The Curious Case of Howard Law School’s Peer Ranking

Michael Conklin, The Curious Case of Howard Law School’s Peer Ranking, 23 RUTGERS RACE & L. REV. 299 (2022).

16 Pages Posted: 24 Nov 2020 Last revised: 8 Jun 2023

See all articles by Michael Conklin

Michael Conklin

Angelo State University - Business Law; Texas A&M University School of Law

Date Written: October 5, 2020

Abstract

[NOTE: This research was republished with updated data (finding an even greater disparity) in https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=4300723]
The U.S. News & World Report provides law school rankings based on a peer score (hereinafter “peer rank”) and an overall score (hereinafter “overall rank”). A law school’s peer rank is generally closely associated with its overall rank. For example, in the 2021 rankings more than 60% of law schools have peer ranks that are within nine places of their overall ranks. A glaring outlier is Howard University School of Law, whose peer rank is forty-six places higher than its overall rank. Even more peculiar is that this peer–overall disparity has existed every year for the last ten years during which it has experienced a gradual upward trend. This Essay analyzes the significance of the peer rank and considers potential explanations for this divergence.

Keywords: Howard University, Howard Law School, Historically Black Colleges, Law School Rankings, Peer Ranking, U.S. News & World Report Law School Rankings

Suggested Citation

Conklin, Michael, The Curious Case of Howard Law School’s Peer Ranking (October 5, 2020). Michael Conklin, The Curious Case of Howard Law School’s Peer Ranking, 23 RUTGERS RACE & L. REV. 299 (2022)., Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=3705502 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.3705502

Michael Conklin (Contact Author)

Angelo State University - Business Law ( email )

United States

Texas A&M University School of Law ( email )

Tarrant County
United States

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