Schools of Law LAW 28 USN&WR AMERICA S BEST GRADUATE SCHOOLS THE TOP 100 SCHOOLS

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1 Schools of Law THE TOP 100 SCHOOLS Overall Rank/School score (5.0=highest) (5.0=highest) percentile percentile rate ratio graduation graduation jurisdiction rate* 1. Yale University (CT) % % 98.1% 96.5%/NY 81% 2. Harvard University (MA) % % 99.3% 98.2%/NY 81% 3. Stanford University (CA) % % 98.4% 96.2%/CA 71% 4. Columbia University (NY) % % 99.5% 96.7%/NY 81% 5. University of Chicago % % 99.0% 95.1%/IL 91% 6. New York University % % 99.2% 97.2%/NY 81% 7. University of California Berkeley % % 98.6% 87.7%/CA 71% 7. University of Pennsylvania % % 99.6% 98.4%/NY 81% 9. University of Michigan Ann Arbor % % 99.8% 91.2%/NY 81% 10. University of Virginia % % 99.5% 97.5%/NY 81% 11. Duke University (NC) % % 100.0% 96.0%/NY 81% 11. Northwestern University (IL) % % 100.0% 98.3%/IL 91% 13. Cornell University (NY) % % 98.4% 99.2%/NY 81% 14. Georgetown University (DC) % % 97.0% 96.8%/NY 81% 15. University of California Los Angeles % % 99.1% 88.5%/CA 71% 15. University of Texas Austin % % 98.1% 88.9%/TX 84% 17. Vanderbilt University (TN) % % 98.4% 95.7%/TN 83% 18. University of Southern California (Gould) % % 97.1% 89.6%/CA 71% 19. Washington University in St. Louis % % 95.0% 100.0%/MO 91% 20. George Washington University (DC) % % 98.9% 95.1%/NY 81% 21. University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign % % 96.8% 91.2%/IL 91% 22. Boston University % % 99.1% 97.7%/MA 89% 22. Emory University (GA) % % 95.3% 93.5%/GA 89% 22. University of Minnesota Twin Cities % % 96.5% 97.1%/MN 91% 22. University of Notre Dame (IN) % % 98.7% 100.0%/IL 91% 26. University of Iowa % % 100.0% 93.9%/IA 90% 27. Indiana University Bloomington (Maurer) % % 96.2% 95.3%/IN 84% 28. Boston College % % 97.4% 94.3%/MA 89% 28. Col. of William and Mary (Marshall-Wythe) (VA) % % 96.7% 88.9%/VA 82% 28. University of California Davis % % 98.1% 79.9%/CA 71% 28. University of Georgia % % 98.4% 98.8%/GA 89% 28. University of North Carolina Chapel Hill % % 94.7% 89.8%/NC 83% 28. University of Wisconsin Madison % % 98.3% 99.3%/WI 92% 34. Fordham University (NY) % % 95.1% 94.1%/NY 81% 34. Ohio State University (Moritz) % % 98.2% 90.3%/OH 88% 34. University of Washington % % 98.2% 84.7%/WA 74% 34. Washington and Lee University (VA) % % 89.2% 83.7%/VA 82% 38. Arizona State University (O Connor) % % 99.7% 89.5%/AZ 84% 38. University of Alabama % 10.2 N/A 96.9% 96.9%/AL 79% 38. University of Colorado Boulder % % 96.0% 93.3%/CO 83% 38. Wake Forest University (NC) % % 95.8% 96.3%/NC 83% 42. Brigham Young University (Clark) (UT) % % 99.0% 92.4%/UT 87% 42. George Mason University (VA) % % 99.2% 87.1%/VA 82% 42. University of Arizona (Rogers) % % 97.3% 92.2%/AZ 84% 42. University of California (Hastings) % % 92.7% 80.4%/CA 71% 42. University of Utah (Quinney) % % 100.0% 86.5%/UT 87% 47. University of Florida (Levin) % % 96.6% 88.9%/FL 81% 48. American University (Washington) (DC) % % 95.5% 92.0%/NY 81% 48. Southern Methodist University (Dedman) (TX) % % 98.6% 93.7%/TX 84% 48. Tulane University (LA) % % 91.1% 75.9%/LA 66% 48. University of Maryland % % 94.6% 90.1%/MD 85% 28 USN&WR AMERICA S BEST GRADUATE SCHOOLS

