Post your own state's college reputations'

College Search & Selection
1195

<p>I am a native of Kentucky. Since it is very underrepresented on this thread (and my new state of California dominates), I will focus on Kentucky.</p>

<p>I don’t want to elaborate since I’m lazy. However, I will rank the public and private universities of the state, first by perception and respect, then by (based on alums I’ve met and what I’ve learned about the colleges) academic quality.</p>

<p>PUBLIC: PERCEPTION & RESPECT

  1. U. of Kentucky: THE only school in Kentucky as far as many residents are concerned. MUCH better than the academically stronger Centre or Berea simply because it has the beloved Wildcats basketball team. I kid you not.
  2. U. of Louisville: the school in the “big, bad city” that most Kentuckians love to hate because it’s not in a rural area and the Cardinals are an inferior program to “the 'Cats.” Ranks as high as it does because of engineering and business.
  3. Western Kentucky
  4. Murray State
  5. (tie) Morehead State, Eastern Kentucky and Northern Kentucky are all about “the same thing.”
  6. Kentucky State</p>

<p>PUBLIC: ACADEMICS

  1. Murray State: no, I’m not an alum. Murray is just a great school!
  2. (tie) Kentucky and Louisville
  3. (tie) Western Kentucky and Northern Kentucky
  4. Morehead State
  5. Eastern Kentucky
  6. Kentucky State</p>

<p>TOP TEN PRIVATE: PERCEPTION & RESPECT

  1. Centre: well-deserved respect, I might add.
  2. Transylvania
  3. Bellarmine
  4. Georgetown College
  5. Berea
  6. Pikeville
  7. Kentucky Wesleyan
  8. Thomas More
  9. Lindsey Wilson
  10. (tie) Cumberlands, Sullivan, or Asbury</p>

<p>TOP TEN PRIVATE: ACADEMICS

  1. Centre
  2. Berea: never overlook this school if you come from a low income household!
  3. Transylvania: challenging but frankly a “rich kids’ school.”
  4. (tie) Kentucky Wesleyan and Asbury. Asbury is underrated on the state and national levels in terms of perception, the academic quality is quite good from what I’ve seen.
  5. Sullivan: very career and workforce-oriented while still having reasonably good academics. Campuses in Louisville, Lexington and Fort Knox, so they cover central Kentucky well.
  6. Pikeville: gaining more respect and recognition now that they have a college of osteopathic medicine.
  7. Cumberlands
  8. Georgetown College
  9. Thomas More</p>