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</p>
<p>I’m going to have to disagree. Northwestern may not be the best known major-conference school, but Chicago is one of the least well-known of the elite schools. I’m sure it’s better known globally, but that’s irrelevant given how little other countries care about NCAA sports.</p>
<p>C’mon Michigan people … Grand Valley is the “new U of M” these days. It’s so hot right now. And it even has a national champion football team.</p>
<p>California:</p>
<p>Berkeley
USC
UCLA</p>
<p>not as many people know Stanford is in Cali</p>
<p>It’s ok to disagree!! 
Maybe it’s just me over analyzing from a 1st gen Asian’s perspective that I’ve always thought that NU is more for the Ivy rejects (besides music and journalism) and Chicago is widely accepted as the better known academic institution of the two not only here in Chicagoland but also nationwide due to its recognition in the Manhattan Project and the long list of Nobel Laureates.</p>
<p>Virginia</p>
<p>University of Virginia
Virginia Tech
James Madison University</p>
<p>Carnegie Mellon? How many people really know about it?</p>
<p>About twelve.</p>
<p>UNC
Duke
NC State</p>
<p>pretty much no one knows of schools in NM but here are the MOST well known (still pretty unknown)
UNM
NMSU
NM Tech</p>
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</p>
<p>Because they are. Simple. Sure, everyone assumes that every state has a state U. But U Maine is not known for anything in particular outside of the state, including what most people on this thread seem to think is the only thing that matters: sports.</p>
<p>William & Mary
UVirginia
Virginia Tech</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>They have a pretty prestigious hockey program, which Tim Whitehead has driven into the ground.</p>