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The Top 14 will remain the same forever

There is simply too much of an already-existing establishmen...
mildly autistic locus
  09/24/04
Here we go again... As long as Boalt is in the Top 14, th...
boyish cobalt legend
  09/24/04
Boalt is going to make a strong comeback soon though.
Effete rigpig
  09/24/04
Yeah they should be back in probably the top 10 in the 2007 ...
boyish cobalt legend
  09/24/04
I doubt Boalt will slip that low unless its medians go down....
Effete rigpig
  09/24/04
not yet. I agree it would be highly unlikely for them to sl...
boyish cobalt legend
  09/24/04
Its medians were likely determined before USNews even came o...
Multi-colored national security agency
  09/24/04
I know, hence why it'll depend on whether they held their gr...
Effete rigpig
  09/24/04
Here's the #s: Cornell 80 Boalt 79 GULC 76 Texas 75 ...
boyish cobalt legend
  09/24/04
Didn't realize the gap between Boalt and GULC was bigger tha...
Effete rigpig
  09/24/04
I remember when these rankings first came out a lot of peopl...
boyish cobalt legend
  09/24/04
This is idiotic. There is no difference between Boalt in any...
Hairraiser cream theater stage
  09/24/04
Other publics with "cuts" still did fine.
Multi-colored national security agency
  09/24/04
I believe Cali was worst hit. At any rate you are telling me...
Hairraiser cream theater stage
  09/24/04
How will they accomplish this? Their budget is still being c...
Effete rigpig
  09/24/04
GTO are you going to tell me that you, an itelligent person ...
Hairraiser cream theater stage
  09/24/04
The top of this thread is obviously US News rankings, so by ...
Effete rigpig
  09/24/04
so if a school builds a new hall, or adds volumes to their l...
Hairraiser cream theater stage
  09/24/04
Yes, it is. Both of those improve the resources that student...
Effete rigpig
  09/24/04
So you would then concede that Duke is a Top 10 school and B...
Hairraiser cream theater stage
  09/24/04
You're missing the point of this discussion. We were talkin...
boyish cobalt legend
  09/24/04
MY point is that because of this expenditure crap who cares ...
Hairraiser cream theater stage
  09/24/04
Poor school ==> fewer resources ==> lower quality of e...
Effete rigpig
  09/24/04
I never said I'm a fan of US News methodology, all I said wa...
Effete rigpig
  09/24/04
Not sure what Berekley can do about the spending cuts, but t...
filthy floppy private investor
  09/24/04
that's pretty high
gaped apoplectic ticket booth dog poop
  09/24/04
Probably won't make much difference on their ranking anyway.
filthy floppy private investor
  09/24/04
no way that's their median lsat.
Self-centered Shrine Hominid
  09/24/04
Call their admissions office -- that is what they told me ye...
filthy floppy private investor
  09/24/04
i think they did.
Self-centered Shrine Hominid
  09/24/04
You sure those are the medians for enrolled students, and no...
Effete rigpig
  09/24/04
Look, I was surprised too. Maybe they gave me accepted stud...
filthy floppy private investor
  09/24/04
Those numbers must have been accepted students. I called ag...
filthy floppy private investor
  09/24/04
No fucking way is it that high. The GPA is believable, but d...
Effete rigpig
  09/24/04
If it is right, Berkeley may have been able to pull it off b...
filthy floppy private investor
  09/24/04
Yeah but look at LSN and postings on this past cycle... How ...
Effete rigpig
  09/24/04
What is interesting here is GULCs reputation scores: Last...
filthy floppy private investor
  09/24/04
What is your opinion on UsNews. Do you think Boalt, Duke and...
Hairraiser cream theater stage
  09/24/04
Well, they did that last year. I really can't predict becau...
filthy floppy private investor
  09/24/04
would you consider NU and Duke Top 10 and Boalt Top 14? Seem...
Hairraiser cream theater stage
  09/24/04
Based on reputation -- no. But we all know that US News doe...
filthy floppy private investor
  09/24/04
yes, they are better law schools
Self-centered Shrine Hominid
  09/24/04
I agree Duke and Boalt are......
Hairraiser cream theater stage
  09/24/04
UCLA was in the 14 when Northwestern was 17. T14 is a myt...
Multi-colored national security agency
  09/24/04
When was this, 15 years ago?
Effete rigpig
  09/24/04
Early-1990s.
Multi-colored national security agency
  09/24/04
yeah, that methodology is over with.
Self-centered Shrine Hominid
  09/24/04
Just so everyone knows, I am *not* dogfucker.
submissive famous landscape painting generalized bond
  09/24/04
imposter
boyish cobalt legend
  09/24/04
more like im-porn-star. Impersonating Rocco.
submissive famous landscape painting generalized bond
  09/24/04
dogfucker, you're famous. http://webapp.utexas.edu/blogs/...
Effete rigpig
  10/04/04


