@Much2learn I meant, of course, in terms of academic branding. You just don’t hear a lot of kids anywhere asking “do I have the scores to get into a UAA school!” or “I need to get up to a 3.75 to go to the Patriot League” (although, in both cases they should!) I’d guess as far as entry stats, NESCAC are probably +/- a few % points of the Ivy League. UAA also pretty close. Patriot League quite a bit below, but I’ll admit to not having run the numbers so I could be off there.
If NESCAC had picked a better name - The Thinker’s League, Pure Academics Conference. The Tweed League! Pampered Preppies Conference. they might have gotten more traction. UAA too. “Engineering Conference” “STEM League” “Southern + Midwest Ivy League.” “Best of the Fly-Over League…” Something snappy.