Brian Troyer must be a Scoop reader!
https://marquettewire.org/4135409/news/with-increasing-new-student-population-mu-seeks-to-expand-geographic-student-diversity-use-alumni-network-to-market-the-university/ (https://marquettewire.org/4135409/news/with-increasing-new-student-population-mu-seeks-to-expand-geographic-student-diversity-use-alumni-network-to-market-the-university/)
QuoteExpanding geographic diversity
One of the biggest initiatives outlined in the new enrollment plan is an effort to significantly expand the geographic diversity of students on campus. Currently, 70% of Marquette students originate from three U.S. states: Wisconsin, Illinois and Minnesota.
Troyer highlighted the success of a fly-in program that provides opportunities for prospective students from around the country to visit Marquette. He explained the program and the impact that it has on prospective students.
"The team in Undergraduate Admissions has done a wonderful job making a campus visit a reality for a large number of students," Troyer said in an email. Troyer highlighted the fact that campus visits often increase likelihood of students enrolling who would not have enrolled without visiting campus.
For students like Tyler Hegdahl, a sophomore in the College of Business Administration, the efforts to expand geographic representation on campus are a welcome sign.
Originally from Portland, Oregon, Hegdahl first heard about Marquette when he saw a table representing the university at a Jesuit college fair near his home. However, he struggled to find his community when he first came to campus in 2023.
"Being from Portland, I came here not knowing really anybody," Hegdahl said. "When you have more people from all across the country... it definitely brings a more welcoming and more diverse community."
Quote from: Macallan 18 on April 15, 2025, 11:54:49 AMBrian Troyer must be a Scoop reader!
https://marquettewire.org/4135409/news/with-increasing-new-student-population-mu-seeks-to-expand-geographic-student-diversity-use-alumni-network-to-market-the-university/ (https://marquettewire.org/4135409/news/with-increasing-new-student-population-mu-seeks-to-expand-geographic-student-diversity-use-alumni-network-to-market-the-university/)
This would have been even cooler 6 years ago. I have had a geographic diversity with Brian in the past.
Neither my roommate nor I did a campus visit. He was from CA and I was from NJ. We both had a family member who attended MU, but I am not sure a campus visit would have influenced us either way. After all in our day there was no "campus", just downtown Milwaukee.
Quote from: muwarrior69 on April 15, 2025, 02:19:22 PMNeither my roommate nor I did a campus visit. He was from CA and I was from NJ. We both had a family member who attended MU, but I am not sure a campus visit would have influenced us either way. After all in our day there was no "campus", just downtown Milwaukee.
This are a little different than they were 60 years ago.
Quote from: The Sultan on April 15, 2025, 02:21:01 PMThis are a little different than they were 60 years ago.
This should be pinned at the top of the board, lol. Relevant to most threads these days. When did Scoop get so old??
We should diversify the sources of our basketball talent
Diversity? Gross.
Quote from: GB Warrior on April 15, 2025, 03:02:03 PMWe should diversify the sources of our basketball talent
[/qclub.
The geographic diversity of MU's roster is spectacular.
Quote from: tower912 on April 15, 2025, 03:27:04 PMThe geographic diversity of MU's roster is spectacular.
Yeah but we should consider people from different walks of life. Like people who have walked life at another college basketball program
::)
Quote from: The Sultan on April 15, 2025, 02:21:01 PMThis are a little different than they were 60 years ago.
as for campus a lot better.
Quote from: The Sultan on April 15, 2025, 02:21:01 PMThis are a little different than they were 60 years ago.
Bring back DDT
This year is my 50year reunion from MU - no one ran around visiting campuses back then, people I think today put more effort into choosing kindergartens for their kids than we did for college and grad school lol.
What about the fact that only 14% of kids accepted actually enroll? I'd like to see attention paid to that.
Quote from: Warriors4ever on April 16, 2025, 07:43:14 AMThis year is my 50year reunion from MU - no one ran around visiting campuses back then, people I think today put more effort into choosing kindergartens for their kids than we did for college and grad school lol.
What about the fact that only 14% of kids accepted actually enroll? I'd like to see attention paid to that.
Very common across higher ed. The common app makes applications easy and hardly anyone charges a fee.
Quote from: Warriors4ever on April 16, 2025, 07:43:14 AMThis year is my 50year reunion from MU - no one ran around visiting campuses back then, people I think today put more effort into choosing kindergartens for their kids than we did for college and grad school lol.
What about the fact that only 14% of kids accepted actually enroll? I'd like to see attention paid to that.
are you really being critical of people who do campus visits? Considering the cost of attending a school like MU, parents who are paying the bill would like to see where there kid will be attending, especially the facilities, amenities, and general environment. My niece eliminated Northwestern because when she visited, she did not like the vibe she got from the students there. My parents were not fully on board with me going to MU (out-of-state and much more expensive than the state schools I got into) until we visited and they heard about the service component of the MU and Jesuit education, and then they were all in. Kids and parents knowing what they're getting into before enrolling is going to be important for both initial enrollment yield and retention rates.
Quote from: The Sultan on April 16, 2025, 07:45:34 AMVery common across higher ed. The common app makes applications easy and hardly anyone charges a fee.
This. When I was applying pre-Common App, I had to pay a fee for each school and write essays for each college I was applying to, which is rather time consuming. My dad only let me apply to schools I would actually consider attending (and could afford to attend) if I were admitted. With the Common App, kids can apply to up to 20 schools at one time with the click of a button and not pay an application fee for each school.
It isn't uncommon for kids to just apply to schools just to say (and for their parents to brag about) how many they got admitted to, thus the low yield on admitted students colleges are seeing.
I am not surprised by MU's push to increase geographic diversity, and it's a smart move, especially as the pool of applicants in the three states that make up 70% of our student body shrinks. As someone not from WI, IL or MN, I definitely felt like a bit of an outsider and saw more of my classmates from outside of those states transfer at a higher rate. As an RA on my floor I had students from California, Kentucky, Texas, Washington State and Louisiana not return for their sophomore years.
^^^RAs are dorks
Quote from: Jay Bee on April 16, 2025, 10:32:41 AM^^^RAs are dorks
free R/B and single room. I only lasted one year because I was doing it "for the wrong reasons" and "abused my privileges." Apparently, giving out "get out of a beer bust free" cards went against the rules of the job and weren't accepted by other RAs. ;D ;D
Quote from: Warriors4ever on April 16, 2025, 07:43:14 AMThis year is my 50year reunion from MU - no one ran around visiting campuses back then, people I think today put more effort into choosing kindergartens for their kids than we did for college and grad school lol.
What about the fact that only 14% of kids accepted actually enroll? I'd like to see attention paid to that.
I think you answer your own concern with your post. More kids that were accepted to Marquette used to enroll because they never visited Marquette. Nowadays most kids are visiting campus before deciding on college. The 14% that enroll are the kids who didn't visit the campus. The 86% that did visit are all dead. Nobody makes it out of downtown Milwaukee alive.
Quote from: Billy Hoyle on April 16, 2025, 10:39:30 AMfree R/B and single room. I only lasted one year because I was doing it "for the wrong reasons" and "abused my privileges." Apparently, giving out "get out of a beer bust free" cards went against the rules of the job and weren't accepted by other RAs. ;D ;D
Musta been a lot easier to be an RA back when the drinking age was 18 and Marquette put up signs near elevators at McCormick encouraging us to throw floor parties.
Quote from: MU82 on April 16, 2025, 12:11:12 PMMusta been a lot easier to be an RA back when the drinking age was 18 and Marquette put up signs near elevators at McCormick encouraging us to throw floor parties.
I'm sure it was. Hall Directors in the 90s were all about catching any drinking going on. My advice to underage residents who wanted to drink was "don't be stupid and keep it quiet." Some of my fellow RAs and I would slip in some brews and quietly have a few.
