Guess how much weight U.S. News & World Report gives to alumni satisfaction when ranking the nation’s top law schools?
It’s the same amount they give to how graduates are doing five or ten years out of law school: zero.
What the Rankings Measure
The most heavily weighted metric (by far) in the U.S. News “Best Law Schools” rankings is outcomes 10 months after graduation.
In other words: How many graduates are in full-time, long-term, J.D.-required or J.D.-preferred roles just ten months after earning their degrees?
This metric pushes law schools to focus on helping students land that first job — the one they secure right after graduation. But it gives schools no incentive to support alumni beyond that initial placement.
At least as far as these rankings go, there’s no pressure on schools to track whether graduates stay employed, advance in their careers, feel fulfilled in their work, or achieve long-term success.
What If That Changed?
Imagine if alumni satisfaction, career advancement, and long-term professional outcomes were part of the rankings formula.
Would law schools be forced to think (and act) longer-term? Would they build stronger alumni support networks, invest more in career development, and prioritize meaningful career outcomes — not just first jobs?
What do you think? Should long-term success and alumni experience count for more in how we measure a law school’s value?
