Who Does MU Compete With For Students?

[warriorchick]

Because we stopped partying. 

I look at the student as four quadrants.

Lower East
Lower West (behind the band)
Upper Bottom
Upper Top

Here's how that was for #22 Butler:

Lower East: FULL
Lower West: Half Full
Upper Bottom: Empty
Upper Top: Empty

We have a student body of kids who no longer resemble previous student bodies.  I'm not saying that's good or bad but it's a different type of student.

Maybe no one showed up because they'd rather be partying at a bar that had $3 beers than at the Arena with $8 beers.

[MUtopper34]

I don't doubt that historically MU has been a place to have a good time. Especially considering prime location in the brew city. But Dayton is 100% the better party school today - I can say that confidently having spent time on both campuses. They have this extensive row of houses that are somehow considered "on campus" and therefore are protected from outside police influences by campus security. You can have an unbelievable time most nights of the week. Also solid greek life scene.


Maybe new arena will encourage a tailgate-type setting. That'll get the students out of their dorms and rowdy!

[Disco Hippie]

Agree with you that Dayton being a bigger party school matters to HS kids.

Disagree about the urban campus.  Millennials are more urban then previous generations.  So much so that GE moved to Boston and McDonald's is moving to downtown Chicago (and Caterpillar is leaving Peoria for Chicago).    These companies are not re-locating to more urban setting because the middle-aged managers with three kids and a country club membership want to work downtown, they are doing it because that puts them in the best position to attract millennials, the future of their companies.

Adding to this the number of families that are raising kids in urban settings.  As I have mentioned before, I live in Lincoln Park and have four kids in Private school.  When my oldest was accepted into kindergarten in 1998, it was thought to be as selective as getting into an ivy league college.  But by third grade so many families bailed for the suburbs that they had unfilled spots and would take just about anyone.  Today, every spot and every grade is filled with a waiting list.  That is the case at most selective schools in Chicago. 

The point is living "urban" is more desired than ever and an urban schools are also desired.  New York University is surging in popularity because it is in Greenwich Village.  UCLA, is the middle of LA, is the first college to get over 100,000 applications (last year).  Ditto Boston University and many other urban schools.

Many "urban oriented kids" hear more collegiate campus and really hear "boring."  An urban school is a reason for a lot of kids to pick MU, not shy away from it.

Great point and 100% accurate!  It's happening in NYC as well, although because of the costs of living there and the cost of pvt elementary school rivals most eastern private colleges these days, suburban flight is still alive and well except for the uber wealthy, but people are delaying it as long as possible.  We just moved out of the city to the suburbs for the sake of the schools a month ago.  I'm 47 but in the 80's and 90's it was standard for people to move to the suburbs much earlier so Yukon's point is correct.  My Dad used to tell me, folks like you and your wife are unwilling to give up the city lifestyle for the sake of their kids.  GUILTY! But.... he would have been too if the city was like it is today in the 70's, and obviously I'm not a millennial. 

Unfortunately MKE is not LA, NYC or Boston and therein lies the conundrum for MU.  It's gotten better since the 80's for sure but so have those other 3 monster cities.  Doesn't help that it's the dead of winter there 8/12 months a year either.

[MUtopper34]

Interest review RE Marquette on colleges.com - a key site that prospective students use to compare schools.

"Grossly overrated school in a completely unsafe area. I am a hiring manager from a Fortune 500 firm and an MU graduate. I was told not to hire MU grads unless they are Engineering or IT degrees while other local schools like UW Milwaukee or UW Whitewater any degree is suitable providing grades are at a certain level.
When enrollment drops off the administration increases the number of hispanic admissions. This is done to keep appearances so in 10 years the percentage of white students has decreased from 80% to 70%."

Yikes. So much for the glory of an urban campus..

[StillWarriors]

I don't doubt that historically MU has been a place to have a good time. Especially considering prime location in the brew city. But Dayton is 100% the better party school today - I can say that confidently having spent time on both campuses. They have this extensive row of houses that are somehow considered "on campus" and therefore are protected from outside police influences by campus security. You can have an unbelievable time most nights of the week. Also solid greek life scene.


Maybe new arena will encourage a tailgate-type setting. That'll get the students out of their dorms and rowdy!

The row of houses you referred to is called "the Ghetto", and when I was visited in '90 it was pretty dumpy, though fun. Currently, it is essentially a neighborhood (approx 4 blocks X 4 blocks) of student occupied houses; almost all universally owned and maintained. The houses are very well kept by the university so it doesn't look dumpy anymore, and as referenced, it is essentially part of campus. It's a great party scene and the cops don't bother anyone as long as the drinking stays on the lawn. I know several students there now, and I have to say, it looks like a blast.

[Coleman]

Maybe no one showed up because they'd rather be partying at a bar that had $3 bears

$3 bears? Someone tell Betsy DeVos to bring her gun!