Thought this article might be of interest:
https://biztimes.com/marquette-university-president-kimo-ah-yun-vision-growth-affordability-research/
Quote from: GOO on April 16, 2025, 01:06:32 PMThought this article might be of interest:
https://biztimes.com/marquette-university-president-kimo-ah-yun-vision-growth-affordability-research/
A Two-year residency requirement for freshman and sophomores? Did I read that right. Locals can't live at home? Am I missing something?
Of course, MU needs to expand their geographic footprint. Any map-reading census analyst knows that!
Brother and Sister Scoopers have noted that 70 percent of MU's student population comes from Illinois, Wisconsin and Minnesota. Those that don't tend to come from Roman Catholic High Schools in Michigan, Ohio and the Northeast.
All of Marquette's traditional markets have seen population increases at or below the national average. The country has increased in population since 1970 from 200 million to 330 million. A disproportionate share of that growth has been in states like Tennessee, Florida, Texas, Arizona, the Carolinas, Georgia and California. These are not places where Marquette does well.
I grew up in Nashville and went to a Catholic High School there. I was one of two in my class of 227 that went to Marquette. Both of us had strong family ties to Wisconsin -- and, for that matter, to Marquette. That's the kind of place that Marquette will have to do much better if they intend to grow outside Wisconsin.
Marquette also is fighting a battle in that folks aren't as focused on organized religion as they used to be. Church attendance is down everywhere and with most denominations. That begs the question of why someone from the South, Southwest or West would spend the money to send their students far from home when, in many cases, each of the growth states have fine state and private universities.
Vanderbilt has recognized some of this trend and is building a new graduate school in West Palm Beach, FL. That amazes me because Vanderbilt's campus is beautiful and located in one of the nation's "it" cities. Yet, they're going to WPB because tha's where the people are!
I doubt a sunbelt campus is the right idea for Marquette but the administration has a huge challenge ahead of them!
Quote from: muwarrior69 on April 16, 2025, 02:44:17 PMA Two-year residency requirement for freshman and sophomores? Did I read that right. Locals can't live at home? Am I missing something?
It's been that way since at least 2007. I think you can get a waiver if you live within 40 miles.
Quote from: cheebs09 on April 16, 2025, 04:06:20 PMIt's been that way since at least 2007. I think you can get a waiver if you live within 40 miles.
Pretty sure that was the case as far back as the 90s.
Quote from: muwarrior69 on April 16, 2025, 02:44:17 PMA Two-year residency requirement for freshman and sophomores? Did I read that right. Locals can't live at home? Am I missing something?
You can get an exception to live at home if you reside with a parent or legal guardian within a 35-mile radius of campus.
https://www.marquette.edu/residence-life/policies.php#residency (https://www.marquette.edu/residence-life/policies.php#residency)
Last I looked the cheapest co-ed dorm option is a triple in Abbottsford for $12,980 for the year. Some old timers could have probably gotten their Bachelor's, Master's and Doctorate from Marquette for that price.
https://www.marquette.edu/central/bursar/tuition-housing-fees-2023-24.php#Rm_Bd_rates (https://www.marquette.edu/central/bursar/tuition-housing-fees-2023-24.php#Rm_Bd_rates)
Quote from: Billy Hoyle on April 16, 2025, 09:29:30 AMWith the Common App, kids can apply to up to 20 schools at one time with the click of a button and not pay an application fee for each school.
It isn't uncommon for kids to just apply to schools just to say (and for their parents to brag about) how many they got admitted to, thus the low yield on admitted students colleges are seeing.
That's not exactly accurate. My son is a HS senior and yeah, used the common app. Every school he applied to had an application fee, and every school had 1-2-3 extra essays that required significant time.
He applied to 7 schools, 4 public, 3 private, none of them were just a click.
(There is a process called Questbridge that have app fees waived, but that's for low-income families.)
Marquette needs to quit admitting women
Quote from: Uncle Rico on April 16, 2025, 06:38:24 PMMarquette needs to quit admitting women
What is a woman?
Quote from: The Sultan on April 16, 2025, 04:12:03 PMPretty sure that was the case as far back as the 90s.
That is correct, and common across the country (some have three year requirements). My nephew at MSU has as two year requirement. The exception when I was there during the 90s was if the family lived within a 30 mile radius and I had classmates who would attempt to use the addresses of uncles, grandparents, etc and often were denied that waiver. Room and Board are a revenue generator for schools.
Quote from: Billy Hoyle on April 17, 2025, 08:28:11 AMThat is correct, and common across the country (some have three year requirements). My nephew at MSU has as two year requirement. The exception when I was there during the 90s was if the family lived within a 30 mile radius and I had classmates who would attempt to use the addresses of uncles, grandparents, etc and often were denied that waiver. Room and Board are a revenue generator for schools.
It's also better for student outcomes.
Quote from: Billy Hoyle on April 17, 2025, 08:28:11 AMThat is correct, and common across the country (some have three year requirements). My nephew at MSU has as two year requirement. The exception when I was there during the 90s was if the family lived within a 30 mile radius and I had classmates who would attempt to use the addresses of uncles, grandparents, etc and often were denied that waiver. Room and Board are a revenue generator for schools.
I wouldn't call two years common. One year is common. Marquette is definitely in the minority with a two year requirement.
I'm just getting back to this thread now.firstly, I wasn't criticizing doing campus visits, was commenting as another prior poster had mentioned not visiting campuses.
Some good points have been made regarding not only the geographic area MU attracts people from, but also how the decline in organized religion has led to a decline in the number of Catholic high schools, which certainly were a traditional feeder back in the day. And how the common application means a lot of kids apply to many more schools than we did when each application was separate and cost money.
I know statistically the success and visibility of our basketball team has in the past led to an increase in applications and hopefully retention of those applicants.
Quote from: Warriors4ever on April 17, 2025, 09:07:04 AMI know statistically the success and visibility of our basketball team has in the past led to an increase in applications and hopefully retention of those applicants.
Fortunately the bball squad takes its annual nose dive in the second half of the season, after most kids have already selected their college destination.
Quote from: TAMU, Knower of Ball on April 17, 2025, 08:32:54 AMI wouldn't call two years common. One year is common. Marquette is definitely in the minority with a two year requirement.
Among private schools it is. Among BE schools:
Butler - 3 years
Creighton - 2 years
DePaul - none (not enough space)
Georgetown - 3 years
MU - 2 years
Providence - 3 years
Seton Hall - none
St. John's - 1 year (not enough space)
UConn - 1 year
Nova - 2 years and guaranteed for a third year
Xavier - 2 years
St. Thomas (future BE school) - 2 years
Looking at the private schools in the A10:
SLU - 2 years
Dayton - 2 years
Fordham - 4 years guaranteed
St. Bonaventure - 3 years
Duquense - 2 years
Richmond - 2 years
Loyola - 2 years
Davidson - 4 years
St. Joe's - 2 years
GW - 2 years
Some random others:
Duke - 3 years
Drake - 2 years
Gonzaga - 2 years
Northwestern - 2 years
Santa Clara - 2 years
LMU - All FT students under 21
ND - 3 years
Evansville - 2 years
And I agree with Sultan - living on campus, especially for the first two years, is better for student outcomes
Quote from: dgies9156 on April 16, 2025, 03:02:40 PMOf course, MU needs to expand their geographic footprint. Any map-reading census analyst knows that!
Brother and Sister Scoopers have noted that 70 percent of MU's student population comes from Illinois, Wisconsin and Minnesota. Those that don't tend to come from Roman Catholic High Schools in Michigan, Ohio and the Northeast.
All of Marquette's traditional markets have seen population increases at or below the national average. The country has increased in population since 1970 from 200 million to 330 million. A disproportionate share of that growth has been in states like Tennessee, Florida, Texas, Arizona, the Carolinas, Georgia and California. These are not places where Marquette does well.
I grew up in Nashville and went to a Catholic High School there. I was one of two in my class of 227 that went to Marquette. Both of us had strong family ties to Wisconsin -- and, for that matter, to Marquette. That's the kind of place that Marquette will have to do much better if they intend to grow outside Wisconsin.
