<p>Now, I know there are a lot of ardent UW supporters on this forum and I hope you'll answer this question for me. I'm not trying to question this designation or be a smart a__, I really am curious. I graduated from UW in 1983 and while I loved the school then and still do, the experience I had was not what I'd really suppose to be "Ivy." I had what most people think of as the standard state school experience: some huge classes, some small, some great profs, some who didn't care. Blah, blah, blah. No problem with this whatsoever. Got a lot from my time there and would be thrilled for my own kids to attend. I'm just really wondering how such a big institution could be systematically overhauled to the point that such a lofty designation seems appropriate.</p>
<p>When they were a founding member of the AAU. Around 1900.</p>
<p><a href=“http://www.aau.edu/[/url]”>http://www.aau.edu/</a></p>
<p>Based on the original designation of ‘Public Ivy’ by Moll in 1985, UW is not a Public Ivy but is a runner-up:
[Public</a> Ivy League | Ivy League Online Degree and Certificate](<a href=“http://www.ivy-league-online.com/index.php/public-ivy-league/]Public”>http://www.ivy-league-online.com/index.php/public-ivy-league/)</p>
<p>If the criteria were solely the 8 best public universities, UW could possibly be included with a current USNews public school ranking of 7 - though tied with UCSD and GA Tech making it among the top 9, not 8.</p>
<p>Another source, Greenes’ Guides, does designate UW as a Public Ivy:
[Amazon.com:</a> Greenes’ Guide to Educational Planning:The Public Ivies (Greenes’ Guides to Educational Planning): Howard Greene, Mathew W. Greene: Books](<a href=“http://www.amazon.com/Greenes-Guide-Educational-Planning-Public/dp/B000C4SMPY#reader]Amazon.com:”>http://www.amazon.com/Greenes-Guide-Educational-Planning-Public/dp/B000C4SMPY#reader)</p>
<p>The Greenes’ Guides book is really good for anyone contemplating a large public university education. It includes information on what type of student will thrive at a large university, how to reap the most from the experience, etc. It helped our two daughters decide that large State U’s were the best option for them, instead of going the small LAC route - which they felt would be too sheltered/stifling experiences for them. Others’ mileage may vary. ;)</p>
<p>Thanks, JiffsMom. I was unaware of this book but might be just what we need.</p>
<p>[The</a> Rise of American Research … - Google Book Search](<a href=“The Rise of American Research Universities: Elites and Challengers in the ... - Hugh Davis Graham, Nancy Diamond - Google Books”>The Rise of American Research Universities: Elites and Challengers in the ... - Hugh Davis Graham, Nancy Diamond - Google Books)</p>
<p>[The</a> Rise of American Research … - Google Book Search](<a href=“The Rise of American Research Universities: Elites and Challengers in the ... - Hugh Davis Graham, Nancy Diamond - Google Books”>The Rise of American Research Universities: Elites and Challengers in the ... - Hugh Davis Graham, Nancy Diamond - Google Books)</p>
<p>UW’s status as a research institution and ranking of their graduate programs is what makes them a public Ivy? Are these thing relevant to the typical undergrad? Are the true Ivies designated as such because of these things? Seems strange to me.</p>
<p>All graduate ranking do is aggregate the rankings of individual depts. Any school is just a sum of the individual depts. Graduate school is just an extension of undergrad with the same people teaching the classes for the most part. When you start talking great universities the quality of the profs and research are key. This does leave out smaller LAC type schools but you really can’t compare them anyway. Most Ivy schools also built their reputations with great faculty doing great research and teaching grads and undergrads. Is more indicative than some random list put together by some guy named Moll. In the academic world there is no comparison between UW and Miami of Ohio or UVM. Not even close.</p>
<p>“Is more indicative than some random list put together by some guy named Moll.”</p>
<p>Moll is more than a ‘random guy’, he holds a Masters degree from Yale and worked as an admissions officer there. </p>
<p>Also, while the UW was only a runner up in Moll’s book, it is listed as public ivy in Greene’s guide. From Amazon’s web page: “Howard R. Greene, M.A., M.Ed., is a former admissions officer and member of the faculty board of advisers at Princeton University.” </p>
<p>So it’s hardly just some random guy proclaiming UW to be a public ivy.</p>
<p>“In the academic world there is no comparison between UW and Miami of Ohio or UVM. Not even close.”</p>
<p>USNWR ranks UW 39th in the nation, Miami(Ohio) 77th and Vermont 88th. But you don’t need to use something problematic like university rankings to see the holes in your statement.</p>
<p>Just looking at UW’s well deserved research reputation is enough. UW is very active in research (one of the top schools in the nation based on total expenditure) and has a highly respected faculty. It’s silly to say that “there is no comparison” between UW and the schools you mentioned.</p>
<p>edit: Apologies for resurrecting an old thread=)</p>
<p>I’m not sure what you are saying but I stand by the statement that Miami O and UVM are not in UW’s academic league. Not even close.</p>
<p>“I’m not sure what you are saying but I stand by the statement that Miami O and UVM are not in UW’s academic league. Not even close.”</p>
<p>I think what I said was pretty clear (especially in regards to your statement about Moll), however, I am now unsure of what you are trying to say.</p>
<p>Are you trying to say that UW is better than Miami(Ohio) and UVM? Or that Miami(Ohio) and UVM are superior to UW?</p>
<p>I took your original statement to mean the latter.</p>
<p>I don’t know how you make that inference. UW is so far above the other two they are not in the same league.</p>
<p>Yeah, honestly, I couldn’t figure out how he thought the opposite of your statement either barrons. You were fairly clear…must be all those rental contracts you deal with. ;)</p>
<p>@barrons</p>
<p>Alright, I see what you mean now. What I found confusing about your statements was how you said that the schools “weren’t in the same league”, which is vague and doesn’t explicitly say which you think of as better. </p>
<p>That, coupled with the fact that I read your original post and replied to it at 3 in the morning, probably hampered my chances of correctly interpreting what you originally meant. =)</p>