind, but they did (sadly) make me feel a little better about where I'm going to end up.  I was "deciding" between GW, ND, and WUSTL - meaning that I knew I was going to end up at WUSTL, but wasnt completely sold on the idea yet.

I've known since december that I was going to end up at WUSTL. My bf got in (full ride med) and he loves it and its an amazing med school. I was concerned that the law school had an artificially high ranking based only on increased spending per student.  Seeing that they stayed in the top 20 makes me feel more comfortable about being able to get a job in the Northeast post graduation. I have connections, but I was still really worried about it. I think in the top 20, WUSTL will get more attention.

That being said, I loved the school when I visited and think I would be happy there for three years. I would have ended up there even if it wasn't in the top 20 because they gave me the most money and being with my bf after 4 years long distance is a priority. Yeah it happens to be the highest ranked school I got into, but I don't think that means much besides layman prestige... And even then to know that they'd have to know the rankings. I dont think its going to give me much of a boost... but it helps me cope with going to the midwest from the east coast. I don't like being far from the ocean.

[stsherri]

I have absolutely no idea where I want to eventually live (and practice), so I can't really base my decision on location.  One thing is for sure...after visiting the Penn State campus, I think that has dropped to one of my last choices...(funny too, since my luck will probably include me getting dinged everywhere BUT there...lol)

Oh well.  Rankings aren't as important as atmosphere, and if the school seems like a good fit.  Unfortunately, if I get any acceptances back (still waiting), I probably won't have the funds (or the time) to check out the school before deciding.  So I'm stuck with looking at rankings, and message boards where hopefully I can talk to people at those schools.

Wish I knew where I wanted to live when I finish law school...would have made the process easier 

Exactly. W&L could have fallen a dozen spots, and I still would have been confident about choosing them based on "fit." 

I'm curious to know which Penn St. campus you visited.  I visited Carlilse (Dickinson) and thought it was a lovely campus.  Granted, the transitional building (where they will be for the next couple years during rennovations to the law building) was in an awkward location, but I was totally charmed by the actual campus and law building.