Poast new message in this thread



Reply

Date: September 24th, 2004 8:33 AM
Author: mildly autistic locus

There is simply too much of an already-existing establishment for the non-elite to ever catch up to the elite schools in terms of endowment, student-spending, research, grants, excellent faculty, and everything else that makes up an elite academic institution. Non-elites have the only hope of attracting bright students with money or other rewards in hopes that they'll matriculate, but those students will always be deviant from the norm, and by far, the best students will almost always attend an elite school. It's a cycle-- the students of the current elite schools will go on to be more successful than the average graduate of a non-elite. There is simply no way to break the cycle.

The Top 14 will stay the same forever, barring a radical methodology change in US News or similar act of God.

(https://autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=86433&forum_id=2#1384536)



Reply

Date: September 24th, 2004 8:38 AM
Author: boyish cobalt legend

Here we go again...

As long as Boalt is in the Top 14, the Top 14 is in danger of extinction.

(https://autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=86433&forum_id=2#1384538)



Reply

Date: September 24th, 2004 9:01 AM
Author: Effete rigpig

Boalt is going to make a strong comeback soon though.

(https://autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=86433&forum_id=2#1384562)



Reply

Date: September 24th, 2004 9:03 AM
Author: boyish cobalt legend

Yeah they should be back in probably the top 10 in the 2007 rankings. But if they slip to 15 next year the Top 14 will be eternally shattered, even if it reforms in 2007.

(https://autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=86433&forum_id=2#1384566)



Reply

Date: September 24th, 2004 9:09 AM
Author: Effete rigpig

I doubt Boalt will slip that low unless its medians go down. Have Boalt's #s for this past cycle been released yet?

(https://autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=86433&forum_id=2#1384583)



Reply

Date: September 24th, 2004 9:10 AM
Author: boyish cobalt legend

not yet. I agree it would be highly unlikely for them to slip that far, especially since their rep scores are still quite high, but no one really saw them slipping so much last year either, so who knows.

(https://autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=86433&forum_id=2#1384589)



Reply

Date: September 24th, 2004 9:17 AM
Author: Multi-colored national security agency

Its medians were likely determined before USNews even came out. The cycle was wearing down by April.

(https://autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=86433&forum_id=2#1384611)



Reply

Date: September 24th, 2004 9:20 AM
Author: Effete rigpig

I know, hence why it'll depend on whether they held their ground median-wise relative to everyone else this past cycle or if they went down even more due to their pseudo-AA.

What was the difference between Boalt and GULC in terms of points? If the difference between Boalt and GULC is very slim (ie. 1 point) and GULC made another median increase while Boalt declined, there's a real chance of Boalt at #14 (though I doubt they'd slip down further than that).

(https://autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=86433&forum_id=2#1384615)



Reply

Date: September 24th, 2004 9:23 AM
Author: boyish cobalt legend

Here's the #s:

Cornell 80

Boalt 79

GULC 76

Texas 75

Looking at this, it would seem GULC's the one in trouble, but I think that would be incorrect, since GULC's medians are already at top-10 levels.

(https://autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=86433&forum_id=2#1384621)



Reply

Date: September 24th, 2004 9:25 AM
Author: Effete rigpig

Didn't realize the gap between Boalt and GULC was bigger than the gap between GULC and Texas. You're right that it looks like GULC is in big trouble, but Texas, due to the 80% in state rule, can't really increase its medians by much at all.

(https://autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=86433&forum_id=2#1384626)



Reply

Date: September 24th, 2004 9:28 AM
Author: boyish cobalt legend

I remember when these rankings first came out a lot of people were already declaring the top 14 to be dead due to the close proximity of GULC and Texas. But I think that conclusion relies too slavishly on the specifics of the US News methodology.