2 Overall Rank/School score (5.0=highest) (5.0=highest) percentile percentile rate ratio graduation graduation jurisdiction rate* 52. Pepperdine University (CA) % % 96.5% 87.2%/CA 71% 52. Yeshiva University (Cardozo) (NY) % % 94.3% 92.0%/NY 81% 54. Florida State University % % 97.6% 86.9%/FL 81% 54. University of Connecticut % % 94.2% 92.3%/CT 87% 56. Case Western Reserve University (OH) % % 95.2% 88.0%/OH 88% 56. Loyola Marymount University (CA) % 14.8 N/A 97.4% 85.5%/CA 71% 56. University of Cincinnati % % 95.8% 82.3%/OH 88% 56. University of San Diego % 14.2 N/A 98.4% 78.9%/CA 71% 60. Georgia State University % 10.7 N/A 98.6% 94.2%/GA 89% 60. University of Houston (TX) % % 97.2% 91.3%/TX 84% 60. University of Miami (FL) % % 96.4% 90.5%/FL 81% 60. University of Tennessee Knoxville % % 95.1% 89.7%/TN 83% 64. Baylor University (Umphrey) (TX) % 15.1 N/A 94.6% 93.0%/TX 84% 64. Lewis & Clark College (Northwestern) (OR) % 10.0 N/A 94.3% 80.5%/OR 79% 64. University of Kentucky % % 98.1% 93.7%/KY 83% 67. Brooklyn Law School (NY) % % 92.3% 89.1%/NY 81% 67. University of Kansas % % 93.6% 94.2%/KS 89% 67. University of New Mexico % % 96.2% 92.0%/NM 92% 67. University of Pittsburgh % % 94.2% 90.6%/PA 87% 67. Villanova University (PA) % % 94.2% 91.9%/PA 87% 72. Pennsylvania State University (Dickinson) % 9.4 N/A 90.8% 85.0%/PA 87% 72. Seton Hall University (NJ) % % 96.7% 88.9%/NJ 85% 72. St. John s University (NY) % % 95.8% 90.6%/NY 81% 72. Temple University (Beasley) (PA) % % 91.4% 89.1%/PA 87% 72. University of Hawaii Manoa (Richardson) % % 100.0% 86.5%/HI 88% 72. University of Oklahoma % % 95.6% 96.3%/OK 93% 78. Loyola University Chicago % % 93.7% 94.3%/IL 91% 78. University of Nevada Las Vegas (Boyd) % % 97.8% 81.5%/NV 77% 80. Illinois Institute of Technology (Chicago-Kent) % % 89.5% 96.3%/IL 91% 80. Louisiana State Univ. Baton Rouge (Hebert) % % 96.1% 81.0%/LA 66% 80. Rutgers, the State U. of New Jersey Camden % % 90.0% 84.5%/NJ 85% 80. Rutgers, the State U. of New Jersey Newark % % 95.6% 86.9%/NJ 85% 80. University of Denver (Sturm) % % 94.2% 80.4%/CO 83% 80. University of Oregon % % 90.4% 84.8%/OR 79% 86. Hofstra University (NY) % 15.4 N/A 96.3% 86.5%/NY 81% 86. Indiana University Indianapolis % % 96.1% 83.8%/IN 84% 86. Northeastern University (MA) % 15.4 N/A 94.1% 93.7%/MA 89% 86. Seattle University % % 96.6% 79.0%/WA 74% 86. Syracuse University (NY) % 10.9 N/A 95.4% 84.1%/NY 81% 86. University of Arkansas Fayetteville % 12.2 N/A 95.7% 82.0%/AR 83% 86. University of Richmond (Williams) (VA) % % 90.7% 90.6%/VA 82% 93. Chapman University (CA) % % 96.5% 75.4%/CA 71% 93. Santa Clara University (CA) % % 92.6% 78.5%/CA 71% 93. University of Missouri % % 89.6% 91.9%/MO 91% 93. University of Nebraska Lincoln % % 93.8% 90.8%/NE 89% 93. West Virginia University % % 98.1% 76.1%/WV 79% 98. Catholic University of America (Columbus) (DC) % % 91.9% 88.0%/MD 85% 98. DePaul University (IL) % % 94.0% 89.1%/IL 91% 98. University of San Francisco % 15.2 N/A 93.0% 86.0%/CA 71% 98. University of the Pacific (McGeorge) (CA) % 14.0 N/A 95.5% 79.6%/CA 71% 98. William Mitchell College of Law (MN) % 20.4 N/A 96.8% 89.8%/MN 91% Sources: U.S. News and the schools. Assessment data collected by Synovate. N/A means that the data were not provided by the school. University of La Verne in California, Charleston School of Law in South Carolina, Liberty University in Virginia, Phoenix School of Law in Arizona, Charlotte School of Law and Elon University in North Carolina, and Drexel University in Pennsylvania are not ranked because as of February 2010 they were only provisionally approved by the American Bar Association. Three law schools in Puerto Rico Catholic University, Inter-America University, and the University of Puerto Rico are not ranked. *The state bar examination pass rates for first-time test takers in summer 2008 and winter 2008 were provided by the National Conference of Bar Examiners. USN&WR AMERICA S BEST GRADUATE SCHOOLS 29

