Interesting Stats About MU's Incoming Freshman (2017)

[MU Fan in Connecticut]

I thought of a few more things ....

23% of the 2017 class is kids that are the first one in the family to go to college. 18% of the class are legacies.

The average discount from the tuition sticker price is 40%.

Marquette's yield, or the percentage  of accepted students that enroll, is 18%. However an accepted istudent visits the campus, the yield goes to 40%. If they visit campus more than once and goes to 55%.   

The admission director argued the single most important thing To get a kid to enroll is visiting the school. However I would argue  that logic might be reversed. They visit because they have a strong interest in going to MU in the first place not that they were impartial going in and convinced to come.

My daughter, a Northeast US student, now a HS Junior is interested in Marquette.  She technically has visited campus 3 times and watches Marquette games quite often.  She's meeting an Admissions Office person next month and will take an "official" visit either in the spring or summer.   She's looking at other schools too including some of our rivals.  We don't want her fixated on just one. 

[muwarrior69]

No one here has mentioned that Marquette is near the top of the list in USNWR's list of "A+ schools for B students".  In my mind, it's much more admirable to be able to provide an excellent education to non-elite students. It is way easier to have excellent outcomes when you only accept the cream of the crop to begin with.

I think the world is run by 'C' students.
Al McGuire

[reinko]

On the rare occasions I have those types of conversations, my job is interesting and impressive enough that college attendance doesn't usually come up.   I would very much like for future generations of MU grads to have the same level of access to similar jobs in the future.  Forgive me for caring so much about the perception of our mutual alma mater's brand.

Who talks like this?

[Disco Hippie]

Who talks like this?

That was sarcasm and not meant to be taken seriously.   Someone took a shot at me so I shot back.

[Disco Hippie]

No one here has mentioned that Marquette is near the top of the list in USNWR's list of "A+ schools for B students". The In my mind, it's much more admirable to be able to provide an excellent education to non-elite students. It is way easier to have excellent outcomes when you only accept the cream of the crop to begin with.

I agree wholeheartedly that's a great list to be on and glad we're ranked near the top of it.  Despite all my bitching and moaning about acceptance rates and rankings, I've never suggested MU try to be anything even close to elite.  If they play that game they'll lose.  I do think they can do somewhat better and wish they would pay a little more attention to how they're perceived outside of WI and IL that's all.

[reinko]

I agree wholeheartedly that's a great list to be on and glad we're ranked near the top of it.  Despite all my bitching and moaning about acceptance rates and rankings, I've never suggested MU try to be anything even close to elite.  If they play that game they'll lose.  I do think they can do somewhat better and wish they would pay a little more attention to how they're perceived outside of WI and IL that's all.

I guess, I am now confused.  If we group Catholic universities into a few different categories my sense is we have a few different tiers...

Tier 1: Notre Dame, BC, & Georgetown (IMHO we will never reach this tier)
Tier 2: Villanova, Santa Clara, Holy Cross, Fordham, (and here is where I think it gets very subjective, the following schools are either in the bottom of tier 2, or top of tier 3 Marquette, SLU, some of the Loyolas, Providence, Gonzaga...
Tier 3 schools: Lesser known Loyolas, Depaul, Dayton...

I am sure I missing a few...but my point is, is it your sense you want MU to firmly plant itself @ the top of tier 2 alongside the Villanovas, Holy Crosses, and Fordhams, or something more??

[vogue65]

My $.02 worth, elite means Asia.  There is no such thing as a "national" university, MU is an International University.  Please, let me see those numbers before we start talking about the mid-west.

A few years ago I was at an elite liberal arts college/university and found Princeton graduate school on campus recruiting.   Not Princeton in Princeton, but Princeton Japan. 

BTW, in the center of the St. Johns campus they have a pagoda.  Why?  Because it is the home of the school of international studies.  Been there since the 80's.  They now have a majority Asian-american student body.

I know, I'm way off the topic.  When I was a student at M.U. we had many Venezuelan, Philippine and African students. 

Not easy getting beyond the Mid-west mind-set, I know, been there, done that..... 

[Billy Hoyle]

I guess, I am now confused.  If we group Catholic universities into a few different categories my sense is we have a few different tiers...

Tier 1: Notre Dame, BC, & Georgetown (IMHO we will never reach this tier)
Tier 2: Villanova, Santa Clara, Holy Cross, Fordham, (and here is where I think it gets very subjective, the following schools are either in the bottom of tier 2, or top of tier 3 Marquette, SLU, some of the Loyolas, Providence, Gonzaga...
Tier 3 schools: Lesser known Loyolas, Depaul, Dayton...

