I wouldn't for one second take a law school's insistence that they really, truly, absolutely think that their ranking will improve at face value. Not a single school would admit, "yeah, we're ranked 26 now, but next year, we'll probably drop to 33." Rather, look at trends in rankings, if a state school, look at the economic condition of the state (if CU Boulder loses as much state money as people fear, I can't imagine it would maintain its current ranking, for example), and job placement stats.itsmytime10 wrote: Iowa has a better placement across the board because Illinois grads stay in Chicago. Take those into consideration....Which school will do better in a bad economy....If you care about rankings then try and figure out what school thinks their ranking is likely to get better/stay the same..etc.......but like i said before...try and talk to students who are willing to give you an honest opinion about the school...Personally i love both schools..but I love Illinois more.
I don't doubt that many Illinois grads choose to stay in Chicago. I doubt that Iowa places better across the board because Illinois grads stay in Chicago/Illinois - such a statement reeks of fallacy.
The data surely are influenced by self-selection, we just have no idea how much of an effect self-selection has. Iowa students likely would not apply to, and then attend, Iowa if they didn't like - or couldn't see themselves living in - the mid-west. Same goes for Illinois. I do not for a second deny that Illinois is a great school, or that it places very well in the mid-west, particularly Illinois. I question whether or not its job placement stats are better, in terms of portability, than Iowa's. My point is really that an Iowa degree does not confine you to Iowa or prevent you from getting a job in Chicago, regardless of the fact that it is rated below Illinois.Vincent Vega wrote: True, but perception is also a large factor in situations such as this. A lot of your data could also be accounted for by self-selection - it could simply be that Illinois students prefer the midwest much more than Iowa students (perhaps partially because QOL in Champaign is generally considered better than that of Iowa City).
As for the QOL argument, I have no basis on which to judge that claim. I liked Iowa City a lot, and didn't love Champaign. I don't know what the consensus is, but I very much doubt that most people find Iowa City so detestable as to turn them off the mid-west altogether. Now, spend a week in Tuba City, AZ, and you will NEVER return to Arizona. Ever. That is a guarantee.
Like I said, I'm just suffering from sticker shock and am wondering if Illinois is worth the debt.