[Coleman]

Interest review RE Marquette on colleges.com - a key site that prospective students use to compare schools.

"Grossly overrated school in a completely unsafe area. I am a hiring manager from a Fortune 500 firm and an MU graduate. I was told not to hire MU grads unless they are Engineering or IT degrees while other local schools like UW Milwaukee or UW Whitewater any degree is suitable providing grades are at a certain level.
When enrollment drops off the administration increases the number of hispanic admissions. This is done to keep appearances so in 10 years the percentage of white students has decreased from 80% to 70%."

Yikes. So much for the glory of an urban campus..

Sounds to me like it was just someone with an axe to grind. Very much doubt that was a real alum.

[Eldon]

Interest review RE Marquette on colleges.com - a key site that prospective students use to compare schools.

"Grossly overrated school in a completely unsafe area. I am a hiring manager from a Fortune 500 firm and an MU graduate. I was told not to hire MU grads unless they are Engineering or IT degrees while other local schools like UW Milwaukee or UW Whitewater any degree is suitable providing grades are at a certain level.
When enrollment drops off the administration increases the number of hispanic admissions. This is done to keep appearances so in 10 years the percentage of white students has decreased from 80% to 70%."

Yikes. So much for the glory of an urban campus..

Someone needs to go to MU and slap this person's English/writing professor. 

[Tugg Speedman]

Sounds to me like it was just someone with an axe to grind. Very much doubt that was a real alum.

One bitter anonymous poster and that is now the reputation of the entire school.

Hey I'm a bitter anonymous poster too ... how come my words don't carry that kind of influence?!

[ChitownSpaceForRent]

Used to work in admissions.

Loyola, SLU, Creighton, Xavier, Madison, MN

Thats funny. I absolutely believe you and that makes a ton of sense, but I didnt apply for any of those. I like being the outlier here.

[warriorchick]

The row of houses you referred to is called "the Ghetto", and when I was visited in '90 it was pretty dumpy, though fun. Currently, it is essentially a neighborhood (approx 4 blocks X 4 blocks) of student occupied houses; almost all universally owned and maintained. The houses are very well kept by the university so it doesn't look dumpy anymore, and as referenced, it is essentially part of campus. It's a great party scene and the cops don't bother anyone as long as the drinking stays on the lawn. I know several students there now, and I have to say, it looks like a blast.

A lot of the houses in the Ghetto have been razed for upgraded student housing.  My sister was class of '02 and they were bulldozing the place she lived in right after graduation.

One cool graduation tradition they have that would be nice if it spread to Marquette. Groups of graduating seniors (such as housemates) rent tents to put out on their lawn and host a catered party for their friends and relatives who come in for the ceremony.  It was really fun when my sister did it.

[TAMU, Knower of Ball]

Because we stopped partying. 

I look at the student as four quadrants.

Lower East
Lower West (behind the band)
Upper Bottom
Upper Top

Here's how that was for #22 Butler:

Lower East: FULL
Lower West: Half Full
Upper Bottom: Empty
Upper Top: Empty

We have a student body of kids who no longer resemble previous student bodies.  I'm not saying that's good or bad but it's a different type of student.

Party school and showing up to basketball games when we've been bad the last three seasons is not the same thing.

[Galway Eagle]

Party school and showing up to basketball games when we've been bad the last three seasons is not the same thing.

This is true. However, much of the day drinking (at least that I did) is done for basketball games. Sure during the summer it's easy to spend a month drunk going to summerfest and brewers games but in the winter the only day drinking excuse is pregaming for MU basketball which isn't going to be done if the team is bad. Thus there's a correlation between partying and good sports teams.

[StillWarriors]

A lot of the houses in the Ghetto have been razed for upgraded student housing.  My sister was class of '02 and they were bulldozing the place she lived in right after graduation.

One cool graduation tradition they have that would be nice if it spread to Marquette. Groups of graduating seniors (such as housemates) rent tents to put out on their lawn and host a catered party for their friends and relatives who come in for the ceremony.  It was really fun when my sister did it.

I think they must have rebuilt several houses, and I think they built some apartments as well. There is still quite a bit of Ghetto there. Several houses look pretty new. Priority in housing selection is based on points earned by grades and participation in activities. Did your sister have a good experience?

[warriorchick]

I think they must have rebuilt several houses, and I think they built some apartments as well. There is still quite a bit of Ghetto there. Several houses look pretty new. Priority in housing selection is based on points earned by grades and participation in activities. Did your sister have a good experience?

Yes, she did.  She was a bit of a screwup in high school and was accepted to Dayton under their version of the FFP.  She graduated just as the internet was exploding, and ended up being one of the early search optimization and customer experience experts.  She is working for Adobe now.

She looks back on her time fondly, but her only connection to the school these days is the friends she still keeps in touch with.