The New Law School Rankings are out!!

Here’s a look at what U.S. World and Report shows the top 14 Law Schools are as of this year.

From: http://grad-schools.usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/best-graduate-schools/top-law-schools/rankings

So what do these rankings mean? Well the U.S. News and World Report explains the main factors involved in the ranking are:

• Quality Assessment (weighted by .40)
  1. Peer Assessment Score (.25)
     • This score comes from law school deans, deans of academic affairs, chairs of faculty appointments, and the most recently tenured faculty members ratings of their school’s programs on a scale from marginal (1) to outstanding (5).
  2. Assessment Score by Lawyers/Judges (.15)
     • This score comes from legal professionals, including the hiring partners of law firms, state attorneys general, and selected federal and state judges ratings of programs on a scale from marginal (1) to outstanding (5).
• Selectivity (weighted by .25)
  1. Median LSAT Scores (.125)
  2. Median Undergrad GPA (.10)
  3. Acceptance Rate (.025)
• Placement Success (weighted by .20)
  1. Employment Rates for Graduates
     • The graduating class of 2008 determined these numbers. The employment rate measured at graduation receive a (.04) weight while employment nine months after graduation is given a (.14) weight.
  2. Bar Passage Rate (.02)
• Faculty Resources (weighted by .15)
• Expenditures Per Student
  • From the 2008 to 2009 fiscal years the average expenditures per student are calculated with the average instruction, library, and supporting services having a (.0975) weight and all other items, including financial aid having a (.015) weight.
• Student/Faculty Ratio (.03)
• Library Resources (.0075)

What does this mean to upcoming applicants?

While these scores give a good sense of what law schools have overall better facilities and reputations, these numbers aren’t telling you everyone should go to Harvard.

Going to law school is a personal decision for each applicant and your ranking of schools based on the most crucial factors to you, will likely differ greatly from the U.S. News and World Report numbers.

The cost of the school, the location of the school, the programs the school offers and the library facilities are all things that are more important than the ranking of schools to many applicants.

So how can you decide what law school is right for you?

First, you have to decide what the most important factors are for you about the law school you most want to go to.

Then you simply have to do your research. I recommend using the LSAC website to help make this decision more easy.

By clicking ion that blue link you will be able to search American Bar Association Approved schools by region, keywords, by the likelihood that your LSAT and GPA will lead to your acceptance, or even by a detailed search using your specific qualifications.

If you haven’t looked at this feature of the LSAC website you really need to check it out.

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