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Penn Carey Law will not submit data for U.S. News rankings

In withdrawing from the ranking last month, Harvard and Yale cited methodology that makes it more difficult for the schools to admit low-income students.

The split button on University of Pennsylvania campus near 34th and Walnut in Philadelphia in 2002.
The split button on University of Pennsylvania campus near 34th and Walnut in Philadelphia in 2002.Read moreBONNIE WELLER / Staff Photographer

Just as Harvard and Yale law schools announced last month, the University of Pennsylvania’s Carey Law School said Friday it will not submit data to U.S. News & World Report for its rankings.

“The current U.S. News ranking methodology is unnecessarily secretive and contrary to important parts of our mission, including Penn Carey Law’s increasing investment in need-based financial aid and public interest lawyering,” the school said in a statement. “We have directly and frankly shared these concerns with U.S. News and hope they will consider significant and meaningful changes in how data is calculated and published.”

The law school also said “in the interest of greater transparency,” it would make its data public.

» READ MORE: Penn will evaluate U.S. News rankings in light of Harvard and Yale’s decision to withdraw

Penn had said last month that it intended to evaluate the issue. Friday’s announcement comes “after careful consideration,” the school said.

In withdrawing from the rankings, Harvard and Yale cited methodology that makes it more difficult for the schools to admit low-income students.

“They disincentivize programs that support public interest careers, champion need-based aid, and welcome working-class students into the profession,” said Heather K. Gerken, dean of Yale Law School, which for years has ranked No. 1 and was the first school to announce its withdrawal.

» READ MORE: Temple’s former business school dean was sentenced to 14 months in rankings scandal fraud

U.S. News has defended the rankings and said they help students decide which school to attend. It also said it would continue to rank all fully accredited law schools, whether or not they submit their data.

“U.S. News has a responsibility to prospective students to provide comparative information that allows them to assess these institutions,” the publication said.