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

[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.

But to people in the midwest, it is Notre Dame and Wash U as the most prestigious schools. Wash U for academics and Notre Dame for overall experience.

Midwesterner here. I disagree totally. I’d say Notre Dame and Northwestern.

Different Midwesterner here. My list in order of prestige would be:

1) Chicago
2) Northwestern
3) Michigan
4) Washington University
5) University of Illinois
6) Notre Dame
7) Oberlin College
8) Carleton College
9) Grinnell College
10) Macalester College

+1 This fits with my listing (former midwesterner) except, Grinnell and Carleton above Oberlin and Macalester.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Chicago for sure.

Oberlin for small liberal arts undergrad.

I went there! Oberlin I mean. Chicago rejected me.

U Mich should be on this list, too, I think.

[Anonymous]

Northwestern
Purdue
Michigan
Wisconsin

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Chicago for sure.

Oberlin for small liberal arts undergrad.

I went there! Oberlin I mean. Chicago rejected me.

U Mich should be on this list, too, I think.

Oberlin > Chicago > U Mich

[Anonymous]

Notre Dame

[Anonymous]

UChicago
Northwestern/Notre Dame depending on your circle
WashU
Carleton
UMich
U of Illinois but engineering only (other subjects aren’t particularly prestigious)
Macalester/Oberlin/Grinnell

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Chicago for sure.

Oberlin for small liberal arts undergrad.

I went there! Oberlin I mean. Chicago rejected me.

U Mich should be on this list, too, I think.

Oberlin > Chicago > U Mich

LMAO. I don’t know what you’re smoking, but I want some!

[Anonymous]

for private: Carleton

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:for private: Carleton

Not even sure Carleton is most prestigious of the Midwestern LACS. Seems comparable to Oberlin with preference coming down to area of interest.

But it’s clearly not more prestigious than UChicago on any measure and most people wouldn’t see it as more prestigious than Northwestern or ND.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:for private: Carleton

Above the University of Chicago? No

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:for private: Carleton

Not even sure Carleton is most prestigious of the Midwestern LACS. Seems comparable to Oberlin with preference coming down to area of interest.

But it’s clearly not more prestigious than UChicago on any measure and most people wouldn’t see it as more prestigious than Northwestern or ND.

Oberlin is not the school is used to be. Kenyon has probably overtaken it and Carleton is certainly much more prestigious.

[Anonymous]

Define "prestige."

If brand name recognition, Chicago, Illinois, Michigan. These schools are prestigious the same way McDonald's, Burger King, KFC are prestigious, recognized all over the world.

For a connoisseur of food, those are fast, junk food. Those with a different taste might name ellBulli, The French Laundry, Le Louis XV, Pierre Gagnaire, Noma, The Fat Duck, Mugaritz.

For those not concerned with name recognition, I would name Carleton, Oberlin, Grinnell, and Macalester.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:for private: Carleton

Not even sure Carleton is most prestigious of the Midwestern LACS. Seems comparable to Oberlin with preference coming down to area of interest.

But it’s clearly not more prestigious than UChicago on any measure and most people wouldn’t see it as more prestigious than Northwestern or ND.

Oberlin is not the school is used to be. Kenyon has probably overtaken it and Carleton is certainly much more prestigious.

I know kids currently at both. No prestige difference. Oberlin skews more artsy (and maybe more political); Carleton is more likely to appeal to a STEM kid. Both attract smart/talented kids and appeal to parents who know/care about education (vs credentialing).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Define "prestige."

If brand name recognition, Chicago, Illinois, Michigan. These schools are prestigious the same way McDonald's, Burger King, KFC are prestigious, recognized all over the world.

For a connoisseur of food, those are fast, junk food. Those with a different taste might name ellBulli, The French Laundry, Le Louis XV, Pierre Gagnaire, Noma, The Fat Duck, Mugaritz.
N
For those not concerned with name recognition, I would name Carleton, Oberlin, Grinnell, and Macalester.

UChicago as “fast, junk food,” ?

Now if you’d said UChicago = Faviken, you might have had some credibility.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:for private: Carleton

Not even sure Carleton is most prestigious of the Midwestern LACS. Seems comparable to Oberlin with preference coming down to area of interest.

But it’s clearly not more prestigious than UChicago on any measure and most people wouldn’t see it as more prestigious than Northwestern or ND.

Oberlin is not the school is used to be. Kenyon has probably overtaken it and Carleton is certainly much more prestigious.

I know kids currently at both. No prestige difference. Oberlin skews more artsy (and maybe more political); Carleton is more likely to appeal to a STEM kid. Both attract smart/talented kids and appeal to parents who know/care about education (vs credentialing).

+100.