I am sure I missing a few...but my point is, is it your sense you want MU to firmly plant itself @ the top of tier 2 alongside the Villanovas, Holy Crosses, and Fordhams, or something more??

I've never heard Santa Clara mentioned in the same breath as Holy Cross, Nova and Fordham (which has its ranking inflated by being in NYC). I know their law school isn't particularly highly rated. 

MU should be right among the second tier. We'll never be rated alongside BC, G-town and ND, for various reasons, but there's no reason it can't be within the #3 Jesuit school and a top 5 Catholic school nationally. The new construction and "Innovation Alley" will definitely help that.

[Tugg Speedman]

Remembered something else (I should have taken notes) ...

MU has 177 transfers coming in with the 2017 class.  That is the highest among the 28 Jesuit universities and MU is making a point to seek out transfers.  (not sure how one seeks out transfers?)

[Disco Hippie]

I guess, I am now confused.  If we group Catholic universities into a few different categories my sense is we have a few different tiers...

Tier 1: Notre Dame, BC, & Georgetown (IMHO we will never reach this tier)
Tier 2: Villanova, Santa Clara, Holy Cross, Fordham, (and here is where I think it gets very subjective, the following schools are either in the bottom of tier 2, or top of tier 3 Marquette, SLU, some of the Loyolas, Providence, Gonzaga...
Tier 3 schools: Lesser known Loyolas, Depaul, Dayton...

I am sure I missing a few...but my point is, is it your sense you want MU to firmly plant itself @ the top of tier 2 alongside the Villanovas, Holy Crosses, and Fordhams, or something more??

Yes. I would argure that Villanova and Holy Cross are higher than Fordham, but I think We're in the same league as Fordham for sure.  They have a big advantage being in NYC which unfairly inflates their ranking by 10 pts or so just by virtue of geography but unfortunately that's the way it goes.  Wish you had mentioned more non catholic schools to be compared with.  Why only compare us to other Catholic schools?  We compete with Syracuse and BU type schools just as much and I honestly think we're right up there with CUSE, but because they're basically an extension of NYC even though they're a 4 hour drive away, they have an inherent advantage due to it's proximity to NYC too. 

MKE is a much more fun, dynamic and exciting city than Syracuse, which is depressing as hell, but everyone who lives in the NYC metro area knows Syracuse for all intents and purposes isn't really in Syracuse from a cultural standpoint.  It's heart and soul is in NYC.  Still, given the less expensive tuition, dynamism of MKE over Syracuse, and Big East conf. membership, MU can absolutely compete with Syracuse for some of that same pool of students, they just don't believe they can.  I get that's not where they should be devoting most of their resources from an efficiency standpoint, but MU's defeatist attitude is what annoys me.  Then again it's a lot easier for MU to compete with Syracuse and it's ilk with a 75 National ranking and acceptance rate in the low 60's than it is now that they're ranked 90 and letting in 84% of everyone who applies.   Prospective students and their parents who otherwise might have considered Marquette as a viable option are a lot more likely to cross it off their list of schools to apply to as a result, and the notion that this mindset is only held by those in the Northeastern U.S. is nonsense.  I just happen to live here so I compare MU to schools in my neck of the woods.

[Juan Anderson's Mixtape]

Prospective students and their parents who otherwise might have considered Marquette as a viable option are a lot more likely to cross it off their list of schools to apply to as a result

If Marquette is hitting it's enrollment target and improving the test scores & GPAs of incoming freshmen classes, what difference does it make? 

Plus, college rankings are presented in an incomplete way.  You can look at Villanova vs Marquette and say "Wow! 50 vs 90...that's 40 spots.  That's a big difference." But, as far as I know, US News doesn't release a score for the schools.  Let's say Villanova scored 95.72.  Is Marquette's score 95.06 or 93.81 or 90.22?  How big of a difference is there really?  The difference between 50 and 90 could be razor thin but no one knows!  If someone knows these scores, please let me know and we can disregard my last paragraph.

[warriorchick]

Prospective students and their parents who otherwise might have considered Marquette as a viable option are a lot more likely to cross it off their list of schools to apply to as a result, and the notion that this mindset is only held by those in the Northeastern U.S. is nonsense.   I just happen to live here so I compare MU to schools in my neck of the woods.

Please, share any evidence that you have of this.

[Jay Bee]

What % is female & how best do we address any related concerns?

[warriorchick]

What % is female & how best do we address any related concerns?