Marquette also is fighting a battle in that folks aren't as focused on organized religion as they used to be. Church attendance is down everywhere and with most denominations. That begs the question of why someone from the South, Southwest or West would spend the money to send their students far from home when, in many cases, each of the growth states have fine state and private universities.
Vanderbilt has recognized some of this trend and is building a new graduate school in West Palm Beach, FL. That amazes me because Vanderbilt's campus is beautiful and located in one of the nation's "it" cities. Yet, they're going to WPB because tha's where the people are!
I doubt a sunbelt campus is the right idea for Marquette but the administration has a huge challenge ahead of them!
Overall the pool of Catholics shrinks every year, as does it's importance to Marquette.
Hard truth for the believers in the man in the sky, but that's just the way society is trending. Religion is on the decline worldwide
Quote from: Hards Alumni on April 17, 2025, 09:42:51 AMOverall the pool of Catholics shrinks every year, as does it's importance to Marquette.
Hard truth for the believers in the man in the sky, but that's just the way society is trending. Religion is on the decline worldwide
Thank God
Quote from: Billy Hoyle on April 17, 2025, 08:28:11 AMThat is correct, and common across the country (some have three year requirements). My nephew at MSU has as two year requirement. The exception when I was there during the 90s was if the family lived within a 30 mile radius and I had classmates who would attempt to use the addresses of uncles, grandparents, etc and often were denied that waiver. Room and Board are a revenue generator for schools.
MSU does not have a 2 year requirement. Maybe your nephew is on a scholarship or something that requires it but for the average student, there isn't one
Quote from: TAMU, Knower of Ball on April 17, 2025, 08:32:54 AMI wouldn't call two years common. One year is common. Marquette is definitely in the minority with a two year requirement.
Among private schools it is very common. Among public schools it is uncommon.
Quote from: swoopem on April 17, 2025, 10:44:08 AMMSU does not have a 2 year requirement. Maybe your nephew is on a scholarship or something that requires it but for the average student, there isn't one
They switched to two years post-COVID.
https://msutoday.msu.edu/news/2020/reinstate-second-year-on-campus-living-requirement
My niece is at Michigan and will be able to move off-campus as a sophomore.
Quote from: muwarrior69 on April 15, 2025, 02:19:22 PMNeither my roommate nor I did a campus visit. He was from CA and I was from NJ. We both had a family member who attended MU, but I am not sure a campus visit would have influenced us either way. After all in our day there was no "campus", just downtown Milwaukee.
On our floor my roommate was from Boston , next door the two were from Connecticut and California. Others on my floor were from Hawaii, Florida, Virginia ,Mass., Indiana and West Virginia. That's the breadth of my memory
Quote from: WellsstreetWanderer on April 17, 2025, 04:35:30 PMOn our floor my roommate was from Boston , next door the two were from Connecticut and California. Others on my floor were from Hawaii, Florida, Virginia ,Mass., Indiana and West Virginia. That's the breadth of my memory
On my floor they were from all over: New York, Texas, Arizona, Maryland, DC, Puerto Rico and Sparta Wisconsin and more. Quite a few of my classmates were from Wauwatosa, West Allis, Brown Deer and Mequon. The "townies" had cars. Those of us who lived on "campus" could not have a car, no parking was available.
Bumping up this thread.
Is geographic diversity still an initiative?
And does MU note family legacy for applicants.
Child will be applying soon
Quote from: marqfan22 on August 13, 2026, 04:51:44 PMBumping up this thread.
Is geographic diversity still an initiative?
And does MU note family legacy for applicants.
Child will be applying soon
DEI is illegal
Thanks foe the spam reply.
If anyone else wants to answer with reasonable replies, I'd appreciate it.
1. I don't know if geographic diversity is still an initiative. But that never meant they were going to give preference to people from geographic diverse areas. It just meant they are going to broaden their recruiting efforts.
2. Your child may get some sort of preference for admission to Marquette, but will get little to no additional aid because you are an alum.
Thank you!
I appreciate the response!
Quote from: The Sultan on August 14, 2026, 08:17:50 AM1. I don't know if geographic diversity is still an initiative. But that never meant they were going to give preference to people from geographic diverse areas. It just meant they are going to broaden their recruiting efforts.
2. Your child may get some sort of preference for admission to Marquette, but will get little to no additional aid because you are an alum.
Yep. My alma mater, Miami of Ohio, got very serious and very tactical about regional/geographic recruitment in the early-mid 2000s (and onward). Around the time I attended, they had targeted the greater Atlanta area. I knew maybe 4-5 kids from Atlanta in the 500-1000 kids in my year I was introduced to or knew through dorms/classes/etc... as a freshman. I joined a mid sized student organization as a sophomore, and I think there was 1 upper classman from there. By the time I graduated 5 years later, there were a half a dozen in the most recent class joining the organization alone. 4-5 years after I graduated, I got to know a fellow alum through work who was the head of one of the alumni chapters in DC/Northern VA and was actively involved in the school's push into the DMV as their next recruitment/focus area. She said applications and admissions were both up over 50% in the last 2 years, and unlike Atlanta at the time, it wasn't that uncommon of an area for students.
But to your point, it just meant an increased presence at college fairs, relationships with guidance counselors/staff at top ranked high schools, digital advertising, etc... Not that they were throwing money at kids from the area. They had a variety of financial aid options/routes that made out of state tuition a bit more palatable, but that was more an existing institutional strategy as opposed to a scholarship set designed to get those regional targets
Funny enough, part of the reason that these recruitment efforts happened was that in the early 2000s, Ohio State decided to radically revamp its academic image and profile and actually was throwing huge money at any and all top students in Ohio. From the time I started undergrad in 2003 to the time I graduated 5 year later, OSU went from the safety school for most of my in state friends at Miami, to sniping huge numbers of kids. I dated an OSU alum in Chicago who was a National Merit semi finalist in the late 2000s who got basically a full ride to Ohio State and whose best friend graduated from IU because she didn't get into OSU. Those kind of students would have scoffed at OSU 10 years prior. But I digress...
Quote from: marqfan22 on August 13, 2026, 04:51:44 PMBumping up this thread.
Is geographic diversity still an initiative?
And does MU note family legacy for applicants.
Child will be applying soon
MU's acceptance rate is north of 80% these days .. it's a safety school. Your child will get right in, no strings need to be pulled.
Quote from: mu_hilltopper on August 16, 2026, 10:26:00 PMMU's acceptance rate is north of 80% these days .. it's a safety school. Your child will get right in, no strings need to be pulled.
Pretty much every school is a "safety school" these days. Demographics are a b*tch.
Quote from: The Sultan on August 17, 2026, 04:46:38 AMPretty much every school is a "safety school" these days. Demographics are a b*tch.
I'd love to believe that. I have a HS senior who is applying to Minnesota, UW, Purdue, and .. Marquette. I'd peg him as a top 20% type student.
It would not shock me if he was rejected from all but Marquette.
Quote from: mu_hilltopper on August 18, 2026, 12:42:17 PMI'd love to believe that. I have a HS senior who is applying to Minnesota, UW, Purdue, and .. Marquette. I'd peg him as a top 20% type student.
It would not shock me if he was rejected from all but Marquette.
Yes because Purdue, Wisconsin and Minnesota represent all of higher education.
Quote from: marqfan22 on August 14, 2026, 08:46:49 AMThank you!
I appreciate the response!
When we saw President Kimo at his Jupiter, FL introduction last winter, he spoke of geographic diversity as a strong initiative of Marquette.
He specifically spoke of Texas as an area of focus, which makes sense given its population growth. He also spoke of Florida as a focal point, along with California.
I'm sure there are others but be known that the university is stepping up its recruiting in areas that are not Marquette hotspots.
I hope he is passing out quarter zips.
Quote from: tower912 on August 18, 2026, 02:20:21 PMI hope he is passing out quarter zips.
That's for locking down state boarders.
You can't complain about the coach not being provincial enough if the university president is advocating the same.