(https://autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=86433&forum_id=2#1384634)



Reply

Date: September 24th, 2004 9:32 AM
Author: Hairraiser cream theater stage

This is idiotic. There is no difference between Boalt in any qualitative way since last year. What has happened is that their hidden expenditure score has taken a hit with the budget cutbacks they have had. Of course Boalt still possess an amazing faculty and enjoys a great reputation. I think they will be back in the top 10 next year (my guess tied with Duke for 10).

(https://autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=86433&forum_id=2#1384644)



Reply

Date: September 24th, 2004 9:34 AM
Author: Multi-colored national security agency

Other publics with "cuts" still did fine.

(https://autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=86433&forum_id=2#1384652)



Reply

Date: September 24th, 2004 9:39 AM
Author: Hairraiser cream theater stage

I believe Cali was worst hit. At any rate you are telling me that expenditures have something to do with quality? If yes, they that is idiotic.

(https://autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=86433&forum_id=2#1384666)



Reply

Date: September 24th, 2004 9:35 AM
Author: Effete rigpig

How will they accomplish this? Their budget is still being cut, right? If their budget is cut and their medians don't increase or go down, how are they going to make a leap to 10 unless someone else, like Cornell, experiences a sharp decline?

(https://autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=86433&forum_id=2#1384653)



Reply

Date: September 24th, 2004 9:38 AM
Author: Hairraiser cream theater stage

GTO are you going to tell me that you, an itelligent person who attends a Top 10 LS is going to go by what UsNews says about LS "quality"?

My point is it doesnt matter for chips, because UsNews is defunct, due to their insidious use of "hidden expenditures"

(https://autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=86433&forum_id=2#1384662)



Reply

Date: September 24th, 2004 9:39 AM
Author: Effete rigpig

The top of this thread is obviously US News rankings, so by "sharp decline" I'm talking in terms of US News and nothing else.

That said, I don't see a problem with hidden expenditures being used. $ is definitely important to a legal education.

(https://autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=86433&forum_id=2#1384668)



Reply

Date: September 24th, 2004 9:42 AM
Author: Hairraiser cream theater stage

so if a school builds a new hall, or adds volumes to their library that is worthy of them soaring in the rankings, while not changing their student/faculty body in any meaningful way? Seriously.....

(https://autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=86433&forum_id=2#1384673)



Reply

Date: September 24th, 2004 9:45 AM
Author: Effete rigpig

Yes, it is. Both of those improve the resources that students and faculty have access to.

(https://autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=86433&forum_id=2#1384681)



Reply

Date: September 24th, 2004 9:47 AM
Author: Hairraiser cream theater stage

So you would then concede that Duke is a Top 10 school and Boalt is not? Really now..........

(https://autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=86433&forum_id=2#1384686)



Reply

Date: September 24th, 2004 9:55 AM
Author: boyish cobalt legend

You're missing the point of this discussion. We were talking about the survival or non-survival of the Top 14 as an entity in terms of US News rankings. We got off talking about specific rankings only in the context of whether or not a particular school would fall out of the top 14.

(https://autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=86433&forum_id=2#1384706)



Reply

Date: September 24th, 2004 9:58 AM
Author: Hairraiser cream theater stage

MY point is that because of this expenditure crap who cares if a school drops out?

(https://autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=86433&forum_id=2#1384714)



Reply

Date: September 24th, 2004 10:00 AM
Author: Effete rigpig

Poor school ==> fewer resources ==> lower quality of education

(https://autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=86433&forum_id=2#1384718)



Reply

Date: September 24th, 2004 10:00 AM
Author: Effete rigpig

I never said I'm a fan of US News methodology, all I said was that I think those hidden expenditures are important to school quality.

(https://autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=86433&forum_id=2#1384721)



Reply

Date: September 24th, 2004 10:27 AM
Author: filthy floppy private investor

Not sure what Berekley can do about the spending cuts, but they say their medians are now 168/3.83.

(https://autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=86433&forum_id=2#1384779)



Reply

Date: September 24th, 2004 10:28 AM
Author: gaped apoplectic ticket booth dog poop

that's pretty high



(https://autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=86433&forum_id=2#1384783)



Reply

Date: September 24th, 2004 10:35 AM
Author: filthy floppy private investor

Probably won't make much difference on their ranking anyway.

