Top Law Schools

I am looking forward to attending BC Law this fall. I passed on a higher ranked school because I am from the area. That school seemed like it had a strong upward trend in the rankings, so it was a difficult decision. I chose BC because of my ties to the local community and the job stats.

Then I learned about this:

http://www.boston.com/realestate/news/a ... ion_at_bc/

Apparently, Boston College is going to spend $1.6 Billion dollars over a ten year period in order to expand its campus and faculty considerably. The goal of the plan is to significantly advance the school's offerings and reputation. I haven't been following this plan; I actually only learned of it recently. However, further research indicates that the construction plans have been approved by the city. I haven't seen anything that indicates the plan is on hold.

Also, BC Law's previous dean is leaving. Given these things, where do people see BC Law's rankings 10 years from now? It's undergrad rankings too?

I have the fear BC Law could fall into the 30s. But maybe with improvements it will return to the top 25 or perhaps back to 19th someday. I don't think top 25 for UG is out of the question by any means - the spending amount seems large. Does anyone think BC UG could be top 20 at some point? I get the impression from what I have read that they are shooting for even higher than that.

It is pretty much irrelevant whether BC moves up or down 5 or 6 spots in the rankings. Employers don't really pay attention to fluctuations in the rankings, adjusting their opinions of law schools according. Rather, the reputation a school has with an employer has pretty much been set in stone, and a normal fluctuation in the rankings really doesn't matter.

twintipping_bumps wrote:I am looking forward to attending BC Law this fall. I passed on a higher ranked school because I am from the area. That school seemed like it had a strong upward trend in the rankings, so it was a difficult decision. I chose BC because of my ties to the local community and the job stats.

Then I learned about this:

http://www.boston.com/realestate/news/a ... ion_at_bc/

Apparently, Boston College is going to spend $1.6 Billion dollars over a ten year period in order to expand its campus and faculty considerably. The goal of the plan is to significantly advance the school's offerings and reputation. I haven't been following this plan; I actually only learned of it recently. However, further research indicates that the construction plans have been approved by the city. I haven't seen anything that indicates the plan is on hold.

Also, BC Law's previous dean is leaving. Given these things, where do people see BC Law's rankings 10 years from now? It's undergrad rankings too?

I have the fear BC Law could fall into the 30s. But maybe with improvements it will return to the top 25 or perhaps back to 19th someday. I don't think top 25 for UG is out of the question by any means - the spending amount seems large. Does anyone think BC UG could be top 20 at some point? I get the impression from what I have read that they are shooting for even higher than that.

Step 1: Be proud of where you're going to school.
Step 2: Take a xanax
Step 3: Stop worrying about stupid shit like US News.
If Step 3 fails, move to Step 4:
Step 4: Reasses life given your obsession with US News.

Regardless of rankings, BC will always remain a great regional school.

I hope BC plummets in rankings


sorry

Blindmelon wrote: Step 2: Take a xanax
Step 3: Stop worrying about stupid shit like US News.

This was pretty funny, thanks. Yeah, like another person posted as well, the rankings don't have the final say in things. Especially in the case of BC and Boston, I think it is important to consider other factors. I could have gone to a higher ranked school with a slightly bigger scholarship. But I chose BC because most people around here (where I live) love it, I have family that have gone to BC, and its job placement statistics are very strong. I also got a very positive feeling about the school when I visited.

I am just curious where people see it going in the future in regards to the rankings. That's all.

Boston College is a great law school in a great location.

No reason BC couldn't overtake BU for #1 in Boston again (well, #2).

As to UG, I think it would be hear to get better than around where it is (what is that, around #30?). I mean the problem is that it would have to overtake schools like Georgetown, Emory, Carnegie Mellon, UVA, Berkely, Michigan, UCLA, USC -- just don't see that happening, those are all schools that are more national than BC. BC might be able to solidify a place just above peer schools like Tufts, Wake, Rochester, Leigheigh.

Jackie O wrote:I hope BC plummets in rankings


sorry

Me too. F them. They don't donate anything to the city in lieu of the property tax they save for being a non-profit while BU, Suffolk, Harvard, etc. donate huge sums. They're a bunch of selfish pricks.