3 SPECIALTIES PROGRAMS RANKED BEST BY FACULTY WHO TEACH IN THE FIELD DISPUTE RESOLUTION 1. Pepperdine University (CA) 2. Hamline University (MN) 2. University of Missouri 4. Harvard University (MA) 5. Ohio State University (Moritz) 6. Marquette University (WI) 7. University of Oregon 8. Fordham University (NY) 8. Yeshiva Univ. (Cardozo) (NY) 10. University of Nevada Las Vegas (Boyd) CLINICAL TRAINING 1. Georgetown University (DC) 2. American University (Washington) (DC) 3. CUNY Queens College 4. New York University 5. Washington Univ. in St. Louis 6. University of New Mexico 7. University of Michigan Ann Arbor 8. Yale University (CT) 9. University of Maryland 10. University of the District of Columbia (Clarke) ENVIRONMENTAL LAW 1. Vermont Law School 2. Lewis & Clark College (Northwestern) (OR) 3. University of California Berkeley 4. Pace University (NY) 5. Florida State University 6. Georgetown University (DC) 6. University of Colorado Boulder 8. Stanford University (CA) 8. University of Oregon 10. New York University 10. University of Maryland HEALTH LAW 1. St. Louis University 2. University of Maryland 3. Case Western Reserve University (OH) 4. Boston University 4. Georgia State University 4. University of Houston (TX) 7. Georgetown University (DC) 8. Seton Hall University (NJ) 9. Loyola University Chicago 10. University of Minnesota Twin Cities INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY LAW 1. University of California Berkeley 2. Stanford University (CA) 3. George Washington University (DC) 4. Boston University 5. New York University 6. Columbia University (NY) 7. University of Michigan Ann Arbor 8. University of Houston (TX) 9. Duke University (NC) 9. Franklin Pierce Law Center (NH) INTERNATIONAL LAW 1. New York University 2. Columbia University (NY) 3. Georgetown University (DC) 4. Harvard University (MA) 5. Yale University (CT) 6. George Washington Univ. (DC) 6. University of Michigan Ann Arbor 8. American University (Washington) (DC) 9. University of Virginia 10. Duke University (NC) LEGAL WRITING 1. Mercer University (George) (GA) 1. Seattle University 3. Stetson University (FL) 4. University of Nevada Las Vegas (Boyd) 5. Indiana University Indianapolis 6. John Marshall Law School (IL) 7. University of Oregon 8. Temple University (Beasley) (PA) 9. Arizona State University (O Connor) 9. Ohio State University (Moritz) TRIAL ADVOCACY 1. Stetson University (FL) 2. Temple University (Beasley) (PA) 3. South Texas College of Law 4. Baylor University (Umphrey) (TX) 5. Georgetown University (DC) 5. University of the Pacific (McGeorge) (CA) 7. Illinois Institute of Technology (Chicago-Kent) 7. Northwestern University (IL) 7. University of Akron (OH) 7. Washington Univ. in St. Louis TAX LAW 1. New York University 2. Georgetown University (DC) 3. University of Florida (Levin) 4. Northwestern University (IL) 5. University of Miami (FL) 6. Boston University 6. University of San Diego 8. Harvard University (MA) 9. Loyola Marymount University (CA) 10. University of Virginia Other Schools to Consider The next two quartiles of schools are listed alphabetically in two groups, the Third Tier and Fourth Tier. Law schools within each of these tiers should be considered broadly similar in quality. To be listed, a law school must be accredited and fully approved by the American Bar Association and must draw most of its students from the United States. Remember that in considering a law school, you should look not only at its ranking or tier but also at other characteristics its location, price, course offerings, and faculty expertise, to name a few. More information on all the schools is available in the directory, beginning on Page 144. THIRD TIER (ranking begins at 103; schools are listed alphabetically) Albany Law School (NY) % 13.1 N/A 93.9% 80.8%/NY 81% Cleveland State University (Cleveland-Marshall) % % 91.1% 90.3%/OH 88% Creighton University (NE) % % 92.4% 88.4%/NE 89% Drake University (IA) % 14.5 N/A 96.8% 90.1%/IA 90% Franklin Pierce Law Center (NH) % 14.2 N/A 94.1% 93.3%/NH 88% Gonzaga University (WA) % 15.3 N/A 93.9% 81.7%/WA 74% Howard University (DC) % % 85.5% 64.1%/MD 85% Loyola University New Orleans % % 94.6% 67.4%/LA 66% Continued on Page USN&WR AMERICA S BEST GRADUATE SCHOOLS

