<p>“flagship university” just doesn’t translate into anything in the SUNY system; very few states lack a flagship U but NY is one of them. Interestingly, of the four university centers Binghamton is generally the most “prestigious” SUNY but has no football team - which most state “flagships” would have. Albany, Buffalo and Stony Brook have football teams.</p>
<p>Re Minnesota and Wisconsin, it is clear that the U of M and the U of W are the flagships. (There are other great public universities in both states, though!)</p>
<p>This is the reason why so many NY students who can go to other state’s flagship universities - UCONN, U of Delaware, U of Maryland, Penn State, U of Michigan, etc. etc. It’s a disgrace that NY doesn’t have schools to compete with these state schools. All of these schools have national recognition and, with the exception of Delaware, all have nationally recognized sports teams.</p>
<p>I’m pretty sure the University of Michigan is the state’s flagship even though it doesn’t have a vet school and Michigan State does.</p>
<p>I dunno, we might not have a “flagship” here in New York but I think we have some excellent choices, on par with UCONN or Penn State…</p>
<p>Susgeek - which SUNY schools offer everything UCONN or Penn State offer?</p>
<p>We don’t have one SUNY. We have several. My point was we don’t need to have one. We can get anything UCONN or Penn offers in the SUNY system.</p>
<p>UConn is my flagship school, but I’m going to Stony Brook. The OOS cost for SBU is cheaper for me than UConn is. (with a scholarship) In my eyes the SUNYs are better than UConn.</p>
<p>*“Flagship is really the school that has the strongest program that “you” want.”
*</p>
<p>I don’t think that’s true at all.</p>
<p>Usually it is the biggest and/or oldest public school that bears the state’s name. It doesn’t matter if that school doesn’t have the med school or the law school or the vet school or the best X major.</p>
<p>*I’m pretty sure the University of Michigan is the state’s flagship even though it doesn’t have a vet school and Michigan State does. *</p>
<p>Exactly. Sometimes a state “spreads around” those professional schools…like med/dental/law/vet/architecture, etc. But, it still has a flagship (like UMich).</p>
<p>The non-education definition of flagship is “the chief one of a related group.” In most states, the major state universities will be the “flagship” public university and the land-grant or technical university.</p>
<p>When I went through the college admissions process, I never heard any of the SUNYs referred to as a “flagship” school. Binghamton and Geneseo were the best in-general academic schools, but if you wanted something specific, those may not be the best options for you.</p>
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<p>University of Delaware’s football team made it to the NCAA Division I Football Championship for the 2010 season. Read all about it at:</p>
<p>[NCAA</a> football championship: Eastern Washington rallies, tops Hens 20-19 : University of Delaware](<a href=“http://www.udel.edu/udaily/2011/jan/ncaa-title-game-010711.html]NCAA”>NCAA football championship: Eastern Washington rallies, tops Hens 20-19 : University of Delaware)</p>
<p>Lots of school spirit and lots of New Yorkers there getting the rah-rah college experience that the SUNYs don’t offer (UB has some).</p>
<p>I always assumed it referred to your state’s public univ., larger student body, not as selective, obviously lower tuition and honors program that is usually overlooked (or even occasionally unknown). Is this close?</p>
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<p>That’s correct in all states except Louisiana, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, and Pennsylvania. NY has the four regional centers, NJ’s flagship has a unique name, and the other three use “State University” instead of “U. of . . .”</p>
<p>Thanks all for the information. I thought I just wasn’t “getting it”…</p>
<p>Had a coworker who was from Mississippi where Mississippi State was the engineering school, while U of Mississippi was ‘for lawyers’. “X State” schools can be the more tech oriented school, in some states (but not in Ill).</p>
<p>Tree, I would certainly put Georgia as one of the states where the tech school is clearly the better choice for engineers.</p>
<p>Penn State is NOT a state university! It can’t be a flagship if it’s not a state university. It’s state “affiliated” which means it takes state money. Same with Pitt & Temple.</p>
<p>So that means probably West Chester, Bloomsburg or one of those would be “flagship” state university in Pennsylvania.</p>
<p>Kart, you can define State U how you want. but most people ask quesiton – do instate kids get less tuitiion? So tell me does Penn State give lower tutition to in-state?</p>
<p>Here in TX I suppose it could be argued that we have two flagships. Certainly UT is the more dominant; however, A&M is also VERY highly regarded and often preferred for majors like engineering, education, etc. A&M also has one of the best vet schools in the US and traditions that can often rival UT. I don’t have kids at either but have lived here most of my life and know both are highly regarded. I would say CA has “dual” flagships as well: Berkeley and UCLA. Obviously, CA has many fine publics, but these two are considered by most to be the most selective.</p>