US News and World Report 2025

I think that US News is off -- Harvard number 6? I don't think so.

And Columbia number 10.

And the ABA Journal: "Just how important are the U.S. News & World Report rankings? A survey of 93 law school admissions officers by the Kaplan test prep company found that 62% think that the rankings 'have lost some of their prestige over the last couple of years.'" 

US News peer assessments tier 1 (this is 50 law schools) and the citations as Washington and Lee library Law is .82. That is about the same reported in 2007 (.87).  

Comments

[anon]

Does that validate USNWR?

[Al]

The funniest one for me is Texas A&M. It is hilarious that anyone could think that they are even in the top 50. It's amazing what gaming US News + oil money can do.

[Al Brophy]

I'm not sure. USNWR is not good -- but I think peer assessment (and law reviews citations) are better ones. (Rather placements successful and bar passage are 58%.)

And the second one -- Al -- is not "Al Brophy." I don't know this person.

[Scott]

I will agree that many schools game the rankings. Al Brophy, I think we both know a certain dean who has been quite successful in doing this.

[anon]

How can we explain the drop in UC Berkeley's ratings? It is now rated lower than UCLA.
Not that UCLA isn't a fine law school. Of course, it is.
But, "historically" UCLA wasn't rated anywhere near to UCB.
If the Deans are the key to success ...? Or, is it something else?

[anon]

So, comments that might suggest Deans might have some effect on USNWR rankings are verboten?
Geez, how pathetic.
Apparently, it's ok to suggest a law school is corrupt, but not the possible lack of skill of a Dean? What sort of logic is that?
It might be time to wind this blog up.

[Hubert Long, LSU]

Speaking of law review citations.

https://leiterlawschool.typepad.com/leiter/2025/02/citation-rings.html

Someone should do the research. It would be fun, not just important, to expose.