Was UM, UVA, and UW Madison considered more “prestigious” back in the day?

[Anonymous]

At my private school in dc, they saw it as a pretty huge failure if you went to a public flagship.

[Anonymous]

I graduated from a public HS in WI in 1996. Sure Madison was considered a good option but the high flyers were all looking out of state. There used to be a thing called the Governor’s Scholarship that offered full rides to top students based on class rank to keep them in state. The number of awards per school was based on school size. My school had 4 awards - our Valedictorian and salutatorian went out of state, the next 2 took the scholarship to attend Madison. I was ranked 15 or so (out of about 400) and got an almost full ride to GW.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Back when I graduated high school( in the eighties), these were the schools people talked about. They weren’t Harvard, but I’d put them analogous to Notre Dame or Vanderbilt today. What happened? Is it all because they say “public” or “land-grant”, kind of how the ultra pretentious rip on Cornell.

There have been a lot of changes over the past forty years. In 1980, Wisconsin was probably the most prestigious of this bunch. Vanderbilt was a regional school for rich southerners. Notre Dame was a niche school for Catholic school kids. And UVA and Michigan were decent state schools but nothing exceptional.

And today everything is different. Obviously having responsive management to changing trends and demographics has been critical. Both Vanderbilt and Notre Dame have had great chancellors over the past few decades. And both schools developed outstanding brands with smart investing in infrastructure and key programs. Both schools also now have enormous endowments that allow them to get top students and faculty and pretty much do as they please. And sports revenue certainly helps. Notre Dame is Notre Dame. And Vanderbilt is part of the SEC and getting a cool billion per ten years just through revenue sharing alone. Both Vanderbilt and Notre Dame are now among the most desirable schools in the country.

Michigan did two things great - football. And engineering. Most of the Ivies are decades behind the smart public flagship universities when it comes to engineering. As engineering became more critical, more in demand, more desirable, and more competitive there was an enormous opportunity for certain schools with the resources to invest to really make a name for themselves. And Michigan did just that. Combined with overall excellence and a football program that inspired immense passion and loyalty - not to mention revenue - and Michigan became a cool school. Also, Ann Arbor is a great college town. Plus, Michigan is nearly 50 percent OOS, which gives it both national stature and a high quality student body.

I think the source of UVA's prestige remains the same as always - it's one of the oldest schools, founded by TJ, in a pleasant part of the country. It is a genteel school with a long list of famous alumni. Darden has helped keep it modern and lucrative. But UVA has a preppy vibe that's long been appealing to many. Plus sports and school spirit. And generally being good academically, particularly in liberal arts.

Wisconsin, meanwhile, has done everything wrong. They've remained focused on graduate programs instead of undergrad. They've had terrible political interference from state politicians that drove away both funding and talent. They're not particularly good at sports. And it's too cold, which is a no-no with this generation of students.

As a Wisconsinite who has family at UW Madison:
1. The problem isn’t the state, it’s the administration. The UW system is horrible and cringeworthy, and is sucking the life out of UW Madison. Madison needs to return to the original University of Wisconsin improve infrastructure and professional schools.
2. Madison and AA are the same temperature.
3. Basketball is not what’s propped up UVA and football isn’t what’s propped up Michigan. It’s their law and business schools. Who else could readily afford to pay the high OOS tuition: investment bankers and law firm partners. Meanwhile, Wisconsin is still bragging about its math or history PHD ranking, when that’s literally a fast track to Starbucks barista.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:At my private school in dc, they saw it as a pretty huge failure if you went to a public flagship.

That’s a snob mentality for you.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:At my private school in dc, they saw it as a pretty huge failure if you went to a public flagship.

That’s a snob mentality for you.

What’s funny about this? I am a snob (iykyk, I’ll wear that) and I think UVa is a fantastic school for the right kid.

Is no one truly happy here in DCUMville? Seriously.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:UVA was not a big deal when I went to college in 1997.

Agent Starling bragged about going there though.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It feels like mich and wisc are higher now, and uva may have fallen a bit, than 25 years ago.

UVA is now 24 of all schools in America, punliv and private and no 5 of all public schools in America

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Back when I graduated high school( in the eighties), these were the schools people talked about. They weren’t Harvard, but I’d put them analogous to Notre Dame or Vanderbilt today. What happened? Is it all because they say “public” or “land-grant”, kind of how the ultra pretentious rip on Cornell.