The freshman class is 50% female, which is actually lower than most of its peer schools.

[muwarrior69]

The freshman class is 50% female, which is actually lower than most of its peer schools.

Does that mean Marquette showed a preference for males in this class? If so, way to go MU!

[reinko]

Yes. I would argure that Villanova and Holy Cross are higher than Fordham, but I think We're in the same league as Fordham for sure.  They have a big advantage being in NYC which unfairly inflates their ranking by 10 pts or so just by virtue of geography but unfortunately that's the way it goes.  Wish you had mentioned more non catholic schools to be compared with.  Why only compare us to other Catholic schools?  We compete with Syracuse and BU type schools just as much and I honestly think we're right up there with CUSE, but because they're basically an extension of NYC even though they're a 4 hour drive away, they have an inherent advantage due to it's proximity to NYC too. 

MKE is a much more fun, dynamic and exciting city than Syracuse, which is depressing as hell, but everyone who lives in the NYC metro area knows Syracuse for all intents and purposes isn't really in Syracuse from a cultural standpoint.  It's heart and soul is in NYC.  Still, given the less expensive tuition, dynamism of MKE over Syracuse, and Big East conf. membership, MU can absolutely compete with Syracuse for some of that same pool of students, they just don't believe they can.  I get that's not where they should be devoting most of their resources from an efficiency standpoint, but MU's defeatist attitude is what annoys me.  Then again it's a lot easier for MU to compete with Syracuse and it's ilk with a 75 National ranking and acceptance rate in the low 60's than it is now that they're ranked 90 and letting in 84% of everyone who applies.   Prospective students and their parents who otherwise might have considered Marquette as a viable option are a lot more likely to cross it off their list of schools to apply to as a result, and the notion that this mindset is only held by those in the Northeastern U.S. is nonsense.  I just happen to live here so I compare MU to schools in my neck of the woods.

I just threw Catholic schools as the identifier because of the similar size, compete for similar students, and have similar endowments.

I don't get the Syracuse comparison at all.

Cuse is twice the size in enrollment, has a 1.2 billion endowment that blows ours out of the water.  I think we compete for a very different types of students.

[Disco Hippie]

Please, share any evidence that you have of this.

My roommate for 3/4 years at MU has a son who is a Sr. at a large public school in suburban Chicago.  His son is extremely bright and a viable candidate for admission to Harvard, Yale, Princeton, etc.  They flew out last weekend to tour those 3 schools and few others between Boston and Philadelphia, staying over at our house for a night to save on a hotel since we're halfway between Boston / Philly.  His son isn't considering Marquette at all, but we were talking about MU generally and he told me that while his son's high school still sends some students to Marquette every year, the numbers have dropped about 40% in the last 4 years. They used to send anywhere from 9-12 in a good year 4 -5 years ago but it's now like 4 or 5 students a year and it's been like that for the past several years even though the population of the school hasn't declined. He didn't know why specificaly but he shares many of my concerns about the direction of MU and suspects counselors at that high school just don't recommend Marquette with as much enthusiasm as they used to a few years ago.  This is just what he told me so I have no idea what the issue is or if it's even true, but have no reason not to believe him.  I found it interesting because I remember someone on this board a month or so ago also said MU had fallen out of favor among students at his local suburban Chicago high school recently and no it wasn't my roomate because he's not on here.  Im not suggesting any of this has to do with MU's new admissions/ recruiting strategy but I don't think that can be ruled out either. 

[warriorchick]

My roommate for 3/4 years at MU has a son who is a Sr. at a large public school in suburban Chicago.  His son is extremely bright and a viable candidate for admission to Harvard, Yale, Princeton, etc.  They flew out last weekend to tour those 3 schools and few others between Boston and Philadelphia, staying over at our house for a night to save on a hotel since we're halfway between Boston / Philly.  His son isn't considering Marquette at all, but we were talking about MU generally and he told me that while his son's high school still sends some students to Marquette every year, the numbers have dropped about 40% in the last 4 years. They used to send anywhere from 9-12 in a good year 4 -5 years ago but it's now like 4 or 5 students a year and it's been like that for the past several years even though the population of the school hasn't declined. He didn't know why specificaly but he shares many of my concerns about the direction of MU and suspects counselors at that high school just don't recommend Marquette with as much enthusiasm as they used to a few years ago.  This is just what he told me so I have no idea what the issue is or if it's even true, but have no reason not to believe him.  I found it interesting because I remember someone on this board a month or so ago also said MU had fallen out of favor among students at his local suburban Chicago high school recently and no it wasn't my roomate because he's not on here.  Im not suggesting any of this has to do with MU's new admissions/ recruiting strategy but I don't think that can be ruled out either.