4 Marquette University (WI) % % 92.8% 100.0%/WI 92% Mercer University (George) (GA) % 13.0 N/A 92.1% 95.8%/GA 89% Michigan State University % 16.6 N/A 91.5% 83.7%/MI 82% New York Law School % 23.6 N/A 92.6% 91.3%/NY 81% Ohio Northern University (Pettit) % 12.7 N/A 93.4% 93.5%/OH 88% Pace University (NY) % 12.7 N/A 91.5% 83.3%/NY 81% Quinnipiac University (CT) % 11.2 N/A 96.4% 93.1%/CT 87% Samford University (Cumberland) (AL) % 18.0 N/A 93.7% 95.7%/AL 79% Southwestern Law School (CA) % % 95.5% 69.7%/CA 71% Stetson University (FL) % 15.8 N/A 95.1% 82.0%/FL 81% St. Louis University % % 92.9% 94.2%/MO 91% Suffolk University (MA) % 16.5 N/A 89.7% 92.8%/MA 89% Texas Tech University % 15.3 N/A 87.8% 86.6%/TX 84% University at Buffalo SUNY % % 91.2% 81.2%/NY 81% University of Akron (OH) % % 87.6% 89.9%/OH 88% University of Arkansas Little Rock (Bowen) % % 95.8% 81.3%/AR 83% University of Baltimore % % 96.3% 84.6%/MD 85% University of Idaho % 16.5 N/A 87.8% 81.1%/ID 80% University of Louisville (Brandeis) (KY) % % 95.1% 88.0%/KY 83% University of Maine % 14.2 N/A 91.9% 91.5%/ME 91% University of Memphis (Humphreys) % % 93.3% 93.1%/TN 83% University of Mississippi % % 89.6% 90.0%/MS 88% University of Missouri Kansas City % 14.1 N/A 95.6% 97.6%/MO 91% University of Montana % 12.3 N/A 92.3% 88.1%/MT 93% University of South Carolina % % 91.2% 91.0%/SC 82% University of South Dakota % % 94.3% 94.9%/SD 95% University of St. Thomas (MN) % 17.7 N/A 90.9% 89.7%/MN 91% University of Toledo (OH) % % 96.3% 87.8%/OH 88% University of Tulsa (OK) % 11.9 N/A 92.3% 92.6%/OK 93% University of Wyoming % % 88.9% 76.3%/WY 67% Vermont Law School % % 95.2% 83.3%/NY 81% Washburn University (KS) % 12.9 N/A 93.5% 89.4%/KS 89% Wayne State University (MI) % 14.4 N/A 87.5% 95.9%/MI 82% Willamette University (Collins) (OR) % 15.0 N/A 91.1% 84.4%/OR 79% FOURTH TIER (ranking begins at 145; schools are listed alphabetically) Appalachian School of Law (VA) % 15.8 N/A 66.2% 83.3%/VA 82% Atlanta s John Marshall Law School % % 96.2% 83.9%/GA 89% Ave Maria School of Law (FL) % 17.5 N/A 81.5% 79.5%/MI 82% Barry University (FL) % 26.7 N/A 70.7% 76.5%/FL 81% California Western School of Law % 18.3 N/A 84.0% 84.2%/CA 71% Campbell University (Wiggins) (NC) % 17.9 N/A 93.8% 95.3%/NC 83% Capital University (OH) % 15.8 N/A 76.5% 94.8%/OH 88% CUNY Queens College % 10.0 N/A 81.7% 82.0%/NY 81% Duquesne University (PA) % 19.4 N/A 85.2% 95.7%/PA 87% Faulkner University (Jones) (AL) % 14.0 N/A 94.9% 93.1%/AL 79% Florida A&M University % 18.5 N/A 87.4% 65.7%/FL 81% Florida Coastal School of Law % 20.9 N/A 95.4% 83.0%/FL 81% Continued on Page 32 *The state bar examination pass rates for first-time test takers in summer 2008 and winter 2008 were provided by the National Conference of Bar Examiners. Note: Numbers with * are from the fall 2008 entering class or school year and 2007 graduating class as reported to the American Bar Association. USN&WR AMERICA S BEST GRADUATE SCHOOLS 31

