What do people consider the most prestigious college in the Midwest?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Washington University

I went to Washington University.

It's a great school, but I don't think it's nearly as well known to the general public as Notre Dame.

From the perspective of people who are into school prestige rankings, I don't think it has as much raw academic prestige as the University of Chicago. Maybe it's comparable to Northwestern.

Nobody knows what Wash U is. I only know now because I am in the throws of college applications with my DS and that one of his friends is going there. When the dad told me he was going to Wash U, I wasn't sure what that meant...a school in DC? Then he added, "in St. Louis." I went back and did some research, and yes it is a very good school. But it's sad that he had the specify the location to differentiate the school from the many schools in the DC area (or perhaps in the Northwest). My son isn't interested in Wash U for a number of reasons...but he sure is very excited to be an applicant at ND. No that's a school with some name recognition -- no explanation needed!!

OP asked what is considered prestigious in the midwest

Wash U is considered almost on par with ivies in the midwest and definitely one of if not the most prestigious school in the midwest to people in the midwest.

Actually, in OP’S framing, “in the Midwest” seems to narrow the range of colleges being ranked rather than to describe the people whose opinions about prestige are being sought. And, contra the opinion of a different PP, yes, of course you can compare colleges and universities. People routinely do when making decisions about undergraduate education.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Washington University


I went to Washington University.

It's a great school, but I don't think it's nearly as well known to the general public as Notre Dame.

From the perspective of people who are into school prestige rankings, I don't think it has as much raw academic prestige as the University of Chicago. Maybe it's comparable to Northwestern.


Nobody knows what Wash U is. I only know now because I am in the throws of college applications with my DS and that one of his friends is going there. When the dad told me he was going to Wash U, I wasn't sure what that meant...a school in DC? Then he added, "in St. Louis." I went back and did some research, and yes it is a very good school. But it's sad that he had the specify the location to differentiate the school from the many schools in the DC area (or perhaps in the Northwest). My son isn't interested in Wash U for a number of reasons...but he sure is very excited to be an applicant at ND. No that's a school with some name recognition -- no explanation needed!!

So, just because YOU had never heard of it, no one else has, either?

Wash U may not be the most prestigious but overall it's the best in the Midwest. I attended. I also went to NWU. Hard to rank really. They have different strengths. U of C is the best academically and that won't change; while NWU has big time sports and amazing location, plus Kellogg and Medill. But Wash U is an amazing fundraising machine, visionary planning and execution, best medical school and certain others, and the best campus life (good for long lasting connections). Very expensive, lots of wealthy attend, but also a lot of regional, great mix. Long term it will continue to rise in the rankings. If you plan to come back to DC, Maybe lean toward NWU or Chicago because there is some truth to the above. Though that will continue to change. Money talks and Wash U is heading for one of the country's biggest endowments. Size matters.

Lol....you didn’t go to northwestern because nobody calls it NWU. And Wash U is at best a decent safety.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:People from the midwest do not view Carleton as a top university.

They just do not.[/quote]


You're right. Because Carleton IS NOT A UNIVERSITY! troll.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Washington University


I went to Washington University.

It's a great school, but I don't think it's nearly as well known to the general public as Notre Dame.

From the perspective of people who are into school prestige rankings, I don't think it has as much raw academic prestige as the University of Chicago. Maybe it's comparable to Northwestern.


Nobody knows what Wash U is. I only know now because I am in the throws of college applications with my DS and that one of his friends is going there. When the dad told me he was going to Wash U, I wasn't sure what that meant...a school in DC? Then he added, "in St. Louis." I went back and did some research, and yes it is a very good school. But it's sad that he had the specify the location to differentiate the school from the many schools in the DC area (or perhaps in the Northwest). My son isn't interested in Wash U for a number of reasons...but he sure is very excited to be an applicant at ND. No that's a school with some name recognition -- no explanation needed!!

So, just because YOU had never heard of it, no one else has, either?

Wash U may not be the most prestigious but overall it's the best in the Midwest. I attended. I also went to NWU. Hard to rank really. They have different strengths. U of C is the best academically and that won't change; while NWU has big time sports and amazing location, plus Kellogg and Medill. But Wash U is an amazing fundraising machine, visionary planning and execution, best medical school and certain others, and the best campus life (good for long lasting connections). Very expensive, lots of wealthy attend, but also a lot of regional, great mix. Long term it will continue to rise in the rankings. If you plan to come back to DC, Maybe lean toward NWU or Chicago because there is some truth to the above. Though that will continue to change. Money talks and Wash U is heading for one of the country's biggest endowments. Size matters.

