Univ. of Illinois May Have Reported False Information

From Law.com:

The University of Illinois has launched an investigation into the accuracy of information about the median grade point average and LSAT scores disseminated by the College of Law about its incoming class.

According to a statement released by the university on Sept. 11, ethics officials on Aug. 26 received "credible information" that the law school might have reported inaccurate data regarding the class of 2014 on its Web site and in promotional materials.

Not much comment required here, but:

1. If the allegations prove true, U.S. News should immediately drop Illinois to the third tier to retain any credibility. The absurdity, theoretical and otherwise, of the U.S. News Rankings is, and always will be, a flawed driving force behind these shenanigans. Unless U.S. News actually has some type of penalty for blunt lying, the rankings' sponsor would only prove again how worthless they are.

2. If the allegations prove true, the ABA should immediately pronounce a rule allowing it to audit these institutions at will, if it doesn't already have one. Actually, the ABA should do it anyway.

3. If the University of Illinois - a school whose reputation would keep it in the top 35 regardless of a 2-3 point drop in LSAT score - has to fudge its numbers, how can anyone's numbers be taken at face value without scrutiny?

4. Undergrad stats are stupendously easy to keep track of for an admissions office. The students all wrote them on their applications, and I imagine most schools use a sort of spreadsheet/database-style calculator to ring these numbers up. If schools can't even get those numbers right, how in the firecrackin' hell are they getting the post-graduate numbers even close? A common defense to the post-graduate numbers is that they're accurate when taken with the disclaimers. Can we eve say that? Really?

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