There have been a lot of changes over the past forty years. In 1980, Wisconsin was probably the most prestigious of this bunch. Vanderbilt was a regional school for rich southerners. Notre Dame was a niche school for Catholic school kids. And UVA and Michigan were decent state schools but nothing exceptional.

And today everything is different. Obviously having responsive management to changing trends and demographics has been critical. Both Vanderbilt and Notre Dame have had great chancellors over the past few decades. And both schools developed outstanding brands with smart investing in infrastructure and key programs. Both schools also now have enormous endowments that allow them to get top students and faculty and pretty much do as they please. And sports revenue certainly helps. Notre Dame is Notre Dame. And Vanderbilt is part of the SEC and getting a cool billion per ten years just through revenue sharing alone. Both Vanderbilt and Notre Dame are now among the most desirable schools in the country.

Michigan did two things great - football. And engineering. Most of the Ivies are decades behind the smart public flagship universities when it comes to engineering. As engineering became more critical, more in demand, more desirable, and more competitive there was an enormous opportunity for certain schools with the resources to invest to really make a name for themselves. And Michigan did just that. Combined with overall excellence and a football program that inspired immense passion and loyalty - not to mention revenue - and Michigan became a cool school. Also, Ann Arbor is a great college town. Plus, Michigan is nearly 50 percent OOS, which gives it both national stature and a high quality student body.

I think the source of UVA's prestige remains the same as always - it's one of the oldest schools, founded by TJ, in a pleasant part of the country. It is a genteel school with a long list of famous alumni. Darden has helped keep it modern and lucrative. But UVA has a preppy vibe that's long been appealing to many. Plus sports and school spirit. And generally being good academically, particularly in liberal arts.

Wisconsin, meanwhile, has done everything wrong. They've remained focused on graduate programs instead of undergrad. They've had terrible political interference from state politicians that drove away both funding and talent. They're not particularly good at sports. And it's too cold, which is a no-no with this generation of students.

It’s the Wiscy booster making another predictable return. Michigan did a lot more than just, “two things great.” Most of its graduate and all of its professional programs exceeded Wisconsin decades ago. It’s undergraduate program even more so, which at least to your credit you admit. Michigan was way more than a decent school in 1980. So called prestige comes from having highly ranked Medical, Law, Business, and Engineering schools and colleges. Michigan was ahead of Wisconsin in those offerings way before 1980. Wisconsin is just a decent state school in those disciplines even today.

[Anonymous]

Wisconsin was definitely more prestigious 50-100 years ago than it is today. Many schools, both public and private, have overtaken it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Back when I graduated high school( in the eighties), these were the schools people talked about. They weren’t Harvard, but I’d put them analogous to Notre Dame or Vanderbilt today. What happened? Is it all because they say “public” or “land-grant”, kind of how the ultra pretentious rip on Cornell.

There have been a lot of changes over the past forty years. In 1980, Wisconsin was probably the most prestigious of this bunch. Vanderbilt was a regional school for rich southerners. Notre Dame was a niche school for Catholic school kids. And UVA and Michigan were decent state schools but nothing exceptional.

And today everything is different. Obviously having responsive management to changing trends and demographics has been critical. Both Vanderbilt and Notre Dame have had great chancellors over the past few decades. And both schools developed outstanding brands with smart investing in infrastructure and key programs. Both schools also now have enormous endowments that allow them to get top students and faculty and pretty much do as they please. And sports revenue certainly helps. Notre Dame is Notre Dame. And Vanderbilt is part of the SEC and getting a cool billion per ten years just through revenue sharing alone. Both Vanderbilt and Notre Dame are now among the most desirable schools in the country.

Michigan did two things great - football. And engineering. Most of the Ivies are decades behind the smart public flagship universities when it comes to engineering. As engineering became more critical, more in demand, more desirable, and more competitive there was an enormous opportunity for certain schools with the resources to invest to really make a name for themselves. And Michigan did just that. Combined with overall excellence and a football program that inspired immense passion and loyalty - not to mention revenue - and Michigan became a cool school. Also, Ann Arbor is a great college town. Plus, Michigan is nearly 50 percent OOS, which gives it both national stature and a high quality student body.

