Are Yale and Harvard law schools ditching the U.S. News rankings?

Asked by: Yesenia Kiehn  |  Last update: October 26, 2023
Score: 4.1/5 (71 votes)

In perhaps the biggest challenge yet to the school rankings industry, both Yale and Harvard announced Wednesday that they were withdrawing from the influential U.S. News & World Report rankings of the nation's best law schools.

Are Harvard and Yale Law schools withdrawing from the U.S. News rankings?

We at HLS have made this decision because it has become impossible to reconcile our principles and commitments with the methodology and incentives the U.S. News rankings reflect. This decision was not made lightly and only after considerable deliberation over the past several months.

What law schools are pulling out of the U.S. News ranking?

Yale Law School was the first to announce its decision to no longer participate in the rankings, followed by Harvard, UC Berkeley, Georgetown, Columbia, and Stanford, among others.

Why are law schools dropping out of U.S. News ranking?

The move is the latest blow to the influential rankings system after Harvard and Yale law schools withdrew in November 2022 because its "profoundly flawed" methodology disincentivized schools from helping disadvantaged students.

Why did Harvard pull out of U.S. News rankings?

Daley said the decision to withdraw from the U.S. News rankings was based on fairness and equity concerns, citing incentives to cut back on aid to students with the most financial need.

Yale and Harvard Law Pull Out of U.S. News Rankings; Will Others Follow Suit? | Amanpour and Company

33 related questions found

What is Yale ranked in the U.S. News?

Yale University's ranking in the 2022-2023 edition of Best Colleges is National Universities, #3. Its tuition and fees are $62,250.

Which is better Harvard Law or Yale law?

Here's Why. Yale has long held the top spot in the U.S. News & World Report law school rankings. Harvard is tied for No. 4.

Which law schools are boycotting U.S. News and World Report?

Nearly a third of U.S. law schools this year declined to provide U.S. News with any internal data for its rankings, including 12 of the top 14 schools, which said the publication's methodology hurt student diversity and affordability.

What law schools are no longer ranked?

Of the 22 schools that have pulled out of the rankings, Yale Law School was the first to announce on Nov. 16, with its law dean, Heather Gerken, calling them “profoundly flawed.” Harvard Law School followed with its own announcement hours later, followed by the University of California, Berkeley, School of Law on Nov.

What law schools quit ranking?

The list of those shunning the rankings now includes the law schools at UCLA, UC Irvine, Berkeley, Columbia, Duke, Georgetown, Harvard, Michigan, Northwestern, and Stanford universities. Meanwhile, U.S. News said it will continue to rank law schools even without their participation.

What is the No 1 law University in USA?

Best law schools in the U.S. in 2023

Yale University. Stanford University. Harvard University. Columbia University.

Why are law schools not participating in rankings?

The growing backlash against the rankings reflects concerns among school leaders about ethics, fairness and the purpose of a legal education, and the institutions that provide it. Rankings that emphasize test scores and salaries deter students from pursuing careers in public service, school officials have said.

Did Joe Biden finish law school?

Born in Scranton, Pennsylvania, Biden moved with his family to Delaware in 1953. He studied at the University of Delaware before earning his law degree from Syracuse University. He was elected to the New Castle County Council in 1970 and to the U.S. Senate in 1972.

Is Yale Law more prestigious than Harvard?

The 2023 US News & World Report law school ranking puts Yale in the first spot and Harvard fourth. But the two institutions are no longer interested in the list, and have denounced the system.

Why did Yale drop out of rankings?

Yale and Harvard universities' law schools will no longer participate in U.S. News & World Report's influential Best Law Schools rankings, saying Wednesday they disincentivize support for low-income students and those entering public-interest careers.

How prestigious is Yale Law?

Yale Law Ranking

Yale Law is one of the highest-ranked law schools in the United States. The U.S. News & World Report has consistently placed Yale Law at the top of the list of law school rankings every year since it started publishing these rankings four decades ago.

What law school is better than Harvard?

Yale has been No. 1 in the U.S. News Best Law Schools rankings since their inception in 1990, and Harvard has been in the top three for every year except two (including last year, when it dropped to No. 4).

What is the toughest year of law school?

Most students consider the first year of law school to be the most difficult. The material is more complex than they're used to and it must be learned rapidly. What's more, the way students are taught and tested is very different from high school or undergrad.

What lawyers never went to law school?

Other famous lawyers besides Abraham Lincoln and Clarence Darrow became lawyers without J.D. degrees. For example, John Marshall, Chief Justice of the Supreme Court; Benjamin N. Cardozo, Justice of the Supreme Court; and even Strom Thurmond, U.S. Senator and South Carolina Governor, didn't possess law degrees.

What is the acceptance rate for Yale Law School?

Yale University

With an acceptance rate of just 6.9%, it's no wonder that Yale is the hardest law school to get into. Only around 1 in 15 of their highly qualified applicants makes it through.

Is the LSAT being removed?

‍The LSAT isn't going away.

The ABA announced their decision to nix the requirement that law schools use a standardized test as part of the admissions process. But it won't take effect until 2025. And remember: all we're doing here is removing a requirement to use an admissions test.

Is NYU a T14 law school?

Rounding out the top seven of the T14 law schools is NYU School of Law. NYU Law considers itself “an intellectual powerhouse” with: More than 100 faculty members. 300 courses.

Why is Yale so good at law?

With a vast array of courses, an unparalleled clinical program, and meaningful experiences outside the classroom, Yale Law graduates are empowered to chart their own course and equipped with a supercharged ability to tackle the most pressing problems of our time.

Which Ivy League has the best law school?

As the best law school in the nation, Yale is an Ivy League school that has gained an impressive reputation for itself in the legal world. This law school is best known for constitutional law, in which it ranks number one, and commercial and international law, where it ranks number four.

What tier is Yale Law School?

It is generally accepted that the Tier 1 Law Schools are the same as the T14 Law schools. T14 law schools are the schools that are consistently ranked between 1 and 14 by USNews. Traditionally the T14 schools are: Yale Law School (always #1)