Lol....you didn’t go to northwestern because nobody calls it NWU. And Wash U is at best a decent safety.

As noted earlier, NWU.EDU literally was the URL of the school up until the mid 2000s. You probably didn't know that.
It's nice to be young, but don't be stupid.

[Anonymous]

The question was what do people consider the most prestigious college in the Midwest? I read that broadly to include SLACs, private universities, and state schools.

[Anonymous]

UChicago, Wash U, Northwestern, Notre Dame, in that order.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Washington University


I went to Washington University.

It's a great school, but I don't think it's nearly as well known to the general public as Notre Dame.

From the perspective of people who are into school prestige rankings, I don't think it has as much raw academic prestige as the University of Chicago. Maybe it's comparable to Northwestern.


Nobody knows what Wash U is. I only know now because I am in the throws of college applications with my DS and that one of his friends is going there. When the dad told me he was going to Wash U, I wasn't sure what that meant...a school in DC? Then he added, "in St. Louis." I went back and did some research, and yes it is a very good school. But it's sad that he had the specify the location to differentiate the school from the many schools in the DC area (or perhaps in the Northwest). My son isn't interested in Wash U for a number of reasons...but he sure is very excited to be an applicant at ND. No that's a school with some name recognition -- no explanation needed!!

So, just because YOU had never heard of it, no one else has, either?

Wash U may not be the most prestigious but overall it's the best in the Midwest. I attended. I also went to NWU. Hard to rank really. They have different strengths. U of C is the best academically and that won't change; while NWU has big time sports and amazing location, plus Kellogg and Medill. But Wash U is an amazing fundraising machine, visionary planning and execution, best medical school and certain others, and the best campus life (good for long lasting connections). Very expensive, lots of wealthy attend, but also a lot of regional, great mix. Long term it will continue to rise in the rankings. If you plan to come back to DC, Maybe lean toward NWU or Chicago because there is some truth to the above. Though that will continue to change. Money talks and Wash U is heading for one of the country's biggest endowments. Size matters.

Lol....you didn’t go to northwestern because nobody calls it NWU. And Wash U is at best a decent safety.

As noted earlier, NWU.EDU literally was the URL of the school up until the mid 2000s. You probably didn't know that.
It's nice to be young, but don't be stupid.

Why are you babbling on about the URL? The fact remains that NOBODY refers to Northwestern as NWU.....why is that so hard for you to understand?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:UChicago, Wash U, Northwestern, Notre Dame, in that order.

Lol....in what world is Wash U more prestigious than Northwestern? Wash U has been an Ivy safety for generations whereas the other three colleges are first choices.

[Anonymous]

I grew up in the Midwest--went to one of the top Chicago-area private schools in the 1990s--(though not Chicago's Lab School so I'm not biased towards Chicago on that basis).

This was the perception if you wanted to stay in the Midwest:
For universities, for intellectuals--U Chicago, for pre-professional Northwestern.
For LAC, Carleton, Kenyon and Grinnell. Oberlin for artsy kids.

Strongest state U's: Michigan and Illinois (esp. for engineering).

Notre Dame really didn't come into the picture much--thought it was popular for the good Catholic high schools. Wash U was up and coming.

[Anonymous]

Most prestigious midwestern college is Carleton. Most prestigious midwestern university is University of Chicago.

[Anonymous]

+1

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Most prestigious midwestern college is Carleton. Most prestigious midwestern university is University of Chicago.

+1. Carleton is Yale-level and the top PhD producer in the US.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Most prestigious midwestern college is Carleton. Most prestigious midwestern university is University of Chicago.

Funny. I am from MN and never considered Carleton as the most prestigious midwestern college.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Most prestigious midwestern college is Carleton. Most prestigious midwestern university is University of Chicago.

Funny. I am from MN and never considered Carleton as the most prestigious midwestern college.

But did you consider it “Yale level”?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Most prestigious midwestern college is Carleton. Most prestigious midwestern university is University of Chicago.

Funny. I am from MN and never considered Carleton as the most prestigious midwestern college.

But did you consider it “Yale level”?

Better than Yale in terms of education, small classes, access to profs who are student focused, close-knit community, research opportunities. But the "most prestigious midwestern college"? No. I felt there are just as good, even better, liberal arts colleges in the midwestern states.