Quote from: The Sultan on August 17, 2026, 04:46:38 AMPretty much every school is a "safety school" these days. Demographics are a b*tch.
I'd love to believe that. I have a HS senior who is applying to Minnesota, UW, Purdue, and .. Marquette. I'd peg him as a top 20% type student.
It would not shock me if he was rejected from all but Marquette.
Quote from: The Sultan on August 18, 2026, 01:47:07 PMYes because Purdue, Wisconsin and Minnesota represent all of higher education.
I don't understand your point. Of course they don't. I'm responding to "pretty much every school is a safety school."
Quote from: mu_hilltopper on August 18, 2026, 02:50:42 PMI'd love to believe that. I have a HS senior who is applying to Minnesota, UW, Purdue, and .. Marquette. I'd peg him as a top 20% type student.
It would not shock me if he was rejected from all but Marquette.
I don't understand your point. Of course they don't. I'm responding to "pretty much every school is a safety school."
I should have said "the vast majority." Public flagships and top 30 or so privates are the only exceptions.
Quote from: The Sultan on August 18, 2026, 03:53:36 PMI should have said "the vast majority." Public flagships and top 30 or so privates are the only exceptions.
And even within the public flagships, there are odd peculiarities based on demographics. My niece grew up just outside Charlotte and just started at UNC. She obviously got into UNC, with a decent little, non financial need drive, scholarship of sorts to boot. She was a top student at a good but not exceptional public HS. However, she got flat out rejected (not wait-listed) at both UF and Wake Forest (UF is close but Wake, while a very good school, is a decent bit lower in most rankings). She also got wait-listed at another out of state flagship not as prestigious as UNC (I want to say Maryland maybe?).
Quote from: JWags85 on August 18, 2026, 04:31:06 PMAnd even within the public flagships, there are odd peculiarities based on demographics. My niece grew up just outside Charlotte and just started at UNC. She obviously got into UNC, with a decent little, non financial need drive, scholarship of sorts to boot. She was a top student at a good but not exceptional public HS. However, she got flat out rejected (not wait-listed) at both UF and Wake Forest (UF is close but Wake, while a very good school, is a decent bit lower in most rankings). She also got wait-listed at another out of state flagship not as prestigious as UNC (I want to say Maryland maybe?).
Many state flagship schools have significantly higher admissions standards for out-of-state students than in-state, and that's tied to their funding. UNC has traditionally been the hardest school to get into as an out-of-state student. For example, a former roommate (from Florida) was admitted to Miami and Georgetown (and was selected for a prestigious CIA internship out of HS that led to working in embassies through the Department of State and not having to take or pass the foreign service exam) but rejected by UNC. Michigan and Oregon are schools that took the opposite route in opposition to the state legislature, making up funding cuts by focusing on out of state students and lowering admissions standards for them.
As for MU, focusing on geographic diversity outside of the Midwest is incredibly smart, as well as expanding their geographic footprint. MU has deliberately shifted focus to Iowa at the expense of Indiana and Ohio for recruiting students. On the admission rate issue, MU did say the admission rate for the 2026 entering class had dropped below 80% for the first time in many year. One of the reasons our admissions rate is so high is MU deliberately targets students within the admissions sweet spot, and most applicants are those who have MU at the top of their lists and apply knowing they have a strong change of getting in - it's not their "reach school."
Quote from: Billy Hoyle on August 19, 2026, 09:27:15 AMMany state flagship schools have significantly higher admissions standards for out-of-state students than in-state, and that's tied to their funding. UNC has traditionally been the hardest school to get into as an out-of-state student. For example, a former roommate (from Florida) was admitted to Miami and Georgetown (and got and was selected for a prestegious CIA internship out of HS) but rejected by UNC. Michigan and Oregon are schools that took the opposite route in opposition to the state legislature, making up funding cuts by focusing on out of state students and lowering admissions standards for them.
Absolutely on the flagships, I mean, look no farther than UW. I had a dorm mate in college who was on a full scholarship, which is why he attended instead of the partials he got when admitted at Wash U and Case Western. But he was rejected from Wisconsin.
Meanwhile, my sister's freshman roommate at Madison was from a smaller school in the northern part of the state. Her parents went to IU and Ohio State...she didn't get into either. Conversely, her sophomore roommate was from a suburb of Columbus, fell in love with UW on her visit (I swear she's otherwise a great person minus this mental deficiency) so she stuck it out after getting wait-listed. Meanwhile, she stayed through on that waitlist despite already getting into Notre Dame, U of I, Georgetown, and Boston College.
Quote from: mu_hilltopper on August 18, 2026, 12:42:17 PMI'd love to believe that. I have a HS senior who is applying to Minnesota, UW, Purdue, and .. Marquette. I'd peg him as a top 20% type student.
It would not shock me if he was rejected from all but Marquette.
Seems like a win
Quote from: JWags85 on August 19, 2026, 10:14:36 AMAbsolutely on the flagships, I mean, look no farther than UW. I had a dorm mate in college who was on a full scholarship, which is why he attended instead of the partials he got when admitted at Wash U and Case Western. But he was rejected from Wisconsin.
I don't know if this is still the policy at Buckyville but in the 90s and 2000s anyone outside of the top 20 percent of their class (public schools) was rejected, which led to a lot of upset parents at higher-level high schools when their kid with a 3.7 at Tosa East was rejected but a colleague's kid with a 3.4 at Baraboo High was admitted. I know my brother was penalized for his class rank at his HS, a top 10 public high school in MI, as friends of his at his old school got into UM with lower ACT scores because they were higher up in their class.
UT-Austin guarantees admission for in-state kids in the top five percent of their HS class. UT-Austin is also legislatively required to have at least 75% of the entering class be Texas residents.
Quote from: Billy Hoyle on August 19, 2026, 12:24:33 PMI don't know if this is still the policy at Buckyville but in the 90s and 2000s anyone outside of the top 20 percent of their class (public schools) was rejected, which led to a lot of upset parents at higher-level high schools when their kid with a 3.7 at Tosa East was rejected but a colleague's kid with a 3.4 at Baraboo High was admitted. I know my brother was penalized for his class rank at his HS, a top 10 public high school in MI, as friends of his at his old school got into UM with lower ACT scores because they were higher up in their class.
UT-Austin guarantees admission for in-state kids in the top five percent of their HS class. UT-Austin is also legislatively required to have at least 75% of the entering class be Texas residents.
It's not just UT-Austin. All public Texas colleges are required by law to have an automatic admission policy for Texas students of a certain rank. Originally it was top 10% for all schools but it's been amended so that some schools have different thresholds.
UW-Madison must average at least 5,200 new in-state students over any given three year period. (This includes transfers and students from Minnesota enrolled under the reciprocity agreement.) This does not include graduate or professional school enrollment, which has no cap.
This is set by Regent policy and not state law. No other UW school is subject to that cap.
Quote from: Billy Hoyle on August 19, 2026, 12:24:33 PMI don't know if this is still the policy at Buckyville but in the 90s and 2000s anyone outside of the top 20 percent of their class (public schools) was rejected, which led to a lot of upset parents at higher-level high schools when their kid with a 3.7 at Tosa East was rejected but a colleague's kid with a 3.4 at Baraboo High was admitted. I know my brother was penalized for his class rank at his HS, a top 10 public high school in MI, as friends of his at his old school got into UM with lower ACT scores because they were higher up in their class.
Yea, I didn't realize there was a percentage cutoff, but I knew there were "quotas". There was a pretty consistent number of graduates, down to the student or two, that went to UW every year. My former neighbor had an obsessive need to go to UW. I think she filed 3 different appeals, finally got admitted fairly late in the spring, coincidentally the same week another classmate of ours, who was National Merit Semi-finalist who UW had thrown money at, decided to head to Ann Arbor.
