Paul L. Caron
Dean





Tuesday, December 20, 2022

More Commentary On The U.S. News Law School Rankings Boycott (Part 4)

US News (2023)David Lat (Original Jurisdiction), Judicial Notice:

My recommendation to U.S. News: with so many leading law schools opting out, change your methodology so it relies entirely on public data, such as data required by ABA Standard 509, and data you can generate yourselves, such as reputation scores.

Logan Cornett (Institute for the Advancement of the American Legal System, Denver),  Law Schools Pull Out of U.S. News Rankings, Citing Harm to Legal Education:

Instead of focusing on more relevant data, the U.S. News rankings consistently weigh factors that skew toward favoring those with wealth, privilege, and prestige—contributing to a profession that is already sorely lacking in diversity. Not only does this lack of diversity hinder innovation, creativity, and problem-solving in the legal profession, it also undermines the public’s trust and confidence in the justice system.

Michael Simkovic (USC), Grade Point Averages and Law School Rankings:

[G]rades should probably be used in law school rankings.  But those grades should ideally be adjusted by major and institutionfor example based on differences in the distribution of grades across majors and institutions.  This would reduce well-documented biases in grading that cause a disconnect between grades and student ability levels, and that distort students’ choice of undergraduate major.

Slate, Is This the End of College Rankings? (Podcast):

With Yale and Harvard law schools withdrawing from U.S. News & World Report’s annual law school rankings, others have followed suit. With the rating system for all colleges taking criticism, being “gamed,” and beset by scandal, is this the beginning of the end of the influential college-ranking system?

U.S. News coverage:

Boycott

U.S. News Response to Boycott

https://taxprof.typepad.com/taxprof_blog/2022/12/more-commentary-on-the-us-news-law-school-rankings-boycott-part-4-.html

Law School Rankings, Legal Ed Rankings, Legal Education | Permalink