Yesterday, U.S. News World & Report announced its 2017 list of “Best Law Schools.” Boston College Law School rose (again) this year, up four spots to #30.

Here is a letter sent out to the BC Law community from our Dean, Vincent Rougeau, commenting on the rise in the ranks:

Dear members of the BC Law community:

As most of you already know, BC Law moved up four spots this year to #30 in the US News rankings. We were also listed in the specialty rankings at #17 in Tax and #35 in Clinical Programs. This is the result of a lot of hard work by all of you, and I’d like to thank you all for your contributions and your commitment to BC Law.

Moving up in the rankings is, of course, good news. Although I do want to emphasize that no single ranking accurately represents an institution’s quality, I also understand how rankings play in the marketplace and their influence on decision-making with prospective students and employers.

We do not focus our resources to drive rankings. We are focused on a long term sustainable plan that expends resources in areas that are essential parts of our strategic goals: improving our employment numbers, for example, through more experiential learning opportunities, employer outreach and new pipeline programs; bringing in the best and most talented students and faculty we possibly can; lowering student faculty ratios and increasing bar passage rates; and improving our academic reputation.

These are all initiatives that will help us improve the overall quality of the education we provide. By remaining focused on what matters, we will get not only an accurate measurement of what is most important to us, but also an understanding of why Boston College Law School is and will remain one of the nation’s premier law schools.

Sincerely,

Vincent Rougeau
Dean
Boston College Law School

 

To add to what Dean Rougeau says, I just want to note that back in 2013 when I applied to and enrolled at BC Law, the school was ranked #31. Since then, we’ve moved down the list and then back up to where we are now. Has it affected me personally in any tangible way? Not that I can detect. Has it changed my perception of BC Law? Not at all.

Rankings certainly have their value, but they’re only a small part of a large set of factors that will determine your success and satisfaction with the law school you choose to attend.  I strongly encourage you to visit the schools you’re accepted at, and to reach out to current students at those institutions to gather as much information as you can before you make that decision.

Rob Rossi is a 3L at BC Law and a BC Law Ambassador. Feel free to contact him with questions about his experience, BC Law, or law school in general. Comment here or send him an e-mail atrossire@bc.edu.