What are the five most overranked schools? Forum

[Troianii]

So I've heard from a few posters about particular schools being overranked, where they aren't even remotely as good law schools in this regard or that regard as similarly ranked law schools are. So I'm curious, what are the most overranked law schools in your opinion?

[TLSModBot]

Rankings don't matter after top 20-ish. HTH.

Although I've heard some disturbing things about UPenn so be warned.

[HangingAround]

So I've heard from a few posters about particular schools being overranked, where they aren't even remotely as good law schools in this regard or that regard as similarly ranked law schools are. So I'm curious, what are the most overranked law schools in your opinion?

Emory - 52 of 224 long term bar passage jobs are school funded. I would imagine they are "long-term" by being one year, though I am not sure how often they translate to real jobs. I heard school funded jobs were being factored more heavily (negatively) into USNWR rankings but doesn't look like Emory moved at all. Not to mention 47 at firms of 2-10 people is worth noting, even though people could target those for whatever reason. Both are a lot better than being unemployed, though. Not really researching their peers, so not sure if they are overranked in the T20, but still pretty rough.

http://www.lstscorereports.com/schools/emory/ABA/2014/

[radient]

Gtown

[forlornhope]

.

[acr]

Iowa

[Troianii]

Just to add what I've heard stick out more than once like sore thumbs: Cardozo, American (DC), and ASU. Though I think the first two have seen their rankings drop, whereas ASU has gotten by largely with their school funded jobs.

[radient]

At this point my biggest concern is the U Washington is potentially on that list - my undergrad GPA wasn't so hot, so I feel like it's the best I'll be getting into.

Their average employment statistics (mid 80%) just don't add up when you consider the rank of the school. I have trouble finding many opinions on this, though. The bar passage rate there seems fine, but considering that is pretty much the goal of every law school, it doesn't say a whole lot. The ranking methodology isn't exactly very helpful, either, but I suppose it's here to stay.

I mean, it's an okay option with a heavy discount. Can you get a 167+? Would you consider transferring or dropping out if you're still there for OCI and strike out?

[General_Tso]

Rankings don't matter after top 20-ish. HTH.

Troianni will not be persuaded of this fact. S/he loves following the horse race between Cardozo and Brooklyn for the vaunted T50 status.

Trust me I've gone around and around with Troianni before.

[forlornhope]

.

[luckenmeister]

So I've heard from a few posters about particular schools being overranked, where they aren't even remotely as good law schools in this regard or that regard as similarly ranked law schools are. So I'm curious, what are the most overranked law schools in your opinion?

Emory - 52 of 224 long term bar passage jobs are school funded. I would imagine they are "long-term" by being one year, though I am not sure how often they translate to real jobs. I heard school funded jobs were being factored more heavily (negatively) into USNWR rankings but doesn't look like Emory moved at all. Not to mention 47 at firms of 2-10 people is worth noting, even though people could target those for whatever reason. Both are a lot better than being unemployed, though. Not really researching their peers, so not sure if they are overranked in the T20, but still pretty rough.

http://www.lstscorereports.com/schools/emory/ABA/2014/

Seconded.

Emory has to be the most over-rated school in the top-50. As someone who's extremely familiar with schools in the southeast (live in the Carolinas), there are much better options down south. Even the other in state options (UGA and GSU) have significantly better employment outcomes with higher bar passage rates to boot. Emory may have a slight edge in big law, but that's unlikely anyhow (UNC's biglaw rate is higher too).

Then again, I think many of these schools: (UNC, UGA, UF) are underrated, as they do really well sans biglaw.

[Good Guy Gaud]

ASU

because it doesn't matter how high their rankings get, no one is going to care outside of AZ

[stego]

ASU

because it doesn't matter how high their rankings get, no one is going to care outside of AZ

I think you could probably make this argument about several highly ranked state schools, like Minnesota.

[Troianii]

Rankings don't matter after top 20-ish. HTH.

Troianni will not be persuaded of this fact. S/he loves following the horse race between Cardozo and Brooklyn for the vaunted T50 status.

Trust me I've gone around and around with Troianni before.

You're in there a little late there bud! Thanks for posting!

[Kali the Annihilator]

Northwestern

[Troianii]

ASU

because it doesn't matter how high their rankings get, no one is going to care outside of AZ

I think that's mostly because they've manipulated the "school funded" jobs bit to boost their rankings. From what I understand, they should be a low tier one or maybe even a tier two.

As some others have pointed out, many tier 1 schools, even top 20 schools (namely Minnesota) still have only a regional reach, but I'd note that there's kind of a "regional" reach for those regions, as opposed to a state reach (which we normally call "regional" anyway). From what I've gathered speaking to a lot of grads a Minnesota grad would be preferred in Wisconsin over any Wisconsin schools *other* than Wisconsin, and a Wisconsin grad would be preferred in Minnesota over any Minnesota grad *other* than Minnesota. But then even there, there's the caveat of cities where schools are - so for example, a Marquette grad would have an advantage over a Minnesota grad in Milwaukee, and a William Mitchell grad would have an advantage over a Wisconsin grad in the Twin Cities.

I think the basic point, often missed, is that a school's reach isn't always state based, it's often city based. Another similar example I'm aware of (and we're moving much further down the rankings here) is that Creighton (which is in Omaha, NE) is better for someone who wants to work in Omaha, whereas *anywhere* else in Nebraska UNebraska grads get the edge.

[CicBob17]

Rankings don't matter after top 20-ish. HTH.

Although I've heard some disturbing things about UPenn so be warned.

What about Penn now?

[bk1]

Northwestern Pritzker

[Kali the Annihilator]

My bad. Can hardly follow what the law school formerly known as Prince is doing anymore

[TLSModBot]

Rankings don't matter after top 20-ish. HTH.

Although I've heard some disturbing things about UPenn so be warned.

What about Penn now?

call-in

Look man I just hear the buzz that Penn's got some problems.

[General_Tso]

You're in there a little late there bud! Thanks for posting!

Thanks

FTR it's Tuesday, thanks

[radient]

penn is underrated

[Troianii]

You're in there a little late there bud! Thanks for posting!

Thanks

FTR it's Tuesday, thanks

Hence, "You're in a little late there...."

[CicBob17]

penn is love. penn is life

[rnoodles]

I'd say Yale is pretty overranked. Should be like 151, at the very best.