I mentioned my sister above, but that was my youngest sister. The oldest of my 3 sisters had around a 3.8 at a top suburban MKE HS, good ACT, tons of extra curriculars and got denied. She got into all of the other comparable B10s she applied to (Minnesota, Iowa, Indiana), ended up at Iowa for a year and then transferred to Madison for sophomore year onward.
Quote from: Billy Hoyle on August 19, 2026, 12:24:33 PMUT-Austin guarantees admission for in-state kids in the top five percent of their HS class. UT-Austin is also legislatively required to have at least 75% of the entering class be Texas residents.
My first cube mate in my ad agency days in my mid 20s was a UT grad from Dallas. He had a bunch of amusing anecdotes about friends and classmates from his time in Austin. He said out of state kids were always either super bright or very wealthy. But in state kids could be anything from very driven and accomplished star students from great high schools in any of the big metros to pedestrian students from far flung places all over the state.
Coincidentally, one of his best college friends/fraternity brothers fell into the latter. I met him after he moved to Chicago as well and the most generous descriptor of him would likely be "thick as crap". The kid of person you'd be surprised to find out he graduated from college period, much less an elite school like UT.
His blue collar dad did well in oil field sales in the 80s and "retired" to buy a ranch like 2 hours west of Austin. Think his graduating HS class was like 80 kids and had tons of kids who just did the minimum they had to graduate before heading right back to ranches or pre-determined apprenticeships (not that there is anything wrong with that path, just that educational excellence and high class rank wasn't a priority). Thus handling your HS academics to any meaningful extent got you pretty high in your class. Closer to a big city and he would have been near the bottom in any good public or private HS, but he finished something like 5th or 6th in his class which their guidance counselor automatically guided to UT and his test scores were sufficient enough to not prevent admission.
Plenty of people from that sort of background end up at a good university and take off being in a competitive environment...he did not ;D I think he had 6 jobs in 2 years in Chicago before he moved back.
I'd like to know the efforts and efficacy of "college recruiting."
Above, it's been written that MU is "expanding its geographic diversity," or "has deliberately shifted focus to Iowa at the expense of Indiana and Ohio for recruiting students."
The past two years, I think my family could be considered ground zero for "college recruiting." Got an 18 and 20 year old.
Both kids are/were very attractive candidates for pretty much most universities, not to mention having "full pay" type parents. (The eldest, waitlisted at MIT.)
For us, "recruitment" has been primarily getting sent postcards and emails from random colleges, 99% of which our kids had zero interest in. The HS itself hosts plenty of colleges, although my sons report low attendance "unless you wanted to skip class." The HS counsellors were very hands-off unless you asked for help. I'm sure some do.
I think my point is: There has been no "recruitment" beyond some trashcan-bound postcards and spam emails. College selection has been entirely self-directed, using online resources and internet searches. College selection has been us parents suggesting "hey, add XYZ to the list."
In short, I find it entirely confusing that Marquette has "recruiting efforts" in a state that moves any needle. If the answer is "well, they send mailers and spam" or "They visit high schools" .. good luck with that.
What am I missing?
Is there some recruitment avenue that we (and nearly every kid at our HS) have so far escaped?
Quote from: mu_hilltopper on August 19, 2026, 06:29:24 PMFor us, "recruitment" has been primarily getting sent postcards and emails from random colleges, 99% of which our kids had zero interest in. The HS itself hosts plenty of colleges, although my sons report low attendance "unless you wanted to skip class." The HS counsellors were very hands-off unless you asked for help. I'm sure some do.
You've pretty much nailed it. It's really inexpensive to send out emails and postcards.
Quote from: The Sultan on August 19, 2026, 06:42:22 PMYou've pretty much nailed it. It's really inexpensive to send out emails and postcards.
At least they're limiting themselves to geographic diversity.
My son went a different direction, but MU was the second largest out of state destination for his HS class other than ND. MU had reps at every college fair we attended, to the point that the rep recognized my son and knew I was an alum.
Catholic HS 3 states and 4+ hours away. 5 kids out of a class of 115.
Yeah, I also think the idea that the only people who went to the high school visits isn't very accurate. Especially if the recruiter has a good relationship with the counselor.
Quote from: mu_hilltopper on August 19, 2026, 06:29:24 PMI'd like to know the efforts and efficacy of "college recruiting."
Above, it's been written that MU is "expanding its geographic diversity," or "has deliberately shifted focus to Iowa at the expense of Indiana and Ohio for recruiting students."
The past two years, I think my family could be considered ground zero for "college recruiting." Got an 18 and 20 year old.
Both kids are/were very attractive candidates for pretty much most universities, not to mention having "full pay" type parents. (The eldest, waitlisted at MIT.)
For us, "recruitment" has been primarily getting sent postcards and emails from random colleges, 99% of which our kids had zero interest in. The HS itself hosts plenty of colleges, although my sons report low attendance "unless you wanted to skip class." The HS counsellors were very hands-off unless you asked for help. I'm sure some do.
I think my point is: There has been no "recruitment" beyond some trashcan-bound postcards and spam emails. College selection has been entirely self-directed, using online resources and internet searches. College selection has been us parents suggesting "hey, add XYZ to the list."
In short, I find it entirely confusing that Marquette has "recruiting efforts" in a state that moves any needle. If the answer is "well, they send mailers and spam" or "They visit high schools" .. good luck with that.
What am I missing?
Is there some recruitment avenue that we (and nearly every kid at our HS) have so far escaped?
This was basically my experience over 25 years ago as well. Unless you went to a state school.
And for some reason Tulane was hot for me, but I'd never heard of it and didn't even know where it was... or how good of a school it was. If I had, I may have gone.
Quote from: Hards Alumni on August 20, 2026, 06:10:10 AMThis was basically my experience over 25 years ago as well. Unless you went to a state school.
And for some reason Tulane was hot for me, but I'd never heard of it and didn't even know where it was... or how good of a school it was. If I had, I may have gone.
Tulane was recruiting me pretty hard also but that was in the fall of 05 after Katrina. I assumed they were reaching out to a bunch of northern kids. A friend of mine went there and loved it. I couldn't do New Orleans for 4 years...or longer than a weekend in the summer
The MU recruiter who visited my high school was great. I told him I was going to MU if I got in and we stayed in contact and he actually emailed me that I got accepted before I received the acceptance package in the mail.
Quote from: mu_hilltopper on August 19, 2026, 06:29:24 PMI'd like to know the efforts and efficacy of "college recruiting."
Above, it's been written that MU is "expanding its geographic diversity," or "has deliberately shifted focus to Iowa at the expense of Indiana and Ohio for recruiting students."
The past two years, I think my family could be considered ground zero for "college recruiting." Got an 18 and 20 year old.
Both kids are/were very attractive candidates for pretty much most universities, not to mention having "full pay" type parents. (The eldest, waitlisted at MIT.)
For us, "recruitment" has been primarily getting sent postcards and emails from random colleges, 99% of which our kids had zero interest in. The HS itself hosts plenty of colleges, although my sons report low attendance "unless you wanted to skip class." The HS counsellors were very hands-off unless you asked for help. I'm sure some do.
I think my point is: There has been no "recruitment" beyond some trashcan-bound postcards and spam emails. College selection has been entirely self-directed, using online resources and internet searches. College selection has been us parents suggesting "hey, add XYZ to the list."
In short, I find it entirely confusing that Marquette has "recruiting efforts" in a state that moves any needle. If the answer is "well, they send mailers and spam" or "They visit high schools" .. good luck with that.
What am I missing?
Is there some recruitment avenue that we (and nearly every kid at our HS) have so far escaped?
I would imagine its still a lot of legacy recruiting methods, tactics, and strategic/mindsets. But like Sultan said, direct mail/email is fairly inexpensive, and targeted digital advertising, social media or otherwise, isn't exactly cheap.
I think a lot of it has changed in the last 20-25 years clearly. Not just with the internet, but especially with social media, the avenues and opportunities to see, learn, and be exposed to a wide variety of schools is so completely different. When I was applying in the early 2000s, outside of knowing hundreds of D-1 schools based on sports, I was exposed to most of the smaller or regional schools based on the random mail I would get after my standardized test scores, or the clunky college databases you could use at school or sometimes the internet.
