It's not surprising that the March 11 edition of U.S. News and World Report, which contains the annual rankings of graduate programs across the country, is sold out all over Cambridge.

With Harvard Medical School ranked first in its field and the Graduate School of Education tied with Columbia University for the top billing, Harvard can be proud.

Harvard Law School also did well, ranking second after Yale.

"We are delighted to have been ranked number one two years in a row," said Jerome T. Murphy, the Dean of the Graduate School of Education. "But, we take these rankings with a grain of salt."

The Medical School is also a bit wary of the rankings, said Keren R. McGinity, acting director of public information for the Medical School.

"I was certainly delighted when I learned the news--as it is always flattering to be ranked number one," McGinity said. "However, it is very important to understand that the U.S. News questionnaire is quantitative, not qualitative."

In particular, she said the survey does not look at the quality of Harvard's applicants and the Medical School's selectivity.

"It is a survey tool and therefore does not cover all aspects of what makes a medical school [deserve the name] Harvard Medical School--such as criteria for acceptance and the quality of our students," McGinity said.

Michael Chmura, the news director at the Law School, expressed confusion at the school's ranking.

"We don't understand how our placement ranking can be anything other than number one when we have a larger graduating class than other schools and more people employed than other schools," Chmura said. "It is difficult to understand how [the U.S. News and World Report staff] come to some of their conclusions because they don't give you a lot of their data," he added.

Murphy said the rankings will only have a positive effect on employment after graduate school.

"Everybody loves a winner and in that regard I think both students and employers like to be associated with the best and in that way it could have an indirect effect on employment," Murphy said.

Mark H. Price, a Law School student graduating in 1996, said he is not at all worried about the second place ranking putting him at a disadvantage.

"I don't think it has any impact on the job community," Price said. "There are enough Harvard alums out there that Harvard grads will have no problems getting the jobs they want.