I think the source of UVA's prestige remains the same as always - it's one of the oldest schools, founded by TJ, in a pleasant part of the country. It is a genteel school with a long list of famous alumni. Darden has helped keep it modern and lucrative. But UVA has a preppy vibe that's long been appealing to many. Plus sports and school spirit. And generally being good academically, particularly in liberal arts.

Wisconsin, meanwhile, has done everything wrong. They've remained focused on graduate programs instead of undergrad. They've had terrible political interference from state politicians that drove away both funding and talent. They're not particularly good at sports. And it's too cold, which is a no-no with this generation of students.

So you’re saying that just UW-Madison was more prestigious back in the day. I think we call all agree with that assessment.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Back when I graduated high school( in the eighties), these were the schools people talked about. They weren’t Harvard, but I’d put them analogous to Notre Dame or Vanderbilt today. What happened? Is it all because they say “public” or “land-grant”, kind of how the ultra pretentious rip on Cornell.

There have been a lot of changes over the past forty years. In 1980, Wisconsin was probably the most prestigious of this bunch. Vanderbilt was a regional school for rich southerners. Notre Dame was a niche school for Catholic school kids. And UVA and Michigan were decent state schools but nothing exceptional.

And today everything is different. Obviously having responsive management to changing trends and demographics has been critical. Both Vanderbilt and Notre Dame have had great chancellors over the past few decades. And both schools developed outstanding brands with smart investing in infrastructure and key programs. Both schools also now have enormous endowments that allow them to get top students and faculty and pretty much do as they please. And sports revenue certainly helps. Notre Dame is Notre Dame. And Vanderbilt is part of the SEC and getting a cool billion per ten years just through revenue sharing alone. Both Vanderbilt and Notre Dame are now among the most desirable schools in the country.

Michigan did two things great - football. And engineering. Most of the Ivies are decades behind the smart public flagship universities when it comes to engineering. As engineering became more critical, more in demand, more desirable, and more competitive there was an enormous opportunity for certain schools with the resources to invest to really make a name for themselves. And Michigan did just that. Combined with overall excellence and a football program that inspired immense passion and loyalty - not to mention revenue - and Michigan became a cool school. Also, Ann Arbor is a great college town. Plus, Michigan is nearly 50 percent OOS, which gives it both national stature and a high quality student body.

I think the source of UVA's prestige remains the same as always - it's one of the oldest schools, founded by TJ, in a pleasant part of the country. It is a genteel school with a long list of famous alumni. Darden has helped keep it modern and lucrative. But UVA has a preppy vibe that's long been appealing to many. Plus sports and school spirit. And generally being good academically, particularly in liberal arts.

Wisconsin, meanwhile, has done everything wrong. They've remained focused on graduate programs instead of undergrad. They've had terrible political interference from state politicians that drove away both funding and talent. They're not particularly good at sports. And it's too cold, which is a no-no with this generation of students.

U Mich was ranked as high as 8th in USNews in the mid-to-late 80s. It was ranked higher than a couple of Ivies.

[Anonymous]

Wisco is still desirable by the amount of kids I see going there from NY/NJ. It is not Michigan, but still a good school.

[Anonymous]

UVA is a Public Ivy and World Heritage site.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don't think they were ever equivalent to Vanderbilt.

Until recently, Vanderbilt was hardly a thing. Robust marketing department for sure. My high stats kid received multiple weekly glossy marketing material from the school for at least two years. Once they mailed my kid that as a national merit finalist she qualified for a 65k merit scholarship if she listed Vanderbilt as her first choice in the NMS portal. The 65k was a mistake (it’s 5k instead). They had to mail over 15k corrected letters to the parents of NMF students informing them of the error. My kid had no interest in the school or Tennessee…even if in Nashville.

Yes, Vanderbilt’s reputation has changed a lot, in part due to marketing. When I was in high school at a private school in the south, Vandy was known as a good but not great school. It was a perfectly acceptable school if you were headed toward the mid-second tier or if you had great stats but wanted to stay in the south and not work too hard. I’ve been amazed to see how competitive it is to get in there now.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:UVA was not a big deal when I went to college in 1997.

Agent Starling bragged about going there though.

A fictional character from poor West Virginia roots played by an actress who graduated from Yale.