What is my "state flagship" school?

Parents Forum
41

<p>

</p>

<p>In common parlance, though, flagship would never be used to refer to WC or Bloomsburg. Flagship implies the largest and most visible. Indeed, one would say that all of the Big 10 schools are the flagship universities in their state system (with the obvious exception of NU, which is private, and U of M likely trumps MSU).</p>

<p>There’s no “dishonor” in being a state flagship - flagship implies that it’s the “showpiece” for lack of a better term, and where resources are funneled - so I’m not sure why someone would want to cede Penn State’s clear flagship status in PA to WC or Bloomsburg.</p>

42

<p>No way would Bloom, West Chester, Millersville, etc be considered our flagship schools. Great colleges and well priced but they are safety schools for any B student. PSU, OTOH, is nationally known and harder to get into. I agree that the funding criteria doesn’t fly, but everything else fits. kayf - Yes, tuition is lower at PSU for in-state but there is no bump given in admissions for being in-state and the same is true at our other state colleges - Pitt, Temple, Millersville, etc. I actually think all of these colleges prefer OOS students because they give them more money and a diversity boost.</p>

43

<p>Whatever the technical details, Penn State is universally regarded as Pennsylvania’s “flagship” state school – and New York doesn’t have one.</p>

<p>Actually, California doesn’t have a flagship either, but since the best schools in the University of California system have huge national reputations, no one seems to particularly care that there isn’t one dominant school.</p>

44

<p>Penn State absolutely is the public flagship in Pennsylvania.</p>

<p>As in many other states, the public flagship has a high degree of independence from political control, and has a lot of its own money – income streams and assets that are controlled by its board of trustees, not the legislature or the governor. A relatively small percentage of its operating budget comes from annual governmental allocations. In that regard, however, Penn State is no different from the Universities of Michigan, Virginia, Texas, and many others. </p>

<p>Also, as in many states Pennsylvania has a state system of universities that are much less independent, and much more controlled by state government day to day. They are mostly the descendants of teachers’ colleges. Those are the PSSHE colleges, including Bloomsburg, Millersville, East Stroudsburg, West Chester, and of course those wonderful semi-frauds Indiana University of Pennsylvania and California University of Pennsylvania. And others.</p>

<p>What makes Pennsylvania a little unique – although Texas is similar in this respect, and Virginia, too – is that it also has Pitt and Temple (and Lincoln and Cheyney) with the same hybrid relationship to state government that Penn State has, and Pitt especially gives Penn State a run for its money as the premier public university in the state.</p>

<p>New York is very weird. It came very late to the university-building game, in part since Cornell was its original land-grant beneficiary. When SUNY was created, it was the very last state university system. It has never been able to solve the political puzzle to create a flagship, although Buffalo has been the best candidate for that in several eras, not just Spitzer’s. Buffalo has the state’s top public law school, a business school, ed school, social work school, nursing school, engineering school, dentistry, public health, etc., and a good medical school, and at times some stunningly good departments, although I think Stony Brook probably far surpasses it in science fields now. Binghamton has been popular with undergraduates for a long time, and Geneseo has been very successful in establishing an identity for itself out of what used to be the state teachers’ college system, but neither is remotely the sort of comprehensive university that a “flagship” should be.</p>

45

<p>

</p>

<p>I would say that’s true for a lot of states - VA, KS, OK, TX (although I know UT has a great engineering program, just saying A&M is known for engineering as well), NC, SC, GA, AL (although I don’t know too much about UA’s engineering program, I know Auburn is known as the more “engineering/ag” school - here comes mom2collegekids with some info about Alabama’s engineering program :)).</p>

46

<p>

</p>

<p>No dishonor at all – it’s considered a plus.</p>

<p>In Maryland, the state system explicitly refers to the University of Maryland at College Park as the flagship of the system – and this is meant entirely in a good way.</p>

47

<p>Agree that Penn State is the flagship of PA…to think any of the true state schools are flagship material is foolish…none of those can hold a candle to PSU,Pitt and likley not even Temple</p>

48

<p>Kath, re your comment that PSU doesnt give preference to in-state kids, the SUNYs (NY state schools) give preference to OOS. Just another way NYS tells taxpayers we are dopes.</p>

