Why are law schools boycotting U.S. News?
Asked by: Dr. Kellie Deckow Sr. | Last update: December 5, 2025Score: 4.6/5 (50 votes)
Among the reasons many law deans cited for no longer providing internal data for the rankings in 2022 was that the previous methodology incentivized schools to funnel merit-based financial aid to applicants with high Law School Admission Test scores and undergraduate grades, thus reducing the availability of need-based ...
What law schools boycott the U.S. News?
Seven months ago, dozens of elite law schools and medical schools announced that they were boycotting the U.S. News & World Report rankings and refusing to give the publication any data. The rankings, they said, were unreliable and skewed educational priorities.
What law schools are opting out of the U.S. News?
Harvard and Yale's respective law schools were the first to revolt against the U.S. News & World Report college rankings. Now undergrad institutions – most recently Columbia University – are withdrawing as well. Many schools said that the rankings do not accurately reflect their values.
How many law schools have lost accreditation?
California has lost 4 ABA-accredited law schools in the last decade. Golden Gate has announced a closure plan for its law school program. Karen Sloan at Reuters highlights some of the trends of recent closures, a trickle we've seen over the years.
Why are law schools getting rid of LSAT?
A Wall Street Journal article about the ABA move quoted Leo Martinez, an ABA council member and dean emeritus at University of California, Hastings College of the Law, who said, “In the grand scheme of things, folks of color perform less well on the LSAT than not, and for that reason, I think we are headed in the right ...
Ivy League boycott: Top law schools revolt against US News law school rankings
Is the LSAT becoming obsolete?
The ABA's House of Delegates will vote on the Council's proposed change in February 2023. If the House votes to nix Standard 503, the standardized-test requirement won't go away until 2025. So, the LSAT isn't definitely going away, and it's definitely not going away until 2025.
What is the average black LSAT score?
The average score for Black test takers is 142 out of 180, compared to 153 for White and Asian students (most law schools require a score of 150, with that number rising to 170 for the top 14).
What is the most recognized law school?
There has been great consistency at the top of the U.S. News rankings since their inception, with Yale Law School consistently ranking first. While Yale, Harvard, and Stanford have historically clustered at the top of the list, Harvard was recently replaced by the University of Chicago in the third place spot.
Is law school declining?
When first-year enrollment rises or falls in sequential years, those effects multiply. Today, overall JD enrollment has roughly stabilized at a level not seen in over 40 years. Compared to the peak in JD enrollment in 2010 (147,525 students), overall JD enrollment was down 20.8% in 2023.
Why do people go to unaccredited law schools?
Lower Tuition Costs
For someone whose funds are truly limited and who isn't able to bring their LSAT score or GPA up high enough to score a significant scholarship at an ABA-accredited law school, a non-ABA law school offers a valid option for obtaining a legal degree at half the cost.
What 4 states do not require law school?
Before you can practice law, you will need to choose a state that will allow you to take the bar exam without completing law school. Currently, Washington, Vermont, California and Virginia are the only four states that allow this process.
What is the hardest law school to get into in the US?
1. 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.
Why are law schools pulling out of rankings?
That means that law schools are disincentivized to increase access to legal education for marginalized and lower-income students – all because of the USNWR rankings. They are also disincentivized to help prepare students for public service – all because of the USNWR rankings.
Is it against the law to boycott?
Under US law it is illegal to comply with boycotts that are: Unsanctioned by the US, and. Fostered by one foreign country against another.
Which is the best law school?
- Stanford University.
- Yale University.
- University of Chicago.
- Duke University.
- Harvard University.
- University of Pennsylvania (Carey)
- University of Virginia.
- Columbia University.
When did U.S. News start ranking law schools?
For example, many of us think reflexively of the top-14 or “T14” schools, which have been fairly consistent since the start of the rankings in 1987 (even if, in a given year, a traditional T14 school might drop out of that elite group).
Is law school even worth it anymore?
The Bottom Line. Becoming a successful lawyer is one of the most lucrative career paths, if you graduate from a top-tier university. However, it's not a cheap path, and Ivy League law grads often graduate with six digits of loans.
Are law schools getting rid of LSAT?
Yes, some law schools have chosen not to make LSAT scores a mandatory part of their admission criteria. Instead, they consider other factors like GPA, work experience, or alternative standardized tests.
Is law school mentally draining?
Specifically, 96% of law students suffer from significant stress, compared to only 70% of medical students and 43% of graduate students in all fields.
Where is the easiest law school to get into?
- Creighton University Law School – 79%
- University of Wyoming Law School – 78%
- Marquette University Law School – 77%
- Loyola New Orleans Law School – 76%
- Drake University Law School – 75%
- Oklahoma City University School of Law – 72%
What type of lawyer makes the most money?
Patent Attorney Salary
Patent attorneys are the highest-paid type of lawyers, with an average salary of $185,351, ranging from $119,88 to $285,530. Various factors contribute to a patent attorney's average salary, including experience, firm, location, and subject matter expertise.
What is a Tier 1 law school?
Tier 1 schools are known as the best law colleges. They typically stand out because of their strong academic reputation, high bar passage rates, and excellent graduate employment outcomes.
What was Obama's LSAT score?
The easiest to predict, by far, is Barack Obama's score, mostly because we have some data. Based on admissions records, we can deduce — somewhat reliably — that Barry-O scored between the 94th and 98th percentile on his LSAT. Using today's grading system, that would place him somewhere around a 170.
How rare is 172 LSAT?
So, a great score on the LSAT is a 172, but more than 100,000 people take the LSAT every year and only 1% score 172 or higher. For the top 50 law schools, the median LSAT score is between 164 and 174. A good LSAT score for top tier(defined by T14 schools for this article) law schools is between 171 and 174.
Is the LSAT a good measure of intelligence?
The LSAT is not an IQ test. It does not measure intelligence the way IQ tests are designed to measure innate ability. A person who is very smart can receive a low LSAT score. A person who is very creative can receive a low LSAT score.