How Important is Rank? Forum

[landshoes]

OP, all the responses on this site are for the most part from the ordinary citizen... i.e. Some kids straight out of undergrad who's parents are regular attorneys or business owners.. If your situation is different in that you have connections to trade organizations in Asia or some other (possibly political) connections you should disregard the advice on these boards. The majority of the people on this board only get hired to a position by submitting a resume to some unknown person. I guess what I am trying to tell you is something you probably already know... connections>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>rank of school/grades/other crap.

This is originally more of what I thought before the forums. You would think that for the very top positions, the employer is taking a student recommended from a really good friend or taking someone who they actually know over another kid who they don't know that went to a higher ranked school?

It seems that most people say ranking is of utmost importance, but it seems like the arguments are generally based on worst outcome scenarios (i.e. bottom 25% at a # 1 ranked school getting biglaw vs bottom 25% at the #10 ranked school leaving unemployed). It seems like the biggest advantage of the higher ranked schools, aside from greater representation in elite PI/govt. jobs, is the margin of error that it offers. For a really good law student (for OP's sake, lets say Chi top 10% vs Penn top 10%), it doesn't seem to matter quite as much?

It might actually matter more if you're a good student, depending on what you want to do. I also think that it's very foolish to assume you'll be top 10%. At best you should assume median.

[jbagelboy]

Placement power matters

"Rank" is just a shitty perception of something too illusory to define

[luckenmeister]

OP, all the responses on this site are for the most part from the ordinary citizen... i.e. Some kids straight out of undergrad who's parents are regular attorneys or business owners.. If your situation is different in that you have connections to trade organizations in Asia or some other (possibly political) connections you should disregard the advice on these boards. The majority of the people on this board only get hired to a position by submitting a resume to some unknown person. I guess what I am trying to tell you is something you probably already know... connections>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>rank of school/grades/other crap.

This is originally more of what I thought before the forums. You would think that for the very top positions, the employer is taking a student recommended from a really good friend or taking someone who they actually know over another kid who they don't know that went to a higher ranked school?

It seems that most people say ranking is of utmost importance, but it seems like the arguments are generally based on worst outcome scenarios (i.e. bottom 25% at a # 1 ranked school getting biglaw vs bottom 25% at the #10 ranked school leaving unemployed). It seems like the biggest advantage of the higher ranked schools, aside from greater representation in elite PI/govt. jobs, is the margin of error that it offers. For a really good law student (for OP's sake, lets say Chi top 10% vs Penn top 10%), it doesn't seem to matter quite as much?

It might actually matter more if you're a good student, depending on what you want to do. I also think that it's very foolish to assume you'll be top 10%. At best you should assume median.

Ok, I guess that's what I'm wondering too, what areas does this matter most? Also, I wasn't assuming anything on behalf of the OP or any incoming 1L, simply was using the 10% as a point of comparison between the two schools. And it would seem like there isn't any tangible difference between Chi top 10% and Penn top 10% for OP's goals. My point is, it seems like the difference between Chicago and Penn (and many other schools within the T14 for that matter) become more pronounced the lower you fall within the classes. I may be way off, but wanted to get an evaluation.