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<p>They aspire to be in the Top 30. Or if not that, as high as they can get. Believe me, all the Big Ten schools watch their US News rankings like hawks and jump through a lot of hoops trying to improve them, even though at present only two–Northwestern (private) and Michigan–are in the Top 30. But Wisconsin at #35 and UIUC at #40 aspire to make the Top 30, or Top 25, and have their sights perennially set on catching Michigan. Penn State at #43 wants to be considered in the same tier as Michigan, Wisconsin, and UIUC. Ohio State at #56 would like to be at least in the top half of the Big Ten and they’d give anything to catch Michigan academically if they can; failing that, they’ll just take out their frustrations on the gridiron. Minnesota at #61 would love to pass Wisconsin and challenge Michigan. Iowa (#66), Purdue (#66), Indiana (#71), and Michigan State (#71) want to be competing for the top tier of the Big Ten, not the bottom. There’s pressure to be more selective all the way down the line, and to move up in the US News rankings.</p>
<p>Why? It gets you better students, and it be a factor in helping you attract and retain better faculty. It helps in securing alumni donations. It signals to the legislature that the school is doing a good job, and hopefully brings rewards at appropriations time. It may give your graduates an edge in grad and professional school admissions, as well as in career placement, which not only helps them but may bring greater returns to the school later. And it brings psychic rewards to the school’s president, provost, deans, and faculty, who by and large believe passionately in academic excellence and would like to think they had some role in creating it and allowing it to flourish. </p>
<p>Of course none of this is written into their state charters. But neither is a goal of mediocrity.</p>