All I really knew of Miami when I applied there was that I remember thinking "Miami in Ohio" was stupid as hell and made no sense as a younger teen and a cool uniform they had a few years prior when Travis Prentice was breaking rushing records. But a friend of mine was OBSESSED with the school, wore multiple Miami shirts regularly, so I thought sure, I'd look into it and apply (yet she actually ended up going to UW :o ). After I got in and visited, I fell in love and was sold. These days, a HS junior in my position could watch hours of campus life/college experience videos as soon as they had interest.
I imagine the "traditional" older recruiting methods still have value on getting a college/university name in front of someone, even briefly, and maybe spurring them to self-direct research further. But certainly not as pivotal or impactful in increasing or creating awareness as before.
Quote from: The Sultan on August 19, 2026, 07:09:25 PMEspecially if the recruiter has a good relationship with the counselor.
Going back to my anecdotes about the regional targeting, thats what a lot of the aim is with alumni chapters and whatnot for the recruiters. Cultivating awareness/interest in the children of the social/professional networks of the alumni chapter leads and strengthening relationships with the counselors so its not just empty visits or inefficient recruiting.
Quote from: Hards Alumni on August 20, 2026, 06:10:10 AMThis was basically my experience over 25 years ago as well. Unless you went to a state school.
And for some reason Tulane was hot for me, but I'd never heard of it and didn't even know where it was... or how good of a school it was. If I had, I may have gone.
Must have been a push for Tulane around the time period in Wisconsin suburbs, cause I remember the same. Tulane and Emory both contacted me a bunch, didn't finish either application (pre explosion of the common application online) cause I came to realize I wasn't ready to go that far from the Midwest for school. Definitely wouldn't have gotten into Emory either ;D Also got TONS of attention, mail, contact from all the Midwest liberal arts schools in Iowa/Minnesota (Grinnell, Carleton, etc..) but I couldn't have had less interest in those schools.
Putting this here rather than starting a new thread ...
America's Colleges Are Hurtling Toward an Enrollment Cliff
https://www.wsj.com/us-news/education/college-admissions-demographic-cliff-16dec51f?
Higher education is hitting a demographic cliff. After years of growth, the pipeline of 18-year-olds is dwindling—a result of lower birthrates.
The largest number of Americans born in a single year arrived on campus in the autumn of 2025, and now a falloff is looming. College enrollments are forecast to drop 13% by 2041, according to the Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education. In some parts of the country—especially the Midwest and the Northeast—the declines have already begun.
You would think a shrinking pool of students would automatically make it easier to get into college. But that won't necessarily be true everywhere, especially at the most competitive schools, higher-education analysts say.
It is impossible to precisely predict colleges' admission rates in the future as those numbers depend on a lot of things, including the reputations of campus culture, sports team wins and even the weather. But the demographic cliff is hitting just as another phenomenon is coming into play: a flight-to-quality, where the most sought-after schools are attracting an ever-growing number of applicants, while less-attractive schools draw fewer.
Part of the reason is rising skepticism about the value of a college degree. More families reason that if they are going to spend tens of thousands of dollars, the diploma better pay off with a good job—otherwise why bother?
This dynamic has been playing out in the Ivy League, for instance, where admission rates have fallen over the past decade-plus.
Not sure how this "cliff" will affect Marquette, if at all.
Quote from: MU82 on August 21, 2026, 09:10:00 AMNot sure how this "cliff" will affect Marquette, if at all.
There's a reason Marquette seeks to expand geographic student diversity.
But Marquette will be fine. A lot smaller private colleges/universities will go the way of Cardinal Stritch in the coming decade.
So .. if recruiting only moves the needle with infrequently successful postal and spam mail, I don't see how it matters much when MU is "seeking to expand geographic diversity.." .. Understood that it can't hurt, but getting to an Elite 8 every 5 years helps 10x that of spam.
I think that also puts to rest the concept that MU's acceptance is so high because "they only target the right students."
Quote from: MU82 on August 21, 2026, 09:10:00 AMNot sure how this "cliff" will affect Marquette, if at all.
I am glad you are putting "cliff" in quotes because a 13% drop in enrollments over a 15 year period is definitely not that.
Quote from: TAMU, Knower of Ball on August 21, 2026, 09:22:30 AMBut Marquette will be fine. A lot smaller private colleges/universities will go the way of Cardinal Stritch in the coming decade.
As someone I heard frame it, there is a "rush to quality" among students and families. Larger public universities, well endowed national universities and colleges, etc. are where that quality exists. Marquette absolutely fits in that category.
But I could name a half dozen schools in Wisconsin that if they announced they were going to close in the next five years, it wouldn't surprise me. (I am not predicting that a half dozen schools will close, but they are generally going to be private, with endowments of less than $100M, and recent enrollment decreases.)
Quote from: mu_hilltopper on August 21, 2026, 10:14:48 AMSo .. if recruiting only moves the needle with infrequently successful postal and spam mail, I don't see how it matters much when MU is "seeking to expand geographic diversity.." .. Understood that it can't hurt, but getting to an Elite 8 every 5 years helps 10x that of spam.
One thing that I think you aren't factoring in here is that your kids attend a relatively wealthy high school with many parents who have attended college before. That profile usually means that families are more "self-directed" with their approach to colleges than those with a less wealthy, less "experienced" profile.
Quote from: mu_hilltopper on August 21, 2026, 10:14:48 AMI think that also puts to rest the concept that MU's acceptance is so high because "they only target the right students."
Obsession with acceptance rate is just strange. It just doesn't mean anything.
Quote from: mu_hilltopper on August 18, 2026, 12:42:17 PMI'd love to believe that. I have a HS senior who is applying to Minnesota, UW, Purdue, and .. Marquette. I'd peg him as a top 20% type student.
It would not shock me if he was rejected from all but Marquette.
Very large public, state funded, schools are very different from a medium sized, private, Catholic school. Almost not comparable. Are both categories of schools really on his list? I have found that kids tend to focus on one or there other, especially after the acceptances start rolling in.
Quote from: MU82 on August 21, 2026, 09:10:00 AMPutting this here rather than starting a new thread ...
?
This dynamic has been playing out in the Ivy League, for instance, where admission rates have fallen over the past decade-plus.[/i]
Not sure how this "cliff" will affect Marquette, if at all.
Ivy rates are falling thanks to the Common App and sketchy recruiting tactics. It's easier for kids to apply to all of them now with the Common App. Also, they manipulate acceptance rates convincing kids to apply when they have no chance of getting in. For example, niece got a "you should apply you never know unless you do" letter from Harvard and Princeton. Those schools have been doing that for years.
MU is almost certainly not sending mailings to kids with a 2.8 or 20 ACT and saying "here's your code for a discounted application fee, you never know unless you apply (wink, wink).
Quote from: mu_hilltopper on August 19, 2026, 06:29:24 PMI'd like to know the efforts and efficacy of "college recruiting."
Above, it's been written that MU is "expanding its geographic diversity," or "has deliberately shifted focus to Iowa at the expense of Indiana and Ohio for recruiting students."
The past two years, I think my family could be considered ground zero for "college recruiting." Got an 18 and 20 year old.
Both kids are/were very attractive candidates for pretty much most universities, not to mention having "full pay" type parents. (The eldest, waitlisted at MIT.)
For us, "recruitment" has been primarily getting sent postcards and emails from random colleges, 99% of which our kids had zero interest in. The HS itself hosts plenty of colleges, although my sons report low attendance "unless you wanted to skip class." The HS counsellors were very hands-off unless you asked for help. I'm sure some do.
I think my point is: There has been no "recruitment" beyond some trashcan-bound postcards and spam emails. College selection has been entirely self-directed, using online resources and internet searches. College selection has been us parents suggesting "hey, add XYZ to the list."