49

<p>Which would be Mississippi’s flagship, Ole Miss or Mississippi State? I think a case could be made for either.</p>

50

<p>NY does not have a flagship school like PA, MD, and other schools do. UBuffalo is the closest to such a school with graduate departments and schools in just about every single academic discipline, the size, the campus and the sports teams/ activities. </p>

<p>Flagship does not equate to the best state school in the state, necessarily, and certainly not in every discipline. Pitt has its advantages over Penn State for instance, and the smaller MD schools may be of better match than College Park for a number of students. I much prefer Wm &Mary to UVA. Many Ohioans will say that Miami of Ohio is a better quality school that OSU–no sour grapes there, their kids were accepted to both and they still feel that way; and I know a number of families with very good students who send their kids to Miami and would not even consider OSU. The same with Purdue vs IU. </p>

<p>So the term, flagship gets bestowed on schools because they are the best known of the state schools in that particular state, and in case of a tie,the school considered the stronger wins out (UF or FSU). NY’s SUNY schools do not have that kind of recognition nationally. Few people outside of NY can even come with a name of what might be the flagship school. They have no idea. I didn’t, prior to moving here. I didn’t even know what SUNY was.</p>

51

<p>It does not matter what is flagship UG. Just go to any UG, that you feel is a good match. It is much more to you what you get out of your UG years than the name of your UG. If you happy there, you do much better academically and outside of academics and you will have awesome life long memories. Worthless!!</p>

52

<p>Er, do you mean priceless?</p>

53

<p>When you are looking at your in state publics, that one is considered flagship is really less important than whether it has what you need and want, and if it has the atmosphere you like. I know a lot of kids who prefer Pitt to Penn State, for example. Some have very specific reasons sometimes directly related to the academics or scholarships available, but sometimes it’s just the “feel” of the schools.</p>

54

<p>Ops! Worthless to consider flagship vs. not or any ranking…whatever.
Yes, if you choose the right match for you, your experience will be priceless!</p>

55

<p>Yes, exactly, “the “feel” of the school” is the most important.</p>

56

<p>In Indiana’s case, would it be Indiana U or Purdue U?</p>

57

<p>

</p>

<p>However, if everyone puts away the NY-colored glasses for a moment, you’ll find that in the vast, vast majority of the 50 states in this country, the state flagship is the largest, most well-resourced, and “best” state school in that state – and yes, best across most disciplines. And that’s generally what state flagship connotes (and denotes) – it’s a “you generally can’t go too wrong here” type of choice.</p>

58

<p>Sorry, no NY-colored glasses to put away, but "the state flagship is the largest, most well-resourced, and “best” state school in that state – " is only true in regard to being the largest, the rest is just wishful thinking. Resources are available absolutely evewhere if 1. one is seeking them and 2. has worked his b-t off to be in postion to choose. </p>

<p>So, again, go to school that you personally feel fits the best to your personality and interests (academic and otherwise). If you happy there, you will do well. If you are doing well, more and more doors and various opportunites are open to you at absolutely ANY UG.</p>

59

<p>Propane-Indiana truly has two flagships. The schools were originally founded with the intention that the two schools would not overlap in offerings. Although they now offer many of the same majors, each tries to keep with the original mandates. Maybe that is why the rivalry is so intense.</p>

60

<p>“Flagship” is a fuzzy concept, and I don’t think states are limited to just one. Large naval fleets have sometimes had more than one flagship, which is where the name comes from. We have a tiered system in PA and while Penn State is the largest and best known, you could make the case (academics, size, in-state costs, big-time sports) that Pitt (and maybe Temple?) is also a flagship for all intents and purposes. Same with TX, MI, VA (nobody mentioned VA Tech?), CA (more than 2?), and possibly others. The point is, people should take a close look at their high-quality in-state public options.</p>

<p>Historically, Penn State was a fully public school until it became “state related” in the 1960s. That firms up any claim to single flagship status. Pitt and (I think) Temple used to be fully private.</p>

<p>The “problem” with SUNY is its lack of distinguishing characteristics outside of NY, and big-time sports would do more than anything else to fix that. If it’s really a problem at all.</p>