Around the MAC

[GP1]

12 hours ago, Blue & Gold said:

No.  UA is in a cold war and KSUcks is the enemy.  

 

KSUcks has and continues to drain billions of potential dollars from central city Akron (and, frankly, Youngstown); two legacy but aging Ohio anchor cities which could certainly use the money. While Toledo, Ohio, and Miami are fun rivalries, KSUcks should not even exist (and NEOMED should reside @ UA as The University of Akron School of Medicine but good grief don't get me started on that).  Drive them into the dust and scatter their ashes till no one remembers their name.

 

Go Zips.

On the other hand, dumb kids need a place to go to college too. 

[RoyalBlu]

11 hours ago, GP1 said:

On the other hand, dumb kids need a place to go to college too. 

 

I probably should not have looked this up ... but I did.

And I probably should not share this ... but I will.

 

2024 US News and World Report National Rankings (alphabetical order, 436 colleges and universities ranked).

 

Akron T-No 377

Ball State - No. 204

Bowling Green T - No. 273

Buffalo - No. 76

Central Michigan - No. 259

Eastern Michigan T-No. 377

Kent State - No. 231

UMass - No. 58

Miami - No. 136

Northern Ill. T - No. 273

Ohio U. - No. 179

Toledo - No. 296

Western Michigan - No. 288

 

Seriously, my guess is, what hurts Akron's ranking is student retention - probably expecting something easy when it is obviously not.

 

 

[GP1]

1 hour ago, RoyalBlu said:

 

I probably should not have looked this up ... but I did.

And I probably should not share this ... but I will.

 

2024 US News and World Report National Rankings (alphabetical order, 436 colleges and universities ranked).

 

Akron T-No 377

Ball State - No. 204

Bowling Green T - No. 273

Buffalo - No. 76

Central Michigan - No. 259

Eastern Michigan T-No. 377

Kent State - No. 231

UMass - No. 58

Miami - No. 136

Northern Ill. T - No. 273

Ohio U. - No. 179

Toledo - No. 296

Western Michigan - No. 288

 

Seriously, my guess is, what hurts Akron's ranking is student retention - probably expecting something easy when it is obviously not.

 

 

https://blog.prepscholar.com/why-you-shouldnt-trust-us-news-college-rankings#:~:text=US News is probably the,might end up being miserable.

 

I think the people who rank the study put as much effort into it as