Ranking versus reputation

Though ranking and reputation, when spoken of, often go hand in hand as if they are similar and related, in fact they are quite separate and distinct.

Ranking, in theory at least, is based on systematic, methodical surveys that use  objective criteria to determine how schools or programs fit into a quantifiable numerical hierarchy. The concept of ranking may be criticized for many reasons, including disagreement as to the criteria used to rank, the selection of the categories chosen to rank, methods used for measuring quality, and the opportunities to manipulate data surveyed in the ranking process.

Reputation, on the other hand, is more of a sense of how good or bad a school is perceived to be, how desirable or undesirable, or generally what people think about either the school itself or about the school as compared to one or more other schools.

A school may be ranked number 1 (at the top) but may have negative reputation. Likewise, it may be ranked near the bottom, but have an excellent reputation.


The following websites discuss LL.M. Rankings:  Go-LLM, LLM Info, LLM Insider, LLM Study, UpStartRaising, Translegal, and LLM Guide.