Which out-of-state universities have strongest Chicago influence? (Aurora, Naperville: houses, private school)

[edsg25]

Originally Posted by RH3Flatlander

Illinois only has one "flagship" university because the University of Illinois (Champaign) is a land grant school. Most states that are west of the Appalachians and south of D.C. or so have a territorial university and a land grant university. Territorial universities are older, and have historic focuses on disciplines that were most prominent prior to the industrial revolution such as law, medicine, and business. Land Grant universities were created under President Lincoln as a means to promote technologies and trades that were deemed important from the 1860s - early 1900s (mostly engineering and Ag studies based). Northwestern was supposed to be the territorial university for the Northwest Territory (including Illinois, Wisconsin, and Minnesota) but maintained its private, non-sectarian status. UW-Madison and Minnesota are both land grant universities and their states' only flagship schools for this reason as well.

The leakage of Illinois college students to other states is one of the most wicked problems this state is facing that hardly anyone talks about. That's a huge amount of brain drain and lost induced economic impact for Illinois' university towns/regions. UofI's arms race with other top tier public universities (Michigan, UC-Berkeley, UCLA, Virginia, etc.) has created a gap for many Illinois students wanting to attend a Big Ten type of university, but who don't quite have the grades or finances to get into UofI. Illinois State and UIC have filled this gap to some degree, but the amount of Chicagoland students you see enrolled at Iowa, Indiana, Purdue, and Michigan State is staggering. And it's getting to the point now where Big 12 schools like Kansas, Kansas State, Iowa State, and Oklahoma State are getting in on the action and now have several thousand Chicago area students. These are students in the past that would have gone to one of Illinois' directional universities, but are now going out of state due to the comparable tuition, generally more acclaimed research prowess, and perceived cultural benefits associated with attending a larger conference university. Meanwhile, schools in Illinois like WIU, EIU, and SIU are 1/2 of what they used to be 15-20 years ago. Without some sort of reform that plays on the strengths of these in-state normal/teacher's universities, these schools and the economic base of their regions will be obsolete within the next 10-20 years.

Illinois is hardly alone here in the Midwest in having its flagship public university be a land-grant institution. Both Wisconsin (UW-Madison) and Ohio (OSU) have a similar one flagship institution that is a land-grant school.

???? NU was founded by Methodists and didn't become non-sectarian until the 20th century. Also, when NU was founded in 1851, the Northwest Territory had already long been dead. Ohio, Michigan, Indiana, Illinois, Wisconsin and Minnesota were all states and had been so for a long period of time.

As schools like WIU, EIU, and SIU are not flagship public universities, many of the students at suburban Chicago high schools wouldn't be considering them as a choice. They are looking at Iowa, UW, Indiana, Purdue, MSU, U-M as being at a whole different level than WIU, EIU, SIU.

[goillini8]

I think Illinois State has really stepped up in the last 10-15 years. Good school, good value. That said, it doesn't change the fact that ISU isn't a flagship university and doesn't have the scope or resources of BIG 10 schools. I wish ISU had more private money and a bigger endowment to insulate it a little more from State finance BS. How do Chicago area students view ISU?

[MassVt]

Originally Posted by edsg25

The University of Iowa is classified as a "public ivy" and has made the US News list of 30 best public universities on a fairly regular basis. Academically, Iowa is pretty much on the same tier as IU. I'm surprised by the number of people who are questioning the academic reputation of a very fine school.

I'm not questioning the reputation of the U of Iowa--I just thought that Chicago-area kids might be bored with the offerings of small-city Iowa.

Illinois and Iowa as public Ivys, though? That's a stretch.

[goillini8]

I did some research (well, looked at Wikipedia, lol). Iowa has appeared on a "Public Ivy" list - notably in the book The Public Ivies: America's Flagship Public Universities, which included 30 flagship universities (thus sort of watering down the concept). That list was a considerable expansion from when the term was coined. Interestingly, the University of Vermont was on the original list. Obviously, "Ivy" is supposed to denote quality education, but it seems like an unnecessary designation.

