Top15-30 2011 US News Predicitons Forum

[gymboree]

Does anyone think Wake, Tulane or SMU have a shot at moving up into this region?

no.

[09042014]

Minnesota will drop this year because of their yield disaster last year. Splitters are like a drug, you can't stop using them once you start or your numbers will fall.

[pennstatepride]

15. UCLA
16. Texas
17. Vanderbilt
18. USC
19. Emory-----------165/3.55 no way---waaay too high
20. WashU----------167.3.7
21. Notre Dame-----166/3.6
22. BU--------------166/3.7
23. Minnesota-------167.3.74
24. BC--------------166/3.53--- this seems 3 spots too high
25. Illinois-----------166/3.8
26. Indiana
27. GWU ------------167/3.71---- way too low
28. Fordham---------166/3.64
29. Iowa
30. W&M

There will be ties, of course, but I just ignored this in my ranking list.

[fancifulthings]

Is ND really that good? I was looking at them, until I was put off somewhat by the religious aspect. A former roommate of mine went there (albeit for undergrad) and said that the Catholic identity on campus is really strong and that sometimes it can be disconcerting to non-Catholics.

[PDaddy]

when do rankings come out?

After everybody has made his/her bad choices and spent thousands on seat deposits. lol It's a conspiracy, I tell you! Do you think USNWR gets kickbacks?

[emkay625]

I predict that Texas will crack the top-14. It will be glorious.

Now only if they'll let me in come the 2011/2012 cycle....

[ArthurEdens]

Is ND really that good? I was looking at them, until I was put off somewhat by the religious aspect. A former roommate of mine went there (albeit for undergrad) and said that the Catholic identity on campus is really strong and that sometimes it can be disconcerting to non-Catholics.

I'm agnostic, so this was a concern for me too. Everything I have read on the matter indicates that there is nothing to worry about. Nothing indicates that the Catholicism is forced upon you. In fact, despite being agnostic, in some ways I appreciate that they're not ashamed to hang onto their Catholic identity.

As far as this thread goes, ND should jump up a spot or two given their new dean and facilities.

[PDaddy]

Does anyone think Wake, Tulane or SMU have a shot at moving up into this region?

no.

Agreed. But all three are somewhat underranked. But top 30? I don't think so. Wake is hurt by location. Tulane is hurt because it won't game the rankings. I admire this because Tulane knows what it wants in students, and it seems to work well for the school. SMU is simply hurt the way all southern schools are: underestimated quality. Plus religion is always a turnoff to a good portion of students.

Tulane would have the best shot at cracking top-30 (maybe top-25) if it would just recruit more 165-170 students. New Orleans recovering and modernizing (and reducing crime) significantly would help a lot. IMO, it's going to be a long time before all of that happens. But it's already a generous school and has proven that it can place students in the major and secondary markets.

Wake is a great school but won't move up much as long as UNC and Duke are in business.

[Hopefullawstudent]

GWU will be at worst #22. WashU will probably not move anywhere. Emory will move down.

(Opinions of course, but GWU is underrated as is, Emory overrated). ND is a toss up. But their religious approach to the law/location hurts them big time if you ask me.

[Pearalegal]

ND is a toss up. But they're religious approach to the law/location hurts them big time if you ask me.

I agree with you about ND's rankings being a toss up, but after I've done a ton of research on the school and have spoken to a chunk of students and professors, I'm curious what you mean to the religious approach to the law. Plus, location? Cornell?

[vanwinkle]

ND is a toss up. But they're religious approach to the law/location hurts them big time if you ask me.

I agree with you about ND's rankings being a toss up, but after I've done a ton of research on the school and have spoken to a chunk of students and professors, I'm curious what you mean to the religious approach to the law. Plus, location? Cornell?

I criticize ND a lot, but only from the perspective that non-Catholics may want to strongly weigh some things before choosing to attend there. It is a good school and has a strong reputation and alumni network, and I'm actually surprised it's ranked as low as it is myself.

[Hopefullawstudent]

ND is a toss up. But they're religious approach to the law/location hurts them big time if you ask me.

I agree with you about ND's rankings being a toss up, but after I've done a ton of research on the school and have spoken to a chunk of students and professors, I'm curious what you mean to the religious approach to the law. Plus, location? Cornell?

Cornell's location hurts it big time as well. If Cornell swapped locations with Forham, Cornell would be ranked in the top 5 (slightly exaggerating, but not by much). As it is, if it comes down to Cornell or UCLA for me - I am picking UCLA no questions asked. Why? A few reasons, but location is very close to being the top reason.

To learn more about ND's religious approach to the law, just click around their website. It isn't too hard to find the video of the dean basically describing ND's inextricable blend of law and religion. Power to them. For many, it's the right approach to the law. It may in fact be the superior approach. But as far as selectivity goes, and attracting the most competitive (by the numbers) applicant pool possible, this approach to the law turns away MANY applicants. South Bend is also a major turn off, even thought the campus is itself nice and the school prestigious in its own right.