5 FOURTH TIER (ranking begins at 140; schools are listed alphabetically) Florida International University % 16.2 N/A 88.7% 88.0%/FL 81% Golden Gate University (CA) % 15.2 N/A 90.3% 71.6%/CA 71% Hamline University (MN) % 14.8 N/A 90.3% 92.8%/MN 91% John Marshall Law School (IL) % % 89.0% 87.9%/IL 91% Mississippi College % 18.2 N/A 94.4% 93.9%/MS 88% New England School of Law (MA) % 23.1 N/A 81.2% 90.8%/MA 89% North Carolina Central University % 16.5 N/A 80.5% 80.5%/NC 83% Northern Illinois University % 18.7 N/A 89.1% 96.1%/IL 91% Northern Kentucky University (Chase) % 15.1 N/A 92.5% 85.5%/OH 88% Nova Southeastern University (Broad) (FL) % 16.7 N/A 85.5% 84.1%/FL 81% Oklahoma City University % 17.6 N/A 92.1% 90.3%/OK 93% Regent University (VA) % % 94.4% 73.1%/VA 82% Roger Williams University (RI) % 16.7 N/A 88.0% 85.6%/MA 89% Southern Illinois University Carbondale % 11.7 N/A 84.9% 94.7%/IL 91% Southern University Law Center (LA) * * 34% * 11.5 * N/A N/A N/A N/A South Texas College of Law % 20.0 N/A 85.1% 89.2%/TX 84% St. Mary s University (TX) % % 91.3% 87.2%/TX 84% St. Thomas University (FL) * * 45% * 20.9 * N/A 80.4% * N/A N/A Texas Southern University (Marshall) % 12.8 N/A 83.3% 59.6%/TX 84% Texas Wesleyan University % % 76.0% 77.8%/TX 84% Thomas Jefferson School of Law (CA) % 17.9 N/A 92.1% 70.3%/CA 71% Thomas M. Cooley Law School (MI) * * 61% * 21.1 * N/A 77.8% * N/A N/A Touro College (Fuchsberg) (NY) % 15.9 N/A 72.3% 79.0%/NY 81% University of Dayton (OH) % 16.7 N/A 92.1% 91.8%/OH 88% University of Detroit Mercy % 14.1 N/A 78.4% 71.4%/MI 82% University of North Dakota % 16.8 N/A 90.1% 91.5%/ND 86% University of the District of Columbia (Clarke) % 12.2 N/A 79.6% 92.3%/MD 85% Valparaiso University (IN) % 15.8 N/A 88.9% 82.7%/IN 84% Western New England College (MA) % 12.7 N/A 81.3% 76.6%/CT 87% Western State University (CA) % 22.6 N/A 70.8% 64.9%/CA 71% Whittier College (CA) % % 96.4% 82.6%/CA 71% Widener University (DE) % % 83.8% 88.0%/PA 87% METHODOLOGY The rankings of 188 accredited law schools are based on a weighted average of the 12 factors below. Quality assessment (weighted by.40): Quality was measured by two surveys conducted in fall The dean and three faculty members at each school were asked to rate schools from marginal (1) to outstanding (5); 65 percent voted. Their average rating for a school weights.25 in the ranking. Lawyers and judges also rated schools; 21 percent responded. The two most recent years of surveys of lawyers and judges were averaged and are weighted by.15. Selectivity (.25): Combined fall 2009 data for all full-time and part-time entering students; this measure combines median LSAT scores (50 percent), median undergrad GPA (40 percent), and the acceptance rate (10 percent). Placement success (.20): Success is determined by employment rates for 2008 graduates at graduation (20 percent) and nine months after (70 percent) as well as their bar passage rate (10 percent). Employment rates include graduates reported as working or pursuing graduate degrees; for the nine-month rate only, 25 percent of those whose status is unknown are also counted as working. Those not seeking jobs are excluded. All others are counted as unemployed. The bar passage rate indicator is the ratio of a school s rate in the cited jurisdiction to the overall state rate, computed for first-time test takers in summer 2008 and winter The jurisdiction cited is the state where the largest number of 2008 grads first took the test. Faculty resources (.15): Resources are based on average fiscal year 2008 and 2009 expenditures per student for instruction, library, and supporting services (65 percent) and on all other items, including financial aid (10 percent); 2009 student/teacher ratio (20 percent); and total number of volumes and titles in library (5 percent). Overall rank: Schools scores on each indicator were standardized about their means. Then scores were weighted, totaled, and rescaled so that the top school received 100 and other schools received a percentage of the top score. Specialty rankings: Rankings are based solely on votes by law faculty who are listed in the AALS Directory of Law Teachers as teaching in the field or by directors of clinical and legal writing programs. They named up to 15 of the best in each field. Schools receiving the most votes are listed. 32 USN&WR AMERICA S BEST GRADUATE SCHOOLS