It would have been way easy for you to just type, "I have none".

[GGGG]

If Marquette is hitting it's enrollment target and improving the test scores & GPAs of incoming freshmen classes, what difference does it make?

He never answers this question.  Ever.

[Frenns Liquor Depot]

Does that mean Marquette showed a preference for males in this class? If so, way to go MU!

What % is female & how best do we address any related concerns?

[TAMU, Knower of Ball]

High school counselors recommend schools that aren't in their backyard? My high school counselor couldn't tell me anything about any schools beyond our metro area

[B. McBannerson]

I think the world is run by 'C' students.
Al McGuire

In the new world economy, I don't think that is going to hold.  Tougher and tougher for blue collar folks, and those that don't have the computing power to get it done.  There will be opportunities, but the same number could be difficult to find the way we are headed in this technological revolution.

[B. McBannerson]

My roommate for 3/4 years at MU has a son who is a Sr. at a large public school in suburban Chicago.  His son is extremely bright and a viable candidate for admission to Harvard, Yale, Princeton, etc.  They flew out last weekend to tour those 3 schools and few others between Boston and Philadelphia, staying over at our house for a night to save on a hotel since we're halfway between Boston / Philly.  His son isn't considering Marquette at all, but we were talking about MU generally and he told me that while his son's high school still sends some students to Marquette every year, the numbers have dropped about 40% in the last 4 years. They used to send anywhere from 9-12 in a good year 4 -5 years ago but it's now like 4 or 5 students a year and it's been like that for the past several years even though the population of the school hasn't declined. He didn't know why specificaly but he shares many of my concerns about the direction of MU and suspects counselors at that high school just don't recommend Marquette with as much enthusiasm as they used to a few years ago.  This is just what he told me so I have no idea what the issue is or if it's even true, but have no reason not to believe him.  I found it interesting because I remember someone on this board a month or so ago also said MU had fallen out of favor among students at his local suburban Chicago high school recently and no it wasn't my roomate because he's not on here.  Im not suggesting any of this has to do with MU's new admissions/ recruiting strategy but I don't think that can be ruled out either.

If those Ivy league schools are in his crosshairs, MU isn't going to be a viable comparison anyway. 

This year's class has an average ACT of 28.4.  In my day that was around 25.  Something like 40 states are represented by this year's freshman class.  All 50 states and many nations for the entire student body.  It isn't for everyone.  It served me well.  It has served my offspring well thus far, and didn't come from the midwest to attend MU.

[Tugg Speedman]

Yes. I would argure that Villanova and Holy Cross are higher than Fordham, but I think We're in the same league as Fordham for sure.  They have a big advantage being in NYC which unfairly inflates their ranking by 10 pts or so just by virtue of geography but unfortunately that's the way it goes.

Completely wrong

The geographic favoritism is clearly California.

The highest rated public schools in the country on their list are Berkeley and UCLA, both tied at #21.
UC Santa Barbara is #37
UC Irvine and UC San Diego are #42
UC Davis is #46

For prospective, all are ranked higher than Madison.  So according to this measure, if UW-Madison was to relocate to CA, it would be the 7th best school in this system.

And on the private school side in CA is
Stanford #5
Cal Tech #10
USC #21
Pepperdine #46

That's 10 CA schools in the top 50.  NYC has two, Columbia and NYU (NYC equals Chicago on this measure and is behind Boston, which is less than half its population).

Hate to break it to you Disco, CA runs the country and the world. NYC are formerly the leaders and now pretenders.

[Tugg Speedman]

If Marquette is hitting it's enrollment target and improving the test scores & GPAs of incoming freshmen classes, what difference does it make? 

Plus, college rankings are presented in an incomplete way.  You can look at Villanova vs Marquette and say "Wow! 50 vs 90...that's 40 spots.  That's a big difference." But, as far as I know, US News doesn't release a score for the schools.  Let's say Villanova scored 95.72.  Is Marquette's score 95.06 or 93.81 or 90.22?  How big of a difference is there really?  The difference between 50 and 90 could be razor thin but no one knows!  If someone knows these scores, please let me know and we can disregard my last paragraph.

This is exactly right.

Notice on the list how many schools are tied with each other, meaning they have exactly the same score.

It's most likely the schools right behind them are just one tick lower.    If they publish the actual score we would see there's really not much difference between 50 and 90.