(https://autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=86433&forum_id=2#1384800)



Reply

Date: September 24th, 2004 10:34 AM
Author: Self-centered Shrine Hominid

no way that's their median lsat.

(https://autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=86433&forum_id=2#1384798)



Reply

Date: September 24th, 2004 10:36 AM
Author: filthy floppy private investor

Call their admissions office -- that is what they told me yesterday. Maybe they lied.

(https://autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=86433&forum_id=2#1384805)



Reply

Date: September 24th, 2004 10:37 AM
Author: Self-centered Shrine Hominid

i think they did.

(https://autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=86433&forum_id=2#1384809)



Reply

Date: September 24th, 2004 10:45 AM
Author: Effete rigpig

You sure those are the medians for enrolled students, and not accepted students? I would buy 3.83/168 as medians of accepted but it's extremely unbelievable for enrolled. I mean for enrolled that would be what, a 3 point increase? A 3 point LSAT increase despite a huge tuition hike and their pseudo-AA policy makes no sense, especially when you consider the rankings drop and their refusal to accept many people with split #s.

(https://autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=86433&forum_id=2#1384832)



Reply

Date: September 24th, 2004 10:49 AM
Author: filthy floppy private investor

Look, I was surprised too. Maybe they gave me accepted student numbers, but I asked for enrolled students. It's too early in Calf. to check again right now. Maybe I will check again later.

I don't disagree with your reasoning.

(https://autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=86433&forum_id=2#1384843)



Reply

Date: September 24th, 2004 11:56 AM
Author: filthy floppy private investor

Those numbers must have been accepted students. I called again and specifically asked for enrolled students and they said: 165/3.78.

I should have been more skeptical.

(https://autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=86433&forum_id=2#1385132)



Reply

Date: September 24th, 2004 10:35 AM
Author: Effete rigpig

No fucking way is it that high. The GPA is believable, but definitely not that LSAT.

(https://autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=86433&forum_id=2#1384801)



Reply

Date: September 24th, 2004 10:39 AM
Author: filthy floppy private investor

If it is right, Berkeley may have been able to pull it off by accepting a different mix of applicants this year. I have no doubt that they had many quality applicants in their pool. Also, the school was under pressure from its alumni to increase its LSAT score.

(https://autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=86433&forum_id=2#1384815)



Reply

Date: September 24th, 2004 10:46 AM
Author: Effete rigpig

Yeah but look at LSN and postings on this past cycle... How many people with low GPA / high LSAT splits did they take? Very few, if any.

(https://autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=86433&forum_id=2#1384835)



Reply

Date: September 24th, 2004 10:31 AM
Author: filthy floppy private investor

What is interesting here is GULCs reputation scores:

Last year:

GULC: 4.1/4.2

Texas: 4.1/4.1

The year before:

GULC: 4.2/4.4

Texas: 4.2/4.1

Since rep. scores count 40%, a lot will depend on what happens to GULC's rep. scores this year.

(https://autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=86433&forum_id=2#1384789)



Reply

Date: September 24th, 2004 10:48 AM
Author: Hairraiser cream theater stage

What is your opinion on UsNews. Do you think Boalt, Duke and NU Top 10? I think it difficult to not include Boalt and to include NU. What are your thoughts?

(https://autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=86433&forum_id=2#1384840)



Reply

Date: September 24th, 2004 10:59 AM
Author: filthy floppy private investor

Well, they did that last year. I really can't predict because I do not have the relevant information.

(https://autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=86433&forum_id=2#1384894)



Reply

Date: September 24th, 2004 11:01 AM
Author: Hairraiser cream theater stage

would you consider NU and Duke Top 10 and Boalt Top 14? Seems weird to me.

(https://autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=86433&forum_id=2#1384900)



Reply

Date: September 24th, 2004 11:06 AM
Author: filthy floppy private investor

Based on reputation -- no. But we all know that US News does not rank schools solely on reputation.

(https://autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=86433&forum_id=2#1384911)



Reply

Date: September 24th, 2004 11:20 AM
Author: Self-centered Shrine Hominid

yes, they are better law schools

(https://autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=86433&forum_id=2#1384955)



Reply

Date: September 24th, 2004 11:45 AM
Author: Hairraiser cream theater stage

I agree Duke and Boalt are......

(https://autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=86433&forum_id=2#1385075)



Reply

Date: September 24th, 2004 9:12 AM
Author: Multi-colored national security agency

UCLA was in the 14 when Northwestern was 17.

T14 is a myth.

(https://autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=86433&forum_id=2#1384593)



Reply

Date: September 24th, 2004 9:13 AM
Author: Effete rigpig

When was this, 15 years ago?

(https://autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=86433&forum_id=2#1384599)



Reply

Date: September 24th, 2004 9:14 AM
Author: Multi-colored national security agency

Early-1990s.

(https://autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=86433&forum_id=2#1384605)



Reply

Date: September 24th, 2004 10:33 AM
Author: Self-centered Shrine Hominid

yeah, that methodology is over with.

(https://autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=86433&forum_id=2#1384792)



Reply

Date: September 24th, 2004 11:33 AM
Author: submissive famous landscape painting generalized bond

Just so everyone knows, I am *not* dogfucker.

(https://autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=86433&forum_id=2#1385015)



Reply

Date: September 24th, 2004 11:35 AM
Author: boyish cobalt legend

imposter

(https://autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=86433&forum_id=2#1385022)



Reply

Date: September 24th, 2004 11:36 AM
Author: submissive famous landscape painting generalized bond

more like im-porn-star. Impersonating Rocco.

(https://autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=86433&forum_id=2#1385026)



Reply

Date: October 4th, 2004 10:05 AM
Author: Effete rigpig

dogfucker, you're famous.

http://webapp.utexas.edu/blogs/bleiter/archives/002095.html

The less they know, the more they're suckered by US News

A law student e-mailed me the text of a posting from some prelaw discussion board authored by someone with the charming moniker "dogfucker." The student who sent this assures me that this reflects how some students actually think about things, and that it is not a joke. The title of the posting was

"The Top 14 Will Always Be the Same,"

apparently a reference to the fact that for about the last 8 or 9 years, the same 14 law schools have been in the top 14 of the US News rankings (which may be true, I'm not certain). (The same 16 law schools have been in the top 16 since US News made the last major change in its methodology in 1999, but for unknown reasons this escapes notice. The top 15 have also been in the top 15 in reputation since US News started ranking schools in 1987, but this is also unnoticed, it appears.) Here is the posting:

"There is simply too much of an already-existing establishment for the non-elite to ever catch up to the elite schools in terms of endowment, student-spending, research, grants, excellent faculty, and everything else that makes up an elite academic institution. Non-elites have the only hope of attracting bright students with money or other rewards in hopes that they'll matriculate, but those students will always be deviant from the norm, and by far, the best students will almost always attend an elite school. It's a cycle-- the students of the current elite schools will go on to be more successful than the average graduate of a non-elite. There is simply no way to break the cycle. The Top 14 will stay the same forever, barring a radical methodology change in US News or similar act of God."

The really weird thing here is that it is largely true that "there is simply too much of an already-existing establishment for the non-elite to ever catch up to the elite schools in terms of endowment, student-spending, research, grants, excellent faculty, and everything else that makes up an elite academic institution," but this doesn't correlate with the current (or even recent) top 14 in US News, though it correlates slightly better with the top 17 or 18. For example, USC has a better faculty than Duke (even with Chemerinsky's move, and allowing for Van Alstyne's departure from Duke), and, last time I saw the data, a much better endowment (2 or 3 years ago). Indeed, most of the US News top 17 or so have much bigger endowments than other schools, though places like Duke and Penn and Cornell trail a bit, while schools like Washington University and Mercer have much larger per capita endowments than several of the top 17. In terms of research (e.g., impact and productivity), there is not much difference between Texas and UCLA, on the one hand, and Georgetown, Duke, Penn, and Northwestern on the other--and where there is a difference, it is primarily that Texas and sometimes UCLA are stronger. There is no statistically meaningful difference in student credentials between Cornell, Berkeley, UCLA, Texas, and USC. And so on.

So the odd thing here is that the author's supposition (that the first 14 in US News defines the category) is rather obviously non-factual, at least to anyone who knows anything. So how did this student arrive at this rather fantastic view? The author makes the answer clear: US News. Sad.

(https://autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=86433&forum_id=2#1433608)