In short, I find it entirely confusing that Marquette has "recruiting efforts" in a state that moves any needle. If the answer is "well, they send mailers and spam" or "They visit high schools" .. good luck with that.
What am I missing?
Is there some recruitment avenue that we (and nearly every kid at our HS) have so far escaped?
My daughter starts at Marquette next week (that sounds great, doesn't it) and her experience was 180 degrees different from your son's. Once acceptances started rolling in, she was contacted by multiple schools and invited to admitted students luncheons near us (in CA). Marquette made a big push, but so did multiple schools, especially Gonzaga, Creighton, and Loyola Chicago. So, what made the difference? Our family participated in Marquette's fly in program. All of my daughter's travel arrangements were handled by Marquette, including booking her air travel and hotel (all paid for by Marquette). My wife and I both went with her (paying for our own airfare). To say the admitted students day that we attended was fantastic is not doing it justice. It was a full day of activity where my daughter met with multiple professors in her field(s) of interest, had lunch in one of the dining halls (shout out to the staff at Cobeen), and toured the dorms. Marquette also charted a bus tour of downtown MKE and the lakefront, and ended with a nice reception where parents hung out with other parents, and students hung out with other students. Overall, Marquette knocked it out of the park. On our flight home my daughter leaned over and said "Dad, they know I can't dunk a basketball, right?"
Honestly, that is pretty impressive. I got a walking tour in a sleet storm of like 4 buildings in February lol.
Quote from: SoCalEagle on August 21, 2026, 01:14:33 PMMy daughter starts at Marquette next week (that sounds great, doesn't it) and her experience was 180 degrees different from your son's.
Um .. you're talking about admitted students recruiting, which sounds great. (My eldest went to UW's admitted day, and they did a nice job.)
I'm talking about before applications, i.e., getting a student to actually be interested in a school and apply.
Quote from: SoCalEagle on August 21, 2026, 12:22:29 PMAre both categories of schools really on his list? I have found that kids tend to focus on one or the other, especially after the acceptances start rolling in.
Yep, very different schools (Purdue/MN/UW vs. Marquette.) MU is on the list because we're alums, he needs a safety school, and frankly a smaller private might be the best fit for him.
(I was pissed at UW's lack of freshman dorm community building, where my son barely knew a soul on his dorm floor, their dorms appear to be more like apartment buildings. Marquette still has RAs who try to get kids out of their rooms.)
Quote from: The Sultan on August 21, 2026, 10:23:08 AMObsession with acceptance rate is just strange. It just doesn't mean anything.
And your lack of care about acceptance rate is .. equally strange. It is a significant measure to the rest of the planet. But you do you.
Will this help?
https://bsky.app/profile/onestpress.onestnetwork.com/post/3mtn2uqhsl22e
Quote from: mu_hilltopper on August 21, 2026, 10:08:01 PMAnd your lack of care about acceptance rate is .. equally strange. It is a significant measure to the rest of the planet. But you do you.
This completely shows your bias as a relatively upper class parent with children from a high achieving high school. You are pretty much in the only demographic that cares about it. And for largely superficial reasons.
Quote from: The Sultan on August 22, 2026, 06:58:26 AMThis completely shows your bias as a relatively upper class parent with children from a high achieving high school. You are pretty much in the only demographic that cares about it. And for largely superficial reasons.
Lol. I guess if you're a poor/middle class parent, you're not eager to brag that little Jimmy got into a selective school. Right right.
In his media availability session today, Shaka called Marquette "a friendly, inclusive place."
Ugh.
It's great that MU is finally prioritizing geographic diversity. In Porky's humble opinion, its lack thereof has been MU's greatest institutional weakness. Part of the reason they're focusing on this is they want to increase the percentage of students from families who can afford to pay full tuition. While there are wealthy successful people everywhere, like it or not, the majority of wealth concentration in this country is on the coasts. Having more "full pay" students is important for financing MU's noble and aggressive social agenda.
At a recent alumni event, Porky had a lenghty conversation with several MU development executives who told Porky the percentage of full pay students at MU is a paltry 2% but's around 40% at Villanova and BC and while they acknowledged MU will never get to that level, increasing the percentage of full pay families from 2% to 10% would have a significant positive impact on the budget. They believe that's an achievable goal within 5 years, but not without a significant increase in geographic diversity.
On a related note, Syracuse University's issues are huge news here in the NYC area. Do any scoopers have thoughts on the recent WSJ article and on what national higher education expert Jeffrey Selingo has been saying about it on Social?
Quote from: Porky's Butthole on August 31, 2026, 10:23:03 PMOn a related note, Syracuse University's issues are huge news here in the NYC area. Do any scoopers have thoughts on the recent WSJ article and on what national higher education expert Jeffrey Selingo has been saying about it on Social?
Syracuse can't pretend to be in a pool of schools it considers "peers" and then massively cut its own value by offering steep discounts late in the season. This is why schools don't go far to match other offers. It gets those who have already committed really annoyed.
That being said, it's not at the level of those peers anyway. Not rich enough. And going a half a billion into debt to renovate residence halls wasn't a great choice either.
They are going to have to face that they're not what they think they are.
Quote from: Porky's Butthole on August 31, 2026, 10:23:03 PMAt a recent alumni event, Porky had a lenghty conversation with several MU development executives who told Porky the percentage of full pay students at MU is a paltry 2% but's around 40% at Villanova and BC and while they acknowledged MU will never get to that level, increasing the percentage of full pay families from 2% to 10% would have a significant positive impact on the budget. They believe that's an achievable goal within 5 years, but not without a significant increase in geographic diversity.
Good luck. That pool is very competitive. And students have to pass by a lot of good schools to get to Milwaukee. I am certainly not saying it's a bad strategy, but it's one that MANY schools are chasing.
Quote from: The Sultan on September 01, 2026, 08:02:49 AMGood luck. That pool is very competitive. And students have to pass by a lot of good schools to get to Milwaukee. I am certainly not saying it's a bad strategy, but it's one that MANY schools are chasing.
I don't know anything about anything, but it would seem to me that the folks willing to pay sticker at Marquette would be mostly limited to (A) wealthy families from either the Chicago burbs or midwestern Jesuit high school legacies, with kids for whom Marquette is a reach school; and (B) international students.
Quote from: MUBurrow on September 01, 2026, 09:05:46 AMI don't know anything about anything, but it would seem to me that the folks willing to pay sticker at Marquette would be mostly limited to (A) wealthy families from either the Chicago burbs or midwestern Jesuit high school legacies, with kids for whom Marquette is a reach school; and (B) international students.
Chicago is the most heavily recruited market nationwide so its a really difficult to get full price from there, but focusing on legacy or Catholic students makes sense. Seriously, there are Chicago representatives from nearly every large school nationwide, and every school in the midwest. All based there. All visiting the same schools.
And international students aren't paying full price like they did 15-20 years ago. First, countries such as China and Saudi Arabia are no longer supplementing students studying here like they used to, and second, like Chicago, a bunch of competitors have entered the market and are driving prices down.
Essentially the market is shrinking and everyone is going after the same pools.
Quote from: MUBurrow on September 01, 2026, 09:05:46 AMI don't know anything about anything, but it would seem to me that the folks willing to pay sticker at Marquette would be mostly limited to (A) wealthy families from either the Chicago burbs or midwestern Jesuit high school legacies, with kids for whom Marquette is a reach school; and (B) international students.
Not sure if MU can realistically compete on lifestyle given its urban location and lack of big time football, but the number of wealthy families from the Northeastern Corridor (Boston-Washington DC) suburbs willing to pay full tuition or very close to it at places like Michigan, UW Madison, Indiana, Michigan State, etc. is staggering.
One of Porky's biggest frustrations is that every high school in the Wealthy NYC suburbs in NJ, CT, Long Island, and Westchester Co. typically sends 5+ students a year to UW Madison in particular. At Porky's High School alma-mater in suburban CT, UW Madison has been one of the top 5 most popular schools to matriculate to for almost 20 years now. CU Boulder for whatever it's worth is also among the top 5, even more so than Madison and virtually all of these families are paying full tuition or very close to it at these places, which is comparable to, if not more than MU.
