There is currently a thread discussing JMU brother/sister schools.
http://csnbbs.com/thread-719393.html
This has been a prevailing motif for years on the forums. I am not sure why it is so important for those guys to define "peer" schools, but they are really not doing their research well except for App.
I am not sure what their criteria are, but it seems to me that App State was almost identical to JMU in every way prior to it's move up to FCS*
-similar size
-regional master's university
-very similar academics, undergraduate admission standards, and offerings.
-rural setting
-almost identical endowment
-similar athletic profile*
I really wonder why some JMU posters have periodically looked down their collective noses at Appalachian State. Prior to the FBS move they were virtually identical twins.
For some reason JMU (the athletic board posters) wants to be a peer with Miami (Oh).
Beyond being in a rural setting and of similar size, the comparison ends.
Miami at Oxford is a comprehensive National research university with higher admissions standards, especially in math.
Miami's endowment is 7 times that of JMU
It is even technically in the large Cincy DMA
It plays football in FBS.
Binghamton has been mentioned.
It is a National University designated as an advanced research institution that is
extremely selective, utilizing a holistic approach to admissions. It was designated as Public Ivy by Richard Moll's book
It has a larger endowment than JMU
It doesn't play football
I see few similarities other than size and rural setting.
Some JMU posters continue to deride the SBC on it's academic profile, despite being shown empirical data that all three of the SBC, CUSA and the MAC G5s are similar in academic profiles, sans Rice.
The delusions continue.