<p>In states where there is both "University of Statename" and "Statename State University", are there any where "Statename State" is the better school?</p>
<p>Maybe Ohio State?</p>
<p>What do you mean by “better”?</p>
<p>There are many cases where there is a significant set of majors offered at one such school but not the other. A student interested in such a major would prefer the school where such a major is offered.</p>
<p>I assumed the OP meant ‘higher ranked’. Agree that ‘better’ is subjective.</p>
<p>Mississippi State (#142) is actually ranked higher than Ole Miss (#150).</p>
<p>Ohio State. You could also argue that in certain areas (like agriculture) some of the “States” are better (Oklahoma State).</p>
<p>I didn’t realize that there was a University of Ohio.</p>
<p>There isn’t, but there is an Ohio University.</p>
<p>NC State has engineering while UNC does not, so I’m not sure one is “better” than the other.</p>
<p>Louisiana State University is better than any of the University of Louisianas. If you want to play semantics, Cal Poly SLO (has California State somewhere in its absurdly long official name) is better than University of California - Merced. </p>
<p>The wife of a former University of Idaho professor told me that Boise State University was the best school in Idaho (not really saying much). </p>
<p>I was under the impression that South Dakota State University is seen as superior to USD although I could very well be mistaken.</p>
<p>“There isn’t, but there is an Ohio University”</p>
<p>You mean THE Ohio University?</p>
<p>It’s only THE Ohio *State *University that likes the “the” so much…Ohio University in Athens seems OK with just OU :)</p>
<p>The OP’s premise is whacky, clearly. The designations ‘U of State,’ and ‘Somewheres State U’ are an accident of history, just like the fact that the U of Pennsylvania is and always has been a private institution.</p>
<p>Many of the “State” universities are actually Land Grant Colleges, founded some years after the local ‘U of State’ was created. And, just for you OP, you should realize that more than one ‘Somewheres State University’ started out as a the nurses college or even teacher’s college campus of its sister state flagship. I believe that’s how Florida State University was created. Finally, in some states both schools are part of one university system…"the University System of Georgia, the University of North Carolina System (which includes NCSU) and so on and so forth. In other states the schools, or set of schools, are completely separate in their administration and governance; Washington, Texas and notably, California.</p>
<p>Yes it’s a wacky premise, if you will. I’m not trying to diminish or pass judgement, just curious. For whatever the reason, which no doubt varies by state, it seems that “University of Statename” is perceived as the better overall school in almost every state.</p>
<p>No way that Boise State is better than U Idaho except in football. BSU’s 4-year grad rate is under 10%.</p>
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<p>I’d say that’s certainly true in Pennsylvania ;)</p>
<p>The University of Iowa recently commissioned a poll of Iowans (for a future marketing effort)…</p>
<p>56% of Iowans (not affiliated with either U Iowa or ISU) thought that Iowa State U was the best university in the state compared to 44% for U Iowa. The state legislators also agreed when they were polled.</p>
<p>Iowa State also gets more instate applicants and a higher percentage of enrollees than U Iowa.</p>
<p>They have identical admission requirements, avg ACT scores, and equal funding from the state.</p>
<p>Nationally, U Iowa is higher ranked and better known probably because it is in the Big Ten and has the med and law schools.</p>
<p>Yeah, I read years ago that Iowa State is stronger than U of Iowa. Agree that the medical school and law school create a perception of superiority for U of Iowa. Not an accurate perception, by the way.</p>
<p>Interestingly, many Virginians believe that Va Tech does not compare favorably to UVA. Well, folks in the know are well aware that VaTech has been stronger than UVA in STEM for a while; certainly in engineering.</p>
<p>^Yes but I think OP would mean University of Virginia vs Virginia State University, which would definitely mean UVA is better. I don’t know if Virginia Tech really fits in this comparison.</p>
<p>I guess it depends on which state.</p>