The main reason people attend an urban university is because they live nearby and have work and/or family responsibilities. There is probably no one in Boise hoping to someday go to Memphis, and vice versa. The main reason kids attend a land grant university is because they have no responsibilities and parents pay for it (or they live nearby). The main reason people attend a top university/institute is because their family is really rich or they performed well enough to earn a scholarship.

Of course, those aren't the only reasons, I went to one of those "top" places for a year and realized there's no way I could afford it, even with a scholarship. And I'm a proud graduate of University of Memphis (12 years later)

Those reasons are why I think land grant universities are going to have a tougher and tougher time with enrollment. Web based classes and outrageous costs will make going to Starkville or Auburn or other schools near the middle of no where a harder and harder decision to make. I would bet that in 20 years many large rural campuses will be almost ghost towns.

Lived in Memphis as a young kid but we moved to middle TN when I was 13. It came down to MSU, UT and Vanderbilt. Got accepted to all three but Vanderbilt would have meant more debt than I could imagine at the time so ruled them out. UT had paltry academic scholarship a no band scholarship to speak of. MSU academic + band enough to cover tuition, dorm and books so my dad just had to send me money for living expenses. Plus both grandmothers still lived here so I could mooch off them. Easy decision.

(07-21-2022 04:35 PM)bluebacker Wrote:  I grew up in Shelby County and started attending football games in 1969 as a young lad.

Was a football and basketball fan from that point forward - got to 'stay up late' and watch the Tigers play UCLA for the national bb title - remember that clearly.

Jack Eaton was awesome. 'Lucky' Lloyd Patterson was my favorite player back in the day.

Never wanted to go anywhere else for college. Graduated from MEMPHIS STATE UNIVERSITY in the mid 80's.

Had football and basketball season tickets until I moved away about a decade ago.

Same story for me except 67 and my fav player was D. Crawford.

My parents begged me to go elsewhere. Me and my wife are our only Memphis grads in a large family of SEC types.

Enjoyed my time at UofM. Was kind of a big school by day and a small one by night. I appreciated my parents footing the bill and I'd say to all the land grant types... going to an urban school is the best of all worlds. And I'd say to anyone planning to live in memphis; your best choice is the UofM.

(07-21-2022 03:03 PM)snowtiger Wrote:  My mother taught there

Quite cool. Both of my parents taught in the Department of Education, and they said that the Campus School was very highly regarded. I know that, as a principal in Mississippi several years ago, I came across info that listed it as one of the top elementary schools in the state. I can’t remember the official name of its status, though.

I also know I was bored to death once I got to Wooddale Junior High. I attribute that to the high level to which I had been pushed at the CMpus School.

I hope your mother, and Mrs. Thomson from another poster’s previous post, we’re proud to work there.

Grew up loving the Tigers and then got a very generous music scholarship. the rest is old history.

Ike had to choose between Memphis, utk,or Kentucky, Ike chose Memphis because of the cost. Ike paid every dime of the cost.
Ike traveled 1,000 miles to attend Memphis and attained his tiger high degree. Ike’s very proud he selected Memphis and all in all received a great education for a reasonable price and became a fairly successful business owner.
Remember it’s the singer not the song. Meaning it’s what u put into it, not the school
GTG

I grew up in middle Tennessee (UT country) as a Vanderbilt fan, much to my father’s chagrin. My dream was to attend Vandy but the finance gods said no, so I chose Memphis State. Best choice I’ve ever been forced into.

My dad taught civil engineering for 30 years (24 of them Memphis State, 6 of them Memphis), went away for undergrad, but came back to learn from him for grad school

Didnt go to UofM. Grew up in Memphis as a Tiger fan. Went to local tech school. When my career brought me back to Memphis bought season football and basketball tix.

My family moved around a lot. We moved yet again from Memphis to the east coast in my junior year of HS. I was unhappy living there, so I moved back to Memphis after HS. I established residency and got my Bachelor's and Master's degrees. Then I moved on.

I never considered any other school. Growing up that was the college I knew I was going to attend.

When I got back from Viet Nam I was numb and the GI bill got me out of myself and into Memphis State.

(07-21-2022 10:09 PM)snowtiger Wrote:  

(07-21-2022 03:49 PM)k2tigers Wrote:  

(07-21-2022 01:50 PM)k2tigers Wrote:  Judy Thomson, although that is pretty far back

(07-21-2022 02:22 PM)SouthernMSTiger Wrote:  

(07-21-2022 01:50 PM)k2tigers Wrote:  Judy Thomson, although that is pretty far back

I had great teachers, but I don’t recall her name. I had: 1) Pendergast, 2) Lowe, 3) Anderson, 4) Suggs, 5) Nowlin, and 6) Smith. I included their names in case you might have known them as friends of your mother.

(Ironic that my last name is Thompson. Close, but no cigar.)

she taught several athletes....

she remembers JP Prince pretty vividly, said he was a class clown at a very young age

My mom had to be 'called in' twice and told to pass the male athletes (BB and FB)...

It upset her...lol...
she asked my opinion.

Pass them, I said.

Bad advice !!! I hope those "students" made it in their sports world because they probably paid the price in their working lives.

My parents moved to the Memphis area right after I finished high school. I went to the University of Memphis because it was nearby. I graduated with a BA in 2005 and MA in 2007. I was not a die hard sports fan during college but was kind of a casual fan and went to a few football games. It wasn't until later that I became very passionate about Memphis Tiger football. I lived in Memphis until about 5 years ago when life took me to Ohio. Now I proudly display my University of Memphis paraphernalia up here amongst all of the Buckeye nuts.

My parents graduated from Memphis State, and I was born in Memphis. Grew up in Nashville, but spent a lot of time in Memphis. My parents were huge basketball fans, and I was hooked as a kid. It was the only place I wanted to really go. Everyone I knew went to UTK, but I wanted to meet new people and live in a city. GTG.


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Lots of great stories and points in this thread. I've enjoyed reading them.

I grew up in Memphis and went to lots of Tiger football games and a few basketball games here and there. I followed both programs very close and was a fan even if I didn't realize it.

I had really good grades in high school (finished 9th out of 500 at Cordova) and a pretty good ACT score. I didn't really have a plan for college, so I ended up following a few friends to UTk. That lasted one semester. I knew very early on that I wasn't happy there. I transferred back home and it was one of the best decisions I made. I met my wife, my best friend and other friends who I still have to this day.

Someone else alluded to it, but it's not so much about the school as what you do. I have a really good friend who works for me, and he went to Michigan. He makes wise cracks about the rankings of the two schools in the U.S. News and World Report, but I always quip back "And yet, you report to me :)." It's all in fun though.

Everyone is different, but I liked being in a city and being able to live a life that wasn't all about school. I never lived on campus at Memphis, and I didn't want to. I went to parties and had friends who lived on or near campus. That was enough for me. Plus, I went to all the football games and a lot of basketball games.

The U of M was very good to me and I'll always be a Tiger fan.

I was a Tiger fan, but the primary drivers for attending Memphis St was affordability, friends, and family. I worked my way through school, but had fun, also.

Mainly because I'm lazy and it was the only place I applied. I was 1 point short on the ACT from getting a scholarship so I paid it all myself until I started working at the school. Best 10 years of my life. I grew up a Tiger BB fan, and fell in love with football my freshman year.

(07-21-2022 12:39 PM)SouthernMSTiger Wrote:  I voted “Other”: I went to elementary school at the Campus School while both parents taught at the university for 30+ years. I never thought about going anywhere else.

Are you Sarah Kaltenborn?

My family moved to Memphis my junior year of HS. I became a Tiger BB fan in 1956 when Win Wilfong, Jack Butcher, Orby Arnold played. They lost by 1 point in NIT Final when NIT was superior national tournament. I received BS in 1961, MS in 1967, EdD 1994. Started my college education the first year of MSU. Received my doctorate the last year of MSU. To my knowledge, I’m the only student who can make that claim. Had a class with Skip Wolf in undergrad. A class with Forest Arnold in graduate school. Love the Tigers.