6 Part-Time Law Schools Part-time J.D. law programs play a vital role in legal edu ca tion. According to the American Bar Association, in fall 2008 about 16 percent of all J.D. students were enrolled part time. For many working adults, attending part time is the only way they can afford to go to law school and meet their other commitments. Fewer than half of all law schools have part-time programs, which may be offered either in the evening or the day. Part-time programs generally take four years to complete instead of three years for full time programs. This year, U.S. News presents its second annual ranking of the top among the 84 accredited law schools with part-time J.D. programs. This year s part-time J.D. program ranking is improved since it is now based on four factors of academic quality. THE TOP SCHOOLS Peer 09 part-time Overall assessment score LSAT score 09 part-time 09 part-time School score (5.0=highest) 25th-75th percentile acceptance rate enrollment 1. Georgetown University (DC) % George Washington University (DC) % Fordham University (NY) % Yeshiva University (Cardozo) (NY) % University of Maryland % George Mason University (VA) % American University (Washington) (DC) % Brooklyn Law School (NY) % Temple University (Beasley) (PA) % University of San Diego % Illinois Institute of Technology (Chicago-Kent) % University of Houston (TX) % University of Connecticut % Southern Methodist University (Dedman) (TX) % Rutgers, the State U.of New Jersey Camden % Loyola Marymount University (CA) % Santa Clara University (CA) % University of Denver (Sturm) % Rutgers, the State U. of New Jersey Newark % Seattle University % University of Nevada Las Vegas (Boyd) % Wayne State University (MI) % Catholic University of America (Columbus) (DC) % Marquette University (WI) % St. John s University (NY) % Hofstra University (NY) % Chapman University (CA) % St. Louis University % University of Hawaii Manoa (Richardson) % Lewis & Clark College (Northwestern) (OR) % DePaul University (IL) % Loyola University Chicago % University of San Francisco % University of Louisville (Brandeis) (KY) % Seton Hall University (NJ) % Indiana University Indianapolis % Stetson University (FL) % University of Arkansas Little Rock (Bowen) % Cleveland State University (Cleveland-Marshall) % New York Law School % Quinnipiac University (CT) % Georgia State University % Case Western Reserve University (OH) % Suffolk University (MA) % University of the Pacific (McGeorge) (CA) % Loyola University New Orleans % California Western School of Law % Pace University (NY) % University of Akron (OH) % University of Toledo (OH) % Southwestern Law School (CA) % Golden Gate University (CA) % 108 METHODOLOGY The rankings of 84 part-time law school programs are based on a weighted average of four measures of quality described below. For a school s program to be considered in the part-time rankings, it must have reported at least 20 part-time students enrolled in fall 2009 and reported fall 2009 applications and acceptances for its part-time program. Quality assessment (weighted by.50): In fall 2009, deans and three faculty members at each school that had reported at least 10 