Has the time of the public ivy passed?

[bluebayou]

One more point: if you are the nursing, CS, whatever student who doesn’t get into the major, then you have to move to a different school or reinvent yourself, either of which influences graduation rates, cost of attendance, etc.

Sure, but a LOT of private schools have the same issue, at least when it comes to specialized programs like nursing or business or engineering. Kinda hard to transfer into Wharton from Penn A&S. Will Penn’s nursing program take anyone and everyone interested from its liberal arts side? Obviously, not.

Enough is going on at my campus that, when she applies, I would want my younger child admitted to a college that admits directly to the major.

Absolutely, but also true for the Real Ivies.