Engines of Anxiety

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Students and the public often rely on published college rankings to evaluate and compare institutions. However, many colleges respond to these rankings in ways that may not benefit either the schools or their students. Sociologists Wendy Espeland and Michael Sauder investigate the impact of law school rankings, particularly those from U.S. News & World Report, on legal education. Through extensive observational data and over 200 interviews with law students, deans, and administrators, they reveal how the pursuit of high rankings affects law schools' missions and practices. Prospective students heavily depend on rankings to assess school quality, often internalizing these rankings as reflections of their own worth. Rejections from top-tier schools can lead to feelings of personal failure. Admissions officers face pressure to prioritize high-test-score applicants, impacting diversity efforts. The authors also highlight how rankings influence career services, as schools shift focus toward tracking job placements to enhance their rankings, rather than providing comprehensive support for students. This cycle reinforces a rigid hierarchy, disadvantaging lower-tier schools that struggle to meet the rankings' strict criteria. As law schools compete for better rankings, their programs become increasingly homogenized and less accessible to non-traditional students. While rankings serve as a resource for evaluating law schools, the dri