I think the only universally agreed-upon "Public Ivies" (if we must use the term) are Cal, Michigan, and UVA. Of course, there are many other excellent public universities, and other "Public Ivy contenders". But, think about it - the reputation of schools like Michigan, Cal, and UVA (or UCLA, UNC, Texas, for example) are independent of any "Ivy" moniker. Simply the schools with the most agreement as to "Public Ivy" status are the ones that need it the least in terms of prestige, academic reputation and overall status. Thus, it's a fairly empty designation.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Public...l_Public_Ivies

[Maintainschaos]

Originally Posted by MassVt

I'm not questioning the reputation of the U of Iowa--I just thought that Chicago-area kids might be bored with the offerings of small-city Iowa.

Illinois and Iowa as public Ivys, though? That's a stretch.

IU=Indiana University.

Illinois (UIUC) is absolutely one of the top public institutions in the U.S. (usually one of the top 10, and is listed as a public Ivy [if that's really worth anything]), has a huge international draw in nearly all STEM fields, and is likely tied with Wisconsin as the 2nd/3rd best public universities overall in the Midwest.

[MassVt]

Originally Posted by goillini8

I did some research (well, looked at Wikipedia, lol). Iowa has appeared on a "Public Ivy" list - notably in the book The Public Ivies: America's Flagship Public Universities, which included 30 flagship universities (thus sort of watering down the concept). That list was a considerable expansion from when the term was coined. Interestingly, the University of Vermont was on the original list. Obviously, "Ivy" is supposed to denote quality education, but it seems like an unnecessary designation.

I think the only universally agreed-upon "Public Ivies" (if we must use the term) are Cal, Michigan, and UVA. Of course, there are many other excellent public universities, and other "Public Ivy contenders". But, think about it - the reputation of schools like Michigan, Cal, and UVA (or UCLA, UNC, Texas, for example) are independent of any "Ivy" moniker. Simply the schools with the most agreement as to "Public Ivy" status are the ones that need it the least in terms of prestige, academic reputation and overall status. Thus, it's a fairly empty designation.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Public...l_Public_Ivies

I went to the University of Vermont (UVM), and although I graduated decades ago ( and might not know its current status), calling it a "Public Ivy" is a bit generous. It did have, and probably still has, a very large proportion of out-of-state students ( circa 50%), which pay Ivy-like prices, and also greatly inflate the cost of housing in a small metro area..

[RH3Flatlander]

Originally Posted by edsg25

???? NU was founded by Methodists and didn't become non-sectarian until the 20th century. Also, when NU was founded in 1851, the Northwest Territory had already long been dead. Ohio, Michigan, Indiana, Illinois, Wisconsin and Minnesota were all states and had been so for a long period of time.

Yes, this is true. But Northwestern was founded with the idea of being a territorial university for Illinois, Wisconsin, and Minnesota, hence the name. This is why each of those states only has a public land grant university as its flagship.

Originally Posted by edsg25

As schools like WIU, EIU, and SIU are not flagship public universities, many of the students at suburban Chicago high schools wouldn't be considering them as a choice. They are looking at Iowa, UW, Indiana, Purdue, MSU, U-M as being at a whole different level than WIU, EIU, SIU.

They used to though. That's the point. The idea that one has to go to a flagship school or bust is a new ideology. Preferences for suburban and downstate students have changed over the past 20 years or so. Some of this is academically related, as I am sure many high school counselors are encouraging capable students to choose major research universities and ISU/UIC over the state's directionals. I think a lot of it is just culture based. 30 years ago, if you couldn't afford or get into UofI and wanted to go to a public university, 90% of the time, you just went to one of the directionals or ISU. Now, with tuition being comparable at some of these out of state universities, with the higher quality educational and cultural offerings at some of these schools (combined with the downgrade in academic performance with some of the in-state schools), schools like Iowa, Indiana, and Mizzou have become much more appealing.

[Manigault]

Of course, everyone has read the news reports today that Notre Dame and Wisconsin are finally going to square off against each other in football. In Chicago, of course!

[Dport7674]

Originally Posted by Manigault

Of course, everyone has read the news reports today that Notre Dame and Wisconsin are finally going to square off against each other in football. In Chicago, of course!

Wisc played LSU in Green Bay. They pretend it's so no one has a home field advantage but they do it because it allows them to sell alcohol and make more money.

[TheTimidBlueBars]

I went to Miami University in Ohio, and we have a running joke that the student body's made up of "the five C's": Cleveland, Cincinnati, Columbus, China (lots of exchange students from there), and Chicago. It was true in my experience - most of my classes, which were usually about 20-30 students, had at least two or three from the Chicago area besides me.