U.S. News on Track for April Release of New Law School Rankings

Robert Morse, Director of Data Research at U.S. News & World Report, announced on his blog yesterday that the U.S. News law school rankings are on track for the annual April publication:

• The law school statistical and peer assessment data collection is now complete.
• U.S. News will publish for the first time peer-assessment-only rankings for Ph.D. programs in English, history, psychology, sociology, political science, economics, and criminology and criminal justice, as well as new rankings for master's degree programs in library and information studies.
• U.S. News will publish updated law school rankings in a variety of fields, including tax.
• U.S. News will publish for the first time rankings of the 87 ABA-approved part-time J.D. programs (defined as a law school that has a separate admission process for part-time law students and specific part-time J.D. program curriculum offerings).  For prior TaxProf Blog coverage of this issue, see:
  • U.S News Considers Two Changes to Law School Rankings Methodology (6/27/08)   
  • Leiter and Solove Criticize Proposed Change to U.S. News Rankings Methodology (7/1/08)
  • A Feminist Perspective on the Proposed U.S. News Rankings Change (7/6/08)
  • NLJ:  Deans Dislike Proposed Change in U.S. News Rankings Methodology (7/7/08)
  • Henderson: The Data Behind the Part-Time Law Student Rankings Loophole (7/14/08)
  • U.S. News Roundup of Debate Over Proposed Changes to Rankings Methodology (7/18/08)
  • Front Page WSJ Story on Law School Rankings (8/26/08)
  • Roundup of Commentary on WSJ Article on Law School Gaming of U.S. News Rankings (8/27/08)
  • U.S. News to Rank Part-Time J.D. Programs (10/7/08)