<p>haha i read the first page and i have to agree about OSU. im from ohio, and i gotta say.. even though i do want to go out of state for college, im proud to be from the midwest. i really wouldnt mind going to case even though i say i dont want to go. we just have this midwest niceness here.</p>
<p>it's something just nice I agree elusivestranger. It's why I'm a bit skeptical about going to new england, or any other region, there's a sense of tradition here, something I can't quite put my finger on, but it's something I really haven't seen in other regions</p>
<p>yea last summer i visited NYC with my cousins who live in long island, and it was such a culture shock. i used to live on the east coast and its great there, but i'm def a midwester at heart. it's just so nice here when you compare it to those busier cities, although busy cities are appealing for college.</p>
<p>I live in a pretty large city (800,000+), but it's nothing like cities of similar size in other regions. Don't get me wrong, I love other places, but I'll always consider myself a midwesterner at heart. I was born, bred, and raised here, and it'll always be home to me. I think of places like NYC where so many people aren't natives, where 85% of Ohioans are native to the state.</p>
<p>yay for ohio and midwesterners :)</p>
<p>go us <em>throws ohio/midwest party</em> come on in midwesties</p>
<p>Another vote for:
UMich
Northwestern
WashU</p>
<p>I'm also an Ohioan. I, personally, feel that Ohio has many good colleges. Case Western is a very respectable college. I also feel that Ohio State has many redeeming qualities in addition to their athletics. I looked at many school outside Ohio, but when it came down to application time, none of the out-of-state school appealed to me. I like the friendly, hometown Midwestern/Ohio appeal.</p>
<p>Ok, Ohioans, let me in on this party. I'm moving south for weather purposes, but I'm a Jayhawk through and through. That means I have no detectable accent, I'm politically moderate, and my public high school is better than the local private high schools.</p>
<p>I've spent some time in Kansas on business. A jayhawk you may be, but some may find issue with your interpretation of what that means.</p>
<p>To whit:</p>
<ol>
<li><p>People in at least some parts of the country do not view the prevailing politics there as "moderate". Particularly after the well-publicised iniitatives regarding creationism. I recently read that the Kansas attorney general is devoting significant time and attention to investigating abortion clinics. The citizens of some other states would not prefer that priority vs. other ways he could prioritize that office's time.</p></li>
<li><p>I'm told there are private schools near the bigger cities, Wichita and Kansas City area, that are better than the local public schools, actually. What you say may be true in Lawrence, but I'm not sure you should generalize.</p></li>
<li><p>As for detectable accents, for starters: what syllable do you emphasize when you say the word "insurance"? How do you pronounce the following words: roof, wash, orange? Believe me, Kansas accents are quite detectable to people from other areas. Though they may not recognize the accent as being from Kansas. Since chances are they may not have met anyone from Kansas before.</p></li>
</ol>
<p>Haha, I don't say "warsh." And I thought about this for a while--sometimes I say INsurance, and other times I say inSURance. Is there more than one way to say orange?</p>
<p>Anyway, Kansas is a terrible state. Jayhawks are from Lawrence. Wichita has some good private schools--Kansas City has some OK private schools, but their publics are terrible. Generally, though, public schools in the state are quite good (despite this ridiculous evolution debate); Johnson County, Lawrence, and even Topeka have solid systems.</p>
<p>I'd also say that, though Kansas leans a bit to the right, it doesn't lean so far as the southern states and the Midwest as a whole has quite a few differing opinions.</p>
<p>You probably say something like " oar-inj".</p>
<p>Many people from elsewhere in this country say "are -enj".</p>
<p>You may not say "warsh", but I've heard it said there, on more than one occasion.</p>
<p>And I've never heard anyone emphasize the first syllable of "Insurance" outside of Kansas. That's how most people pronounce it there, so far as I can tell.</p>
<p>There are other examples.</p>
<p>There is a private school in Kansas City that attracts many students from Johnson County, Kansas. About 40% of the class received National Merit recognition this year. Can't remember the name right now. I believe that school, at least, is more than just "OK", by regional standards.</p>
<p>Much of the country's impression of Kansas political leanings is shaped by the creationism issue, I'm afraid. Because of this, accurate or not, many people elsewhere think you guys are way out there.</p>
<p>I used to hate how conservative Ohio is, when I'm very liberal, but now I understand that's part of its appeal, why it does have a very midwest feel to it, and I now welcome its conversative stance.</p>
<p>haha im insanely liberal too :) heck yeah for the vp debate at case (ooo iwas there!) but yes, the conservative bible worshipping image does exist, but its really not the case for the bigger cities in ohio. aww we are so homey it makes me happy.</p>
<p>I feel all warm inside...I often feel an instant camaderie with someone who says there an Ohioan...like some invisible common ground</p>
<p>I hate Ohio. Enough said.</p>
<p>ive lived in both seattle and kansas, and i really dont notice a difference in speech, except the lack of he word, "hella" or "tight" and the very infrequent use of "y'all" which i am very fond of now.
also, the publics are okay, i go to what i believe is one of the richest and best publics in the state, but we still only have an average SAT of around 1100~1150. there are those expensive privates like barstow or pembroke but i wouldnt say that they are really worth the money when you can just save a ton and do well at the local public.
if you know how to work the school so that they work for you, im pretty sure you can get plenty out of it. although our school does have plenty of crappy aspects as well...
not all of the rich johnson county kids go to those privates, we have our share of rich kids at my school too.
monydad, i feel like you're hating on kansas. why? we may have messed up politicians, thank god kris kobach didnt get elected, but we're still ok people.</p>
<p>btw. my favorite midwest schools are: uchicago, grinnell, and washu.</p>
<p>sorry that was really choppy.</p>
<p>Kansas: fine people, great BBQ, low housing costs.</p>
<p>I replied because, based on my experience there, I felt that every characteristic Lionswim attributed to being a jayhawk was factually incorrect, as I, and I know others, see it.</p>
<p>I gave specific examples to explain why I saw each of the three characteristics differently.</p>
<p>I am not hating on Kansas. Most other areas also have regional accents and some good private schools. I was just pointing out that Kansas is not really different in these regards, as Lionswim implied. As for the politics, there are some facts out there for all to see. "I just report the news, I don't make it".</p>
<p>Upon further consideration, I feel I should add the following:</p>
<ol>
<li><p>The good BBQ is actually in Missouri.</p></li>
<li><p>In the interest of full disclosure, it is a fact that college sports teams from Kansas regularly whomp my preferred college sports teams.</p></li>
</ol>
<ol>
<li><p>I think at least some of the fine BBQ is on the Kansas side, no? I'm not sure exactly where Boss Hawgs and Gates and such are located, but I know that the big KC BBQ festival or whatever is actually in Lenexa, KS. BBQ in Lawrence is also improving a great deal these days.</p></li>
<li><p>I actually pronounce it "ornge." Like one syllable. heh, oops.</p></li>
<li><p>I definitely say/hear "tight" all the time, but I'm about the only person I know who says "y'all."</p></li>
<li><p>Kris Kobach is really good looking, even if he does take money from white supremecists.</p></li>
</ol>