Do the new rankings change your mind?

[Yankees Fan]

It did for 10 minutes.  Then I realized people on here, including myself sometimes, put way too much emphasis on rankings for schools out of the top 20 or so.

[S2X]

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.

I was shocked Willamette dropped to T4.  I figured they'd at least stay in the third tier.  In any event, I am not swayed by the newest rankings at all.  I feel that one should go to a school that is the best fit for the person, and it should not necessarily be the highest-ranked school.

[Matokah]

I'm the same way.  It bugged me a little that WM and UST moved up to third tier while poor little Hamline stayed in the fourth tier, but I don't think that would've swayed me from attending.

As for Pacific, I'd have gone even if they dropped into the third tier (hanging in there at 100 right now  ).  I love the location and the programs they offer.

[Navygirl]

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.   

To be perfectly honest, I applied so late in the game that I'll be happy going ANYWHERE that accepts me...I could care less what the rank is.  But that was one thing I did already...I've been stationed in the Northeast for the past 3 years and then have been attending Penn State's Abington campus up here too...and I'm ready to bolt.  Which is why Penn State is the only Northeast school I applied to. (I had to apply there, just felt obligated, since it's my alma mater )   But I pretty much only applied to places I could see myself living at (at least for three years, if not longer).

[Navygirl]

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.

Yes, I liked the old campus and even Carlisle-- but in such a way that I would just like to visit, not live for 3 years.  There is NOTHING there   And I looked at housing and there aren't many choices of apartments (and I couldn't find any that accepted pets, and I'm bringing my dog with me), and I have no desire to work in the PA/NJ/NY area after I graduate.  Not to mention that the renovations will be taking a long time--the new class will probably be in the transitional building the whole time--and that's not what I want for my law school experience.  It just doesn't seem like the right fit for me.  But...aside from all of that, I love Penn State, and my loyalty alone made me want to at least apply and consider it

But I understand the W&L thing--I'm from VA, and Lexington is so cute, and that area makes up for its small size in charm (not to mention, it gets pretty decent tourist business, you are real close to the Natural Bridge)...it is so beautiful in the fall, and the mountains are right there.  It is such a beautiful campus, I wish I could have gone there!!

[stsherri]

Yes, I liked the old campus and even Carlisle-- but in such a way that I would just like to visit, not live for 3 years.  There is NOTHING there   And I looked at housing and there aren't many choices of apartments (and I couldn't find any that accepted pets, and I'm bringing my dog with me), and I have no desire to work in the PA/NJ/NY area after I graduate.  Not to mention that the renovations will be taking a long time--the new class will probably be in the transitional building the whole time--and that's not what I want for my law school experience.  It just doesn't seem like the right fit for me.  But...aside from all of that, I love Penn State, and my loyalty alone made me want to at least apply and consider it

But I understand the W&L thing--I'm from VA, and Lexington is so cute, and that area makes up for its small size in charm (not to mention, it gets pretty decent tourist business, you are real close to the Natural Bridge)...it is so beautiful in the fall, and the mountains are right there.  It is such a beautiful campus, I wish I could have gone there!!

I had the same feeling.  I liked the campus, and would have been very enticed by the school if not for the prospect of spending 3 years in the transitional building.  And you're probably right that it is a very sleepy town... but I'm going to Lexington, so clearly that's not a huge factor for me. 

And I totally understand the "I'll be happy going ANYWHERE that accepts me" mentality.  That was my approach, too, with my 2.79 GPA.  When I got some acceptances from top-tier schools, however, I soon became a bit more snobby.   

Where were you stationed in the NE.  I did search and rescue for the USCG out of Nantucket, MA. 

[thefbomb]

I always referred to Fordham as a Top 25 school to laymen and now USNEWS has validated my amateur evaluation. 

Hopefully USNEWS reads this thread, because I think they will be Top 20 within the next decade. 

[Navygirl]

I had the same feeling.  I liked the campus, and would have been very enticed by the school if not for the prospect of spending 3 years in the transitional building.  And you're probably right that it is a very sleepy town... but I'm going to Lexington, so clearly that's not a huge factor for me. 

And I totally understand the "I'll be happy going ANYWHERE that accepts me" mentality.  That was my approach, too, with my 2.79 GPA.  When I got some acceptances from top-tier schools, however, I soon became a bit more snobby.   

Where were you stationed in the NE.  I did search and rescue for the USCG out of Nantucket, MA. 

Well...I consider PA the NE (I'm from VA...lol), I was stationed at Willow Grove, it's near Philly.  I understand the snobbiness...my mentality might change as well if I get some acceptances here soon