The unofficial online home for fans of the Western Michigan University Broncos. Part of Collegiate Sports Nation (CSN).

Forbes came out with their college rankings today. WMU did not fare well, finishing ahead of CMU and EMU, but behind GVSU and Andrews U among others.

http://www.forbes.com/top-colleges/list/...l%20states

Are all those religious colleges (Hope, Hillsdale, Calvin, Albion) really better than WMU?

I find that hard to believe.

Although looking at the criteria, it's all pretty objective....except "student satisfaction".

Those LACs need something to justify costing 4x what it does to go to WMU.

Surprised to see GVSU student size slightly larger than WMU. How times have changed.

I had several K College students working in my room.

They were always intellectually smart, but many were not street wise, and lacked common sense.

I am friends and related to 5 K College grads. One is now 31 and is still working on a worthless PHD at yet another over priced private college. The other 4 are part timers at various levels of the education profession. From the outside looking in I can't say they got their bang for the buck.

So we win the Forbes Michigan MAC trophy? Nice, thanks PJ!

(07-31-2014 03:52 PM)Broncobelt Wrote:  Surprised to see GVSU student size slightly larger than WMU. How times have changed.

KVCC is twice as big as it was in 2000.

A lot of people don't prepare for the cost of sending their kid to school. Much easier to keep them lodged in the basement and let them commute to school. Even better if your a cheap Dutchy. You just have to convince your kid that that's a real college experience.

(07-31-2014 04:05 PM)Chipdip2 Wrote:  

(07-31-2014 03:52 PM)Broncobelt Wrote:  Surprised to see GVSU student size slightly larger than WMU. How times have changed.

KVCC is twice as big as it was in 2000.

A lot of people don't prepare for the cost of sending their kid to school. Much easier to keep them lodged in the basement and let them commute to school. Even better if your a cheap Dutchy. You just have to convince your kid that that's a real college experience.

And why would it be any different for WMU or EMU? I could add CMU, but that is in the middle of nowhere so the question does not apply.

(07-31-2014 05:22 PM)Broncobelt Wrote:  

(07-31-2014 04:05 PM)Chipdip2 Wrote:  

(07-31-2014 03:52 PM)Broncobelt Wrote:  Surprised to see GVSU student size slightly larger than WMU. How times have changed.

KVCC is twice as big as it was in 2000.

A lot of people don't prepare for the cost of sending their kid to school. Much easier to keep them lodged in the basement and let them commute to school. Even better if your a cheap Dutchy. You just have to convince your kid that that's a real college experience, and I don't think GV DOES THAT COMPONENT WELL.

It's a good workerbee school that prepare kids to work in the GR area.

And why would it be any different for WMU or EMU? I could add CMU, but that is in the middle of nowhere so the question does not apply.

Well, there's about ten times as much campus housing at WMU & CMU as there is at GV. Not nearly the commuter population that they have up iin the "Little Netherlands."

My younger son graduated from Western, but I still insisted he live in the dorm for a year. After that he roomed with 3 friends at Copper Beach. I just think the transition to get out on your own is as important to the college experience as the classroom stuff.

(07-31-2014 01:57 PM)thegeneral Wrote:  Are all those religious colleges (Hope, Hillsdale, Calvin, Albion) really better than WMU?

I find that hard to believe.

I know a woman out here from Ada who went to Hope. She went to Pepperdine for a year before transferring to Hope. I'm assuming she flamed out because that tends to happen when you end up in Malibu.

Very hard to judge all these schools the same. GVSU doesn't have grad programs and they are not a Carnegie class research institution like Western. They do excellent marketing in the state, selling themselves as a "MSU-lite" option. I hate all these business mags trying to 'rank' universities when they don't have a clue about the differences in scope, mission, and output.

(07-31-2014 06:32 PM)Charm City Bronco Wrote:  

(07-31-2014 01:57 PM)thegeneral Wrote:  Are all those religious colleges (Hope, Hillsdale, Calvin, Albion) really better than WMU?

I find that hard to believe.

I know a woman out here from Ada who went to Hope. She went to Pepperdine for a year before transferring to Hope. I'm assuming she flamed out because that tends to happen when you end up in Malibu.

Well, if she's from Ada she's probably making millions in Cali selling Amway.

Honestly, how did that company make so much money? In my entire life Ive only known one person who even sold it, and maybe two others who bought their laundry detergent. Who is buying all their chit? I get the pyramid thing and all, but if you have a hundred people under you on the pyramid and they're making nothing, then 25% of nothing is still nothing.

One look at network reality tv, fantasy league football, web board people taking this chit seriously, that alone should tell you there is money to be made off of dumb people.

I am mad that I didn't do it, that's all.

(07-31-2014 09:51 PM)Chipdip2 Wrote:  Well, if she's from Ada she's probably making millions in Cali selling Amway.

Well she's not making millions in Cali selling Amway because we work together on some projects.

Quote:Very hard to judge all these schools the same. GVSU doesn't have grad programs and they are not a Carnegie class research institution like Western. They do excellent marketing in the state, selling themselves as a "MSU-lite" option. I hate all these business mags trying to 'rank' universities when they don't have a clue about the differences in scope, mission, and output.

True 'dat. I hang out at the bars here in GR, and yes, hang out with gals in their mid-to-later 20s a lot. They go on and on about how awesome of a University GVSU is, it's 2nd only to UM in the state. I say in return, "D2, 'nuff said".

GVSU is more "elite" because even though they're expanding in downtown GR (mainly for grad classes I hear) -- they aren't keeping up with the level of applicants, nor want to.

Thus, when you compile a list to "rank" universities, once you get past the Top 10-20 or so, you're just going to go on their requirements to get in. GVSU is more picky for acceptance than WMU, because there's more people in the greater GR area than Kalamazoo, and they're not expanding to take 'em all in.

And as far as GVSU having more students -- yes, but MANY are older adults taking classes. That's why they're still D2.

(07-31-2014 09:38 PM)broncofan1 Wrote:  Very hard to judge all these schools the same. GVSU doesn't have grad programs and they are not a Carnegie class research institution like Western. They do excellent marketing in the state, selling themselves as a "MSU-lite" option. I hate all these business mags trying to 'rank' universities when they don't have a clue about the differences in scope, mission, and output.

You need to look again, GVSU has a number of grad programs.

(08-01-2014 11:44 AM)toddjnsn Wrote:  And as far as GVSU having more students -- yes, but MANY are older adults taking classes. That's why they're still D2.

GVSU is DII because they like being the big fish in a small pond. With 24K in students they play against some schools with only 4K.

(08-01-2014 02:05 PM)Broncobelt Wrote:  

(08-01-2014 11:44 AM)toddjnsn Wrote:  And as far as GVSU having more students -- yes, but MANY are older adults taking classes. That's why they're still D2.

GVSU is DII because they like being the big fish in a small pond. With 24K in students they play against some schools with only 4K.

Actually, they play against some schools with only 1k, check out GLIAC member Lake Erie College.

(08-01-2014 11:44 AM)toddjnsn Wrote:  I say in return, "D2, 'nuff said".

Yeah, I'm sure that goes over well with the GVSU alumna hotties in GR.