students enrolled in part-time programs during the academic year were asked to rate part-time programs from marginal (1) to outstanding (5); 58 percent voted. Their average rating was weighted by.50 in the ranking model. Selectivity (weighted by.275): For part-time students entering in 2009, this combines median LSAT scores (.225) and undergraduate GPAs of entrants to the part-time program (.05). Part-time focus (weighted by.225): An index was created from data reported by the schools about their 2009 part-time programs. Factors used in the creation of this index: the size of part-time first-year sections; the size of part-time first-year small sections; and the number of positions filled by part-time students in seminars, simulation courses, faculty-supervised clinical courses, field placements, law journals, interschool skills competitions, and independent study. Schools received credit for reporting data and additional credit for surpassing a threshold value in the factors. Overall rank: Schools scores on each indicator were standardized, weighted, totaled, and rescaled so that the top school received 100 and other schools received a percentage of the top score. Sources: U.S. News and the schools. Assessment data collected by Synovate. The part-time J.D. law program data listed for fall 2009 acceptance rate and fall 2009 enrollment is for information purposes only and is not used in the computation of the part-time J.D. program ranking. Only schools ranked in the top 50 are published. 34 USN&WR AMERICA S BEST GRADUATE SCHOOLS

7 Law School Diversity To identify law schools where students are most likely to encounter classmates from a different racial or ethnic group, U.S. News has created a diversity index based on the total proportion of minority students not including international students and the mix of racial and ethnic groups on campus. The index is calculated using demographic data reflecting each law school s student body during the academic year, including both full- and part-time students. The groups that form the basis for our calculations are African-Americans, Asian-Americans, Hispanics, American Indians, and non-hispanic whites. Our formula produces a diversity index that ranges from 0.0 to 1.0. The closer a school s number is to 1.0, the more diverse is the student popula tion. Law schools that enroll a large proportion of students from one ethnic group, even if it is a minority group, don t score high in this index. To be included in the table, a law school must be accredited by the American Bar Association. Because student-body ethnic diversity data are not consistently compiled and reported as yet for other types of graduate schools, U.S. News has prepared a diversity table for law schools only. THE MOST DIVERSE SCHOOLS Diversity index Largest minority School (1.0=highest) and its proportion Florida A&M University 0.66 African-American, 41% Texas Southern University (Marshall) 0.64 African-American, 51% University of the District of Columbia (Clarke) 0.64 African-American, 29% Florida International University 0.60 Hispanic, 44% University of New Mexico 0.60 Hispanic, 28% Santa Clara University (CA) 0.58 Asian-American, 30% University of Southern California (Gould) 0.58 Asian-American, 21% Loyola Marymount University (CA) 0.57 Asian-American, 22% Northwestern University (IL) 0.57 Asian-American, 19% American University (Washington) (DC) 0.56 Hispanic, 14% North Carolina Central University 0.56 African-American, 50% Rutgers, the State U. of New Jersey Newark 0.56 African-American, 15% Stanford University (CA) 0.56 Asian-American, 13% Southwestern Law School (CA) 0.54 Asian-American, 