-HL

Edit: Keep in mind that I am coming out of Hyde Park - home to the University of Chicago. I know a thing or two about how a school's location affects the applications it receives. In the mid-1970s things were so bad at U of C that they were letting in people with SATs in the 1100-1200 range, and the school even tried to move locations to Colorado or California!

[Pearalegal]

ND is a toss up. But they're religious approach to the law/location hurts them big time if you ask me.

I agree with you about ND's rankings being a toss up, but after I've done a ton of research on the school and have spoken to a chunk of students and professors, I'm curious what you mean to the religious approach to the law. Plus, location? Cornell?

I criticize ND a lot, but only from the perspective that non-Catholics may want to strongly weigh some things before choosing to attend there. It is a good school and has a strong reputation and alumni network, and I'm actually surprised it's ranked as low as it is myself.

Yeah...as a non-Catholic I've been weighing things a lot. Its interesting...the materials handed out by the law school itself, instead of those directly created by the University's boards (such as the websites, blah blah) are like night and day when it comes to the Catholic influence. It seems like the classes where you'll find a religious bent are optional, elective types.

Again, this is just coming to talking with faculty and students at NDLS. I've certainly gone through the website several times, and thats the most religious stuff I've seen. A 3L I was emailing back and forth with said that the class with Bush's general counsel (whatever his name is), is the only class shes had that held an overt conservative bias.

Of course, this really doesn't matter as I'm just talking about day-to-day stuff. Overwhelmingly I've been told that the law school's student body is middle-left while the undergraduate is middle-right.

I was more just curious if hopefulundergrad had anything more detailed than just the website. I've been researching oodles, so just wondering if he knew something I didn't.

[chicago520]

Fordham drops.
Ohio drops.
Alabama drops.
Wake Forest up.
GMU up.
Cardozo up (40? new dean)

T25-45 is a warzone.

[tikitavi]

Minnesota will drop this year because of their yield disaster last year. Splitters are like a drug, you can't stop using them once you start or your numbers will fall.

I was a pretty severe splitter(3.0/178); Minnesota waitlisted me, then in July they contacted me saying they would like to extend me an offer for a full scholarship. I thought it was pretty bizarre to waitlist someone and then less than two months before schools starts to offer them a free ride. I turned them down because I had already made all my plans(and didn't want to move to Minnesota anyway) but I guess they were really desperate to raise their LSAT medians?

[Shot007]

Applied to Illinois, then I started reading on TLS that it was going to drop significantly - how big of a drop does everyone think it is going to take this year?

Second of all, does everyone thing W&L is going to drop out of the top 30 this year? - its tethering on the brink

[Blindmelon]

Applied to Illinois, then I started reading on TLS that it was going to drop significantly - how big of a drop does everyone think it is going to take this year?

Second of all, does everyone thing W&L is going to drop out of the top 30 this year? - its tethering on the brink

FWIW, if it drops, I don't think it'll drop more than a few places.

[dusk2k2]

I've heard about the Minnesota yield problem from last year before, but could anyone explain exactly what happened and why its made them splitter friendly?

[keg411]

I've heard about the Minnesota yield problem from last year before, but could anyone explain exactly what happened and why its made them splitter friendly?

Minnesota was always splitter-friendly and then changed their approach last year and started WL'ing and rejecting splitters. After having problems with yield, then went back to their old policies. Look at the LSN graphs and you'll see what happened.

Someone (I forget who) liked splitters to crack. Once you start doing it, you can't stop .

[DoubleChecks]

curious, why do ppl think UCLA would beat UT ITE? texas economy right now >>> CA economy lol

[09042014]

curious, why do ppl think UCLA would beat UT ITE? texas economy right now >>> CA economy lol

Because USNWR doesn't factor in the economy. It does a terrible job of factoring in employment.

[LSATfromNC]

Applied to Illinois, then I started reading on TLS that it was going to drop significantly - how big of a drop does everyone think it is going to take this year?

Second of all, does everyone thing W&L is going to drop out of the top 30 this year? - its tethering on the brink

If their 3L program works out they could fly up on the peer/judge evaluation or it could backfire, who knows.

[DoubleChecks]

curious, why do ppl think UCLA would beat UT ITE? texas economy right now >>> CA economy lol

Because USNWR doesn't factor in the economy. It does a terrible job of factoring in employment.

i sort of meant job prospects and such lol - things resultant of the economy

[Shot007]

Applied to Illinois, then I started reading on TLS that it was going to drop significantly - how big of a drop does everyone think it is going to take this year?

Second of all, does everyone thing W&L is going to drop out of the top 30 this year? - its tethering on the brink

If their 3L program works out they could fly up on the peer/judge evaluation or it could backfire, who knows.

I hope their 3L program works out, its the only reason I am interested in them - i think its just the sort of thing that Law schools need

[Capitalist]

Random question: Why isn't UNC-Chapel Hill ranked higher than mid 30s?