<p>Another factor is public vs. private. In the midwest, states have place great emphasis on public education. As a result, the vast majority of students in the midwest attend state schools. There are not nearly as many private school students per capita as there are in the northeast. State schools, overall, are somewhat less selective given the fact that they must provide education for a large percentage of in state students. Many of the midwest state schools provide excellent educations but don't have the endowments of the northeast privates and often have budget issues with the state that can cause the some variations in the quality of programming. However, for many midwestern folks, the price is right and the quality quite good. </p>
<p>As has been discussed here quite often, people on both coasts, and the south to some extent, view the midwest as "fly over country" and don't pay much attention to things that go on here. Many people feel that private schools will alway be superior to state schools.</p>