And OP, I'm sure you're a nice person, but there is an overwhelming sense of douchey-ness around the campus. Be ready.

Blindmelon wrote: If Step 3 fails, move to Step 4:
Step 4: Reasses life given your obsession with US News.

Kurt Cobain wrote:

Jackie O wrote:I hope BC plummets in rankings


sorry

Me too. F them. They don't donate anything to the city in lieu of the property tax they save for being a non-profit while BU, Suffolk, Harvard, etc. donate huge sums. They're a bunch of selfish pricks.

And OP, I'm sure you're a nice person, but there is an overwhelming sense of douchey-ness around the campus. Be ready.

Catholic schools tend to be stingy with everything.

Blindmelon wrote:

Kurt Cobain wrote:

Jackie O wrote:I hope BC plummets in rankings


sorry

Me too. F them. They don't donate anything to the city in lieu of the property tax they save for being a non-profit while BU, Suffolk, Harvard, etc. donate huge sums. They're a bunch of selfish pricks.

And OP, I'm sure you're a nice person, but there is an overwhelming sense of douchey-ness around the campus. Be ready.

Catholic schools tend to be stingy with everything.

The irony...

BC's #28 is the lower range of where it will ever be, and seems to be part of the anomaly of grouping @ 28 in the 2010 rankings.

BC is ranked lower than BU, but has more historical prestige and alumni strength. If BU is still outranking BC 10 years from now, they may chip away at that alumni/reputation factor, but for now...BC Law is a first rate program. Full disclosure, I choose between the two and came out on the side of BU but would have been ecstatic with either school.

And finally, I feel that undergrad ranking has nothing to do with law school ranking. Just look at BU...ranked #56 for undergrad and #22 for law. Syracuse is ranked #58 for undergrad and was a Tier 3 school last year (jumped to #86 this year).

Blindmelon taught me long ago not to worry so much about rankings. I passed up a few t-20 schools for BC. I'm looking forward to starting this Fall. Regardless of the rankings, BC is and will mostly likely always be a very strong regional.

tram988 wrote:Blindmelon taught me long ago not to worry so much about rankings. I passed up a few t-20 schools for BC. I'm looking forward to starting this Fall. Regardless of the rankings, BC is and will mostly likely always be a very strong regional.

Yes it will. Rankings in this range are relatively meaningless. You did your own research and you undoubtedly made the right decision. More applicants should follow this example.

the rankings don't matter really in this context, but FWIW the interim dean, George Brown, is probably one of their most well known and respected scholars, and is a no nonsense type of guy. They picked the perfect person for interim dean, and BC will be just fine

Blindmelon wrote:

twintipping_bumps wrote:I am looking forward to attending BC Law this fall. I passed on a higher ranked school because I am from the area. That school seemed like it had a strong upward trend in the rankings, so it was a difficult decision. I chose BC because of my ties to the local community and the job stats.

Then I learned about this:

http://www.boston.com/realestate/news/a ... ion_at_bc/

Apparently, Boston College is going to spend $1.6 Billion dollars over a ten year period in order to expand its campus and faculty considerably. The goal of the plan is to significantly advance the school's offerings and reputation. I haven't been following this plan; I actually only learned of it recently. However, further research indicates that the construction plans have been approved by the city. I haven't seen anything that indicates the plan is on hold.

Also, BC Law's previous dean is leaving. Given these things, where do people see BC Law's rankings 10 years from now? It's undergrad rankings too?

I have the fear BC Law could fall into the 30s. But maybe with improvements it will return to the top 25 or perhaps back to 19th someday. I don't think top 25 for UG is out of the question by any means - the spending amount seems large. Does anyone think BC UG could be top 20 at some point? I get the impression from what I have read that they are shooting for even higher than that.

Step 1: Be proud of where you're going to school.
Step 2: Take a xanax
Step 3: Stop worrying about stupid shit like US News.
If Step 3 fails, move to Step 4:
Step 4: Reasses life given your obsession with US News.

This is incredibly credited. Mell. Low. Out. As long as your school is somewhere between about 20-45, not a whole lot is changing. As for any poster who claims to know what a school will be ranked 10 years from now...