Porky understands MU is a different class of institution, but one can argue the undergrad teaching at a place like MU is better since most classes at these huge schools are taught by TA's the first couple of years. The students are overwhelmingly choosing these places for lifestyle and experience, not academics, since most northeastern flagships are comparable academically, but nowhere near as attractive from a lifestyle and experience standpoint.
Additionally, Porky believes MU focuses way too much on targeting an extremely limited pool of students from Jesuit and other Catholic high schools out east and missing the much larger opportunity with public schools, which is where the overwhelming majority of students are. They need to hone in on students at public high schools from the wealthiest zip codes of those suburbs.
MU will never have the same appeal as a Michigan or WI or IU but they can do better in that region than they are currently in Porky's view.
As part of Marquette's push for geographic expansion, President Kimo headed to Los Angeles next month:
Leadership Series: Los Angeles
You are invited to meet and hear from President Kimo Ah Yun and connect with the Marquette community of alumni, parents and friends in Los Angeles.
Join us to discover how we are elevating Marquette nationally, learn why Jesuit higher education matters more than ever, and hear the latest updates about the university's bold vision and strategic plan.
Wednesday, October 7
6:00 p.m. Reception
6:45 p.m. Remarks
Kimpton Hotel Palomar Beverly Hills
10740 Wilshire Blvd.
Los Angeles, Calif.
$15 per person, which includes appetizers along with beer, wine, and soft drinks.
Please respond by Wednesday, September 30.
For questions or special accommodations, please contact the Marquette University Alumni Association at alumni@marquette.edu or (800) 344-7544.
Quote from: SoCalEagle on September 02, 2026, 12:34:27 AMAs part of Marquette's push for geographic expansion, President Kimo headed to Los Angeles next month:
Leadership Series: Los Angeles
You are invited to meet and hear from President Kimo Ah Yun and connect with the Marquette community of alumni, parents and friends in Los Angeles.
Join us to discover how we are elevating Marquette nationally, learn why Jesuit higher education matters more than ever, and hear the latest updates about the university's bold vision and strategic plan.
Wednesday, October 7
6:00 p.m. Reception
6:45 p.m. Remarks
Kimpton Hotel Palomar Beverly Hills
10740 Wilshire Blvd.
Los Angeles, Calif.
$15 per person, which includes appetizers along with beer, wine, and soft drinks.
Please respond by Wednesday, September 30.
For questions or special accommodations, please contact the Marquette University Alumni Association at alumni@marquette.edu or (800) 344-7544.
Really? How many Jesuits are full time tenured professors at Marquette? Are Catholic students required to take 4-6 theology courses at Marquette to earn their degree?
Quote from: muwarrior69 on September 02, 2026, 08:53:07 AMReally? How many Jesuits are full time tenured professors at Marquette? Are Catholic students required to take 4-6 theology courses at Marquette to earn their degree?
The definition of "Jesuit higher education" isn't limited to the number of Jesuits who are full time tenured professors.
And degree requirements aren't differentiated by Catholic or non-Catholic students.
It's not 1969 any longer.
Quote from: The Sultan on September 02, 2026, 09:06:45 AMThe definition of "Jesuit higher education" isn't limited to the number of Jesuits who are full time tenured professors.
And degree requirements aren't differentiated by Catholic or non-Catholic students.
It's not 1969 any longer.
No Kidding, but calling it a "Jesuit higher education" is in my opinion false or at least misleading advertising. You see a Catholic education and Jesuit Education are not exactly the same and yet Marquette conflates the two deceiving prospective students and parents in believing they'll be getting a Catholic education where no Catholic instruction is required.
Quote from: muwarrior69 on September 02, 2026, 10:33:12 AMNo Kidding, but calling it a "Jesuit higher education" is in my opinion false or at least misleading advertising. You see a Catholic education and Jesuit Education are not exactly the same and yet Marquette conflates the two deceiving prospective students and parents in believing they'll be getting a Catholic education where no Catholic instruction is required.
It is neither false nor misleading, because very few families equate "Jesuit education" to Jesuits teaching classes. It is an outdated description that you are clinging to because your frame of reference is 1969...not 2026.
And I have no idea what you mean by "Catholic instruction," but I had no Catholic Theology classes when I went to Marquette in the 1980s.
Quote from: muwarrior69 on September 02, 2026, 08:53:07 AMReally? How many Jesuits are full time tenured professors at Marquette? Are Catholic students required to take 4-6 theology courses at Marquette to earn their degree?
Someday we're gonna get you to, maybe, the late 1990s, even if it's kicking and screaming.
There's no hope of getting you to 2026 ... but maybe at least 1998?
Probably smart to target the Big Ten Market in LA.
Thank God:
(AP) The Trump administration is proposing a new rule that would strip private schools and colleges of their tax-exempt status if they provide targeted help to students based on their race, a significant escalation in the White House's campaign to eradicate diversity programs directed at Black, Hispanic and other minority students.
Quote from: Pakuni on September 03, 2026, 01:58:55 PMThank God:
(AP) The Trump administration is proposing a new rule that would strip private schools and colleges of their tax-exempt status if they provide targeted help to students based on their race, a significant escalation in the White House's campaign to eradicate diversity programs directed at Black, Hispanic and other minority students.
The racism from this administration endorsed by the people that voted for it is why you have to blindly cheer for the flag
Quote from: Uncle Rico on September 03, 2026, 02:19:59 PMThe racism from this administration endorsed by the people that voted for it is why you have to blindly cheer for the flag
Stop it. The only real racism that's ever been in America is "reverse racism" - especially against white, heterosexual, Christian males.
They've had to endure the government (and society as a whole) discriminating against them for hundreds of years now.
Quote from: mu_hilltopper on August 21, 2026, 10:08:01 PMAnd your lack of care about acceptance rate is .. equally strange. It is a significant measure to the rest of the planet. But you do you.
Acceptance rate only matters to those who care about it which I agree is the majority of students/parents from wealthier communities (a significant MU constituency). It doesn't measure quality but it DOES matter. It shouldn't but it does, and MU is finally realizing this as one of their stated goals is to increase applications and reduce the acceptance rate. It's sort of like high end clubs in major cities. The more you deny people, the more they want to get in. Has nothing to do with the quality of education, but it still matters. The Sultan is correct in theory, and I agree it really shouldn't matter. Unfortunately it does to a hell of a lot of people.
I'm not saying "in theory" it doesn't matter.
It doesn't matter.
Quote from: mu_hilltopper on August 18, 2026, 12:42:17 PMI'd love to believe that. I have a HS senior who is applying to Minnesota, UW, Purdue, and .. Marquette. I'd peg him as a top 20% type student.
It would not shock me if he was rejected from all but Marquette.
Eh, they are all back up schools besides Wisconsin if you are out of state. Just went through it all with my kids and they got into every Big Ten school including Wisconsin, minus Michigan and Northwestern (which they didn't apply except for one). If your kid is top 20%, you have no worries with the schools you listed. Of my kids, 2 chose MU. The other, Florida.
Quote from: Shooter McGavin on September 08, 2026, 07:41:40 PMEh, they are all back up schools besides Wisconsin if you are out of state. Just went through it all with my kids and they got into every Big Ten school including Wisconsin, minus Michigan and Northwestern (which they didn't apply except for one). If your kid is top 20%, you have no worries with the schools you listed.
Our HS uses Naviance which shows the GPA/test scores and admitted/waitlist/rejected stats.
For Minnesota, you're mostly right .. top 20% should get in.
Purdue is far harder .. three year total, 55 applied, 16 accepted. Looking at the scatter chart, yeah, 10-15 of those kids weren't in the top 20%. 16 of 40 is still a gamble.
Michigan is rough for two reasons, low acceptance and high cost. 3 of 32 got accepted last year, zero of those (my son included) decided to pay the $82k/year.