Harvard, Columbia Plunge in Law School Rankings Amid Anti-Semitism Backlash

Harvard and Columbia Law Schools both plummeted in the 2025 U.S. News ranking amid ongoing controversies over campus anti-Semitism, while Vanderbilt University and the University of Texas at Austin joined the prestigious “T14” list.

Harvard slipped to No. 6—its lowest ranking ever—while Columbia fell to No. 10. By contrast, Vanderbilt and UT Austin—which work to combat campus anti-Semitism, according to the Anti-Defamation League—climbed 5 and 2 spots, respectively, to tie for No. 14. The ranking marks Vanderbilt’s first-ever appearance in the “T14,” a longstanding label for the top 14 law schools in the United States, according to legal commentator David Lat.

The shake-up for Harvard and Columbia comes as the schools have faced public scrutiny over their repeated failure to protect Jewish students and rein in anti-Semitic protests on campus. The Trump administration, which has pledged to cut funding from universities that fail to curb anti-Semitism, revoked more than $430 million in federal funds from Columbia and is reviewing nearly $9 billion in contracts and grants at Harvard.

Both Ivy League schools received poor marks on the Anti-Defamation League’s 2025 campus anti-Semitism report card, with Harvard earning a “C” and Columbia a “D.” The ADL evaluated 135 universities based on their administrative policies, responses to anti-Semitic incidents, and protections for Jewish students.

Vanderbilt, meanwhile, was one of just 11 schools nationwide to earn an “A” from the ADL, placing it “ahead of the pack” in combating anti-Semitism. UT Austin received a “B,” meaning that it performed “better than most” peer institutions in 2024.

Cornell University, another Ivy League school whose response to campus anti-Semitism has sparked backlash, fell out of the “T14” entirely, dropping to No. 18—its law school’s lowest ranking in decades.

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