15% University of San Francisco 0.54 Asian-American, 17% University of California Berkeley 0.53 Asian-American, 17% Western State University (CA) 0.53 Asian-American, 17% Cornell University (NY) 0.52 Asian-American, 15% Thomas Jefferson School of Law (CA) 0.52 Hispanic, 14% University of California Davis 0.52 Asian-American, 27% University of Hawaii Manoa (Richardson) 0.52 Asian-American, 58% Emory University (GA) 0.51 Hispanic, 11% University of California Los Angeles 0.51 Asian-American, 18% Northeastern University (MA) 0.50 Hispanic, 11% St. Mary s University (TX) 0.50 Hispanic, 25% University of California (Hastings) 0.50 Asian-American, 21% University of Maryland 0.50 African-American, 13% Columbia University (NY) 0.49 Asian-American, 17% CUNY Queens College 0.49 Hispanic, 12% Golden Gate University (CA) 0.48 Asian-American, 21% Harvard University (MA) 0.48 African-American, 12% Nova Southeastern University (Broad) (FL) 0.48 Hispanic, 20% University of Chicago 0.47 Asian-American, 12% University of Houston (TX) 0.47 Asian-American, 10% University of Nevada Las Vegas (Boyd) 0.47 Asian-American, 11% University of Texas Austin 0.47 Hispanic, 16% Yale University (CT) 0.47 Asian-American, 12% Diversity index Largest minority School (1.0=highest) and its proportion Northern Illinois University 0.46 African-American, 13% University of Pennsylvania 0.46 Asian-American, 14% California Western School of Law 0.45 Asian-American, 14% Hofstra University (NY) 0.45 Asian-American, 10% Loyola University New Orleans 0.45 African-American, 15% University of Arizona (Rogers) 0.45 Asian-American, 9% University of the Pacific (McGeorge) (CA) 0.45 Asian-American, 15% Whittier College (CA) 0.45 Asian-American, 14% Florida Coastal School of Law 0.44 Hispanic, 10% University of San Diego 0.44 Asian-American, 17% Brooklyn Law School (NY) 0.43 Asian-American, 16% South Texas College of Law 0.43 Hispanic, 11% Seattle University 0.42 Asian-American, 15% Washington University in St. Louis 0.42 Asian-American, 12% Atlanta s John Marshall Law School 0.41 African-American, 19% DePaul University (IL) 0.41 Hispanic, 11% St. John s University (NY) 0.41 Asian-American, 9% Texas Tech University 0.41 Hispanic, 16% Texas Wesleyan University 0.41 Hispanic, 10% University of North Carolina Chapel Hill 0.41 African-American, 8% University of Wisconsin Madison 0.41 Asian-American, 8% Boston University 0.40 Asian-American, 12% New York University 0.40 Asian-American, 11% Southern Methodist University (Dedman) (TX) 0.40 Hispanic, 10% University of Florida (Levin) 0.40 Hispanic, 10% University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign 0.40 Asian-American, 9% University of Miami (FL) 0.40 Hispanic, 12% University of Michigan Ann Arbor 0.40 Asian-American, 13% University of Notre Dame (IN) 0.40 Hispanic, 9% Boston College 0.39 Asian-American, 12% Duke University (NC) 0.39 African-American, 9% Georgetown University (DC) 0.39 Asian-American, 9% John Marshall Law School (IL) 0.39 Hispanic, 8% Temple University (Beasley) (PA) 0.39 Asian-American, 10% Fordham University (NY) 0.38 Hispanic, 9% Touro College (Fuchsberg) (NY) 0.38 African-American, 9% University of Washington 0.38 Asian-American, 14% Note: The diversity index is based on ethnicity data collected by U.S. News from each law school. The methodology used to compute the index was published in a 1992 article by Philip Meyer and Shawn McIntosh in the International Journal of Public Opinion Research. For this index, students classified as ethnicity unknown/unreported were counted as white. A more detailed explanation of the methodology is available at USN&WR AMERICA S BEST GRADUATE SCHOOLS 35