What distinguishes top state schools from others?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP. Start reading the part of the websites for continuing students.

Differences:
Access to advanced classes, offering of advanced classes, finishing the major in 4 years, advising services, career services, access to coop or lab jobs, professors v adjuncts...

I think that is school/program dependent. My DC went to Michigan. DC never had trouble getting the classes she wanted and no problem completing a double major in 4 years. She was in the honors program, a core feature of which was advising. I don’t think she had many classes taught by adjuncts - my DC at a SLAC had more trouble with this issue. And DC got a great job upon graduation through the career center/alumni connections.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:No such thing. Only people who thrive at Tailgate States are the wealthy average IQs who party it up in Greek life, couldn’t care less about academics or learning — or attending 600-student lectures and nil support — then work mom and dad’s connections for a good job.

This sounds a bit like sour grapes.

My DH went to a top private (for undergrad and law school), and his friends are successful, but not more so than my friends from "Tailgate State."

For the small subset from Tailgate State that do have connections to get a good job, do you think that students at privates do not use connections to get good jobs?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:No such thing. Only people who thrive at Tailgate States are the wealthy average IQs who party it up in Greek life, couldn’t care less about academics or learning — or attending 600-student lectures and nil support — then work mom and dad’s connections for a good job.

Actually being at a large school with minimal hand holding teaches the mostly middle class students how to take care of themselves. Not sure where you’re getting the idea that state school kids are rich and have connections.

Oy vey. Some of you are so painfully dim and very clearly have never attended nor stepped foot on an elite private college campus.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The faculty are top notch. This is true for most state schools, but the top 10 are the best jobs besides for or along with some privates universities.

But realistically, are undergrads taking courses with the top faculty in a large State university?

Yes of course!

Most of my profs at UMAss were Ivy League grads, sound in research but not intellectual line-toers. This was in humanities, not engineering. Very interesting learning environment. Things go in cycles; not sure what it’s like now.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:No such thing. Only people who thrive at Tailgate States are the wealthy average IQs who party it up in Greek life, couldn’t care less about academics or learning — or attending 600-student lectures and nil support — then work mom and dad’s connections for a good job.

This sounds a bit like sour grapes.

My DH went to a top private (for undergrad and law school), and his friends are successful, but not more so than my friends from "Tailgate State."

For the small subset from Tailgate State that do have connections to get a good job, do you think that students at privates do not use connections to get good jobs?

I guess they didn't teach you about outliers, anecdotes and confirmation bias at your Tailgate State. Tailgates States are largely diploma mills for middle class and dull UMC alcoholics in Greek life.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP. Start reading the part of the websites for continuing students.

Differences:
Access to advanced classes, offering of advanced classes, finishing the major in 4 years, advising services, career services, access to coop or lab jobs, professors v adjuncts...

I think that is school/program dependent. My DC went to Michigan. DC never had trouble getting the classes she wanted and no problem completing a double major in 4 years. She was in the honors program, a core feature of which was advising. I don’t think she had many classes taught by adjuncts - my DC at a SLAC had more trouble with this issue. And DC got a great job upon graduation through the career center/alumni connections.

NP. Of course it is school dependent. That is the point. Schools are different in ways that are not apparent from the rankings. You just supported the comment. I don’t know much about Michigan, but I can tell you engineering differs dramatically across the big ten — not saying one is better or one is worse and all are ABET programs. The right one for your kid might not be the one with the highest rank.

Also, kids in the honors programs often get access to early registration etc. I’m glad your student had a great experience.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:No such thing. Only people who thrive at Tailgate States are the wealthy average IQs who party it up in Greek life, couldn’t care less about academics or learning — or attending 600-student lectures and nil support — then work mom and dad’s connections for a good job.

This sounds a bit like sour grapes.

My DH went to a top private (for undergrad and law school), and his friends are successful, but not more so than my friends from "Tailgate State."

For the small subset from Tailgate State that do have connections to get a good job, do you think that students at privates do not use connections to get good jobs?

I guess they didn't teach you about outliers, anecdotes and confirmation bias at your Tailgate State. Tailgates States are largely diploma mills for middle class and dull UMC alcoholics in Greek life.

Generalize much? Just about every state flagship has an honors programs where there are tremendous opportunties to study with great faculty and fellow students.

[Anonymous]

Nobody calls their baby ugly. It's highly unlikely public U mom/alum has much if any familiarity with other state schools. Even people who went to de facto open door public directionals and commuter universities always try to claim it's becoming so much more selective or reference some obscure program that's totally top 10 in the US, blah blah.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Nobody calls their baby ugly. It's highly unlikely public U mom/alum has much if any familiarity with other state schools. Even people who went to de facto open door public directionals and commuter universities always try to claim it's becoming so much more selective or reference some obscure program that's totally top 10 in the US, blah blah.

That’s not the question. It’s about the top state schools, not commuter colleges.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP. Start reading the part of the websites for continuing students.

Differences:
Access to advanced classes, offering of advanced classes, finishing the major in 4 years, advising services, career services, access to coop or lab jobs, professors v adjuncts...

I think that is school/program dependent. My DC went to Michigan. DC never had trouble getting the classes she wanted and no problem completing a double major in 4 years. She was in the honors program, a core feature of which was advising. I don’t think she had many classes taught by adjuncts - my DC at a SLAC had more trouble with this issue. And DC got a great job upon graduation through the career center/alumni connections.

NP. Of course it is school dependent. That is the point. Schools are different in ways that are not apparent from the rankings. You just supported the comment. I don’t know much about Michigan, but I can tell you engineering differs dramatically across the big ten — not saying one is better or one is worse and all are ABET programs. The right one for your kid might not be the one with the highest rank.

Also, kids in the honors programs often get access to early registration etc. I’m glad your student had a great experience.

And the OP specifically asked about 3 top schools, one of which is Michigan.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Nobody calls their baby ugly. It's highly unlikely public U mom/alum has much if any familiarity with other state schools. Even people who went to de facto open door public directionals and commuter universities always try to claim it's becoming so much more selective or reference some obscure program that's totally top 10 in the US, blah blah.

That’s not the question. It’s about the top state schools, not commuter colleges.

At the undergrad level, not really significant differences between flagship, state and directional.

[Anonymous]

Honors programs at state schools are jokes. They're just marketing scams.

[Anonymous]

"Honors programs at state schools are jokes. They're just marketing scams."

100 percent agree!

[Anonymous]

"Ivy League" undergraduate colleges are a joke. It's just a marketing scheme.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:"Ivy League" undergraduate colleges are a joke. It's just a marketing scheme.

Soft Ivies overlap with Almost ivies, so you might say some - but not all - ivies are a joke.