Semi OT: Illinois Legislator wants law to force 2nd Illinois school in The Big10
Says too many Illinois natives are leaving the state (and paying higher tuition) to go to out of state "Big 10" schools.
The two lawmakers said the idea developed due to concerns that some suburban students seem to be leaving Illinois to attend other, high-priced Big Ten institutions out of state.“This is something that has been under the radar but is now getting a much stronger drum beat,” Connelly said. “I’ve got three kids that are college age and we know that there are a lot of kids with 34 ACT scores and high class rank that are rejected by the University of Illinois and wind up going to places like Kansas and Indiana and other states. Michigan has Michigan and Michigan State — two Big Ten public schools — and we thought why not do a feasibility study to see if we could do the same?”
March 23rd, 2014 at 10:18 PM ^
Are there many Illinois residents with 34 ACT scores that are being rejected by UI?
March 23rd, 2014 at 10:55 PM ^
March 23rd, 2014 at 11:04 PM ^
March 23rd, 2014 at 11:47 PM ^
was 95% in-state.
Has that changed?
March 24th, 2014 at 12:41 AM ^
March 23rd, 2014 at 11:24 PM ^
Yeah, I was kind of wondering the same. I'm sure there are certain cases, but a 34 ACT score is pretty impressive, and unless you are incredibly un-rounded as a person, I imagine you'd have a good chance of getting in.
in. Presumably they mean public ones, but you'd think they'd qualify. . .
March 24th, 2014 at 11:03 AM ^
March 23rd, 2014 at 10:19 PM ^
Which one are we not counting....
March 23rd, 2014 at 11:37 PM ^
March 23rd, 2014 at 10:21 PM ^
Maybe I'm slow, but how does adding a school to the Big Ten help people stay in Illinois?
You're falling victim to one of the classic blunders. The most famous is to never get involved in a land war in Asia. Slightly less well known is never to go in against a Sicilian when death is on the line. Nearly as well known is this: never expect logic from a politician during a campaign speech.
March 23rd, 2014 at 10:21 PM ^
Would like to see the empirical evidence for "we know that there are a lot of kids with 34 ACT scores and high class rank that are rejected by the University of Illinois and wind up going to places like Kansas and Indiana . . ." Lol please.
March 23rd, 2014 at 10:25 PM ^
March 23rd, 2014 at 11:28 PM ^
According to the internet (yeah, I know...), the 25/75 split is 26/31, which is in line with what I'd expect. But whatever, it's a poltical statement intended to get people worried a bunch of smart kids aren't getting a chance in the state, even though they have two elite universities in Chicago and a couple more decent state and liberal arts options throughout.
March 23rd, 2014 at 10:21 PM ^
llinois and northwestern?
March 23rd, 2014 at 10:25 PM ^
March 23rd, 2014 at 10:27 PM ^
I suspect we may have found the real reason this guy's kids didn't get in to U of I.
March 23rd, 2014 at 10:30 PM ^
Pretty sure they are referring to public universities (hence the State and MIchigan example), Northwestern doesn't fit that bill.
March 23rd, 2014 at 10:30 PM ^
Northwestern's private. And besides, if you can't get into Illinois you sure as hell aren't getting into Northwestern.
March 23rd, 2014 at 11:02 PM ^
couldn't get into NW or UofC, or I guess Illinois? Maybe his kids shouldn't have been dumbasses.
if we need to group together not getting into Illinois with being a dumbass, seems a bit harsh.
March 24th, 2014 at 12:20 AM ^
March 23rd, 2014 at 10:22 PM ^
He seems to be saying Illinois needs a second public school with the academics to attract decent students who can't get into UI. In others words, their own MSU.
No, he clearly wants the school to be in the Big 10, not just have Big 10 caliber academics. For instance, he's suggesting Southern Illinois could become a good candidate because it's close to St. Louis and therefore give the Big 10 access to that media market.
for Illinois and its downstate regions. They could get much of the way there by simply raising budgets and growing that school. Don't see the B1G getting into the game of incubating needed university growth, but that could be interesting.
March 23rd, 2014 at 10:22 PM ^
Better than Rutgers!
But seriously, shut up moronic Illinois legislators who will end up in prison because it's Illinois.
March 23rd, 2014 at 10:22 PM ^
March 24th, 2014 at 12:22 AM ^
Being the sole major public university in the state hasn't seemed to do Ohio State any harm.
THE University of Dayton?
There are lots of good public schools in Ohio - Miami U, Ohio U, etc.
March 23rd, 2014 at 10:29 PM ^
This is nuts....
March 23rd, 2014 at 10:28 PM ^
But since Indiana and Michigan are the only two states with two public universities in the Big Ten, it would be less disruptive to limit each state to one public university in the Big Ten, thereby bolstering the prestige of the MAC.
On the basis of Big Ten seniority, Indiana U and MSU would be joing the MAC. (:
/s
March 23rd, 2014 at 10:43 PM ^
and i don't mean that with snark. laughing at the genius of the idea.
all in favor, say 'aye!'
March 23rd, 2014 at 10:28 PM ^
U of I is already ridiculously expensive for in state students, let alone out of state. As an Illinois State student, there's no way we should ever be in the Big Ten. We don't have the facilities or the academics to compete.
March 23rd, 2014 at 10:30 PM ^
Northern Illinois might be better than Rutgers.
March 24th, 2014 at 11:32 AM ^
academic rankings-wise, between Rutgers and UIC, which is the highest-rated public university in Illinois after UofI.
NIU and SIU are standing on the same step on the academic reputation ladder, a couple of rungs below UIC.
March 23rd, 2014 at 10:32 PM ^
What he's really saying is Illinois needs another good public school that people actually want to go to. That's an Illinois problem and not a Big Ten problem.
March 23rd, 2014 at 10:34 PM ^
March 24th, 2014 at 12:11 AM ^
Every school in the country is like that now. Michigan especially. It's really a shame. I'm not saying U of M should have 90% in state students, but if you're from a rural/suburban school in Michigan and you're white, good luck at getting in even with a 30 ACT and 3.8 GPA.
Skin color shouldn't matter anymore for admissions. Affirmative action was voted down by referendum.
It doesn't matter any more, but especially when it comes to Affirmative Action, things like reality have never stopped people from complaining.
March 23rd, 2014 at 10:36 PM ^
I don't think many people are getting rejected from U-of-I with that score, considering that a 34 will get you into University of Chicago.
I scored a 33 on my ACT, and I didn't get in to U of Illinois!
I mean, I didn't apply and why the heck would I want to move to Illinois to go to college, but I think the point stands.