(02-28-2019 12:04 PM)bullet Wrote:  

(02-28-2019 10:38 AM)johnbragg Wrote:  

(02-28-2019 09:45 AM)quo vadis Wrote:  

(02-28-2019 08:37 AM)johnbragg Wrote:  On the side of the argument that says you're handicapped if you DONT spend the money, I give you the University of Illinois-Chicago.

Frank the Tank argued in the MVC thread that there's no real second-choice option in Illinois for kids who don't get into UIUC, and the neighboring state flagships are poaching Illinois kids. But looking at the USNWR numbers, UIC at #129 is tied with Mizzou, NEbraska, Alabama and Nebraska.

But without athletics serving as a seven-figure annual advertising campaign, UIC may get lost in the shuffle "Oh, University of Chicago, like where Obama taught? Oh you mean University of Illinois, like with the football team?"

"May" get lost in the shuffle? I mean, I've never heard of UIC. Not until this moment. For what that's worth.

There's the problem right there, isn't it. You've heard of Iowa State and Mizzou and Kansas and Nebraska and Alabama, schools at the exact same ranking as UIC that Illinois students are enrolling in. So have the students.

Quote:I think the behavior of public vs private schools is pretty instructive on this point. We see far less privates playing the FBS game, they have to respond to real market forces.

I think it's more that in the parts of the country where college football is strong, it has deeper roots than the pro leagues, so college football was the focus of local tribal pride. And having the name of your city or state on the jersey is a pretty big advantage there. So the Ivies ultimately faded out of the conversation, and the FBS privates tend to be at the bottom of their leagues consistently.

You just mentioned a bunch of P5 schools. Note that you didn't mention NIU (G5), WIU, SIU or EIU (all FCS), all of whom are bleeding students. Or Buffalo or UMass. UIC is Division I, but doesn't play football.

Because those schools aren't in the same academic range as UIC. (Unless I find a surprise as I google). NIU #230-300, SIU #226, EIU not ranked nationally, #38 regional midwest, WIU not ranked nationally, #53 midwest.

If you've got comparable financial aid packages from UIC and NIU/SIU/EIU/WIU, you need some really big reason to not pick UIC. (Chicago rent counts, maybe).

If you've got comparable financial aid packages from UIC and Nebraska, you have a choice to think about.

I compared UIC to Big Ten schools because Frank the Tank has argued, supported by the facts as I know them, that Illinois is losing high school seniors to nearby state flagships. "Directional Illinois" isn't relevant to my point because the Big Ten schools ARE a better educational option for an Illinois kid with a 1250 SAT. (I also didn't mention the Illinois-adjacent Big Ten schools that are a level above UIC)

EDIT: As for Buffalo and UMass, it's not obvious that just being FBS gets you known. They're not playing major conference football.