GWU Leaps Ahead in USNews Law School Rankings

WASHINGTON - March 13, 2018 - PRLog -- At least according to unofficial leaks of the soon-to-be-released rankings of law schools by U.S. News, the George Washington University Law School has dramatically reversed its recent precipitous decline, and has risen an effective eight positions in these very influential rankings, notes public interest law professor John Banzhaf.

        GWU, which had been in the top 20 as recently as 2011, had fallen some 10 ranking points since then is last year's rankings.  However, because GWU has often been tied with other schools for the same numerical ranking, the fall was actually more than 12 positions from 2011 to last year's 2017 ranking.

        According to the leaked rankings, GWU is now 24, tied with Notre Dame.  But because it was tied with 5 other law schools last year, the effective climb in rankings is eight, not six as it appear from a casual glance at the list of law schools and their associated rankings. [SEE BELOW]

        There are just as many theories behind this dramatic improvement in rankings as there are theories to explain the recent fall, and we will learn more when the official ranking, and the mathematics behind them, are finally released in just a few days.

        Prof Banzhaf says that he and his law school colleagues are very pleased with the new vastly improved ranking, which will undoubtedly increase the number of applicants who will choose to attend GWU over lesser ranked law schools.

        It will also help to improve the quality of the entering class - at least as represented on test scores and undergraduate grades - and therefore the level at which 1L courses can be taught, the percentage of students who will eventually pass the bar, etc.

Below are the USNews rankings of the GWU Law School over the past several years.

2017 30     #30, but tied with 5 other schools, so EFFECTIVELY = 32.5
2016 25     #25, but tied with 3 other schools, so EFFECTIVELY = 26.5
2015 21     #22, but tied with 3 other schools, so EFFECTIVELY = 23.5
2014 21.5   #20, but tied with 2 other schools, so EFFECTIVELY = 21
2013 20.5   #21, but tied with 1 other school, so EFFECTIVELY = 21.5
2012 20.5   #20, but tied with 1 other school, so EFFECTIVELY = 20.5
2011 20

JOHN F. BANZHAF III, B.S.E.E., J.D., Sc.D.
Professor of Public Interest Law
George Washington University Law School,
FAMRI Dr. William Cahan Distinguished Professor,
Fellow, World Technology Network,
Founder, Action on Smoking and Health (ASH),
2000 H Street, NW, Wash, DC 20052, USA
(202) 994-7229 // (703) 527-8418
http://banzhaf.net/  jbanzhaf3ATgmail.com  @profbanzhaf