Lower ranked schools gaming rankings... Forum

[Anonymous User]

So we got an application from the #1 student at a local, well-regarded law school (think top 30 or thereabouts). We come to find out that this law school rounds to the nearest tenth for class ranking purposes, and because of that system, they ended up having 8 different people ranked #1 in the class. It wasn't apparent from this applicant's resume that he was tied with 7 other people for his ranking, suggesting to me that this is just another way for lower ranked schools to game the system. Has anyone else seen any of this in reviewing clerkship applications? Seems pretty bush league to me.

[CanadianWolf]

Why not identify the law school ?

Also seems like this would be well known since the #1 ranked students would be applying to many of the same judges & law firms.

[Anonymous User]

Hastings does something weird like this, but with percentiles rather than ranking. So we'd get apps that were like "Top 1% (9/408)"

[Anonymous User]

This was W&M

[station4]

Serious question - what do you all think the appropriate way to note this on your resume would be? Like Rank: 1/XXX (tied) or (tied with 7 others)?

[kcdc1]

This question assumes that there is some material difference between the student with a 3.994 and the student with a 3.992. The top 8 have equally good grades. Select on some other basis.

[BVest]

www.top-law-schools.com.org