A Musical Reaction To Today's US Rankings

For whatever its worth, the National Law Journal does a little analysis of its own for the law school rankings released today.  The story confirms that the churn in the middle is due to a new methodology that takes into account the type of graduate employment.  Is it churn or is it realignment?  In any event, there are from comments from at least one dean and a look at who moved up and down.  There was little movement in the top schools. 

I offer a little musical tribute that goes with the new rankings.  I was immediately reminded of the music of the 1960s band The Animals.  What did Eric Burdon sing, “it’s a hard world to get a break in, all the good things have been taken.”  That’s from It’s My Life and the words could easily apply to the schools looking upwards in the rankings.  The band’s other hits, Don’t Bring Me Down and We’ve Gotta Get Out Of This Place can also apply depending on where a school wound up. 

In other news, Northwestern University School of Law is reducing its class size by 25 students and raising tuition by 3%.  Faculty salaries have to be paid somehow, I guess.  If Northwestern (ranked #12 this year) is reacting this way, what hope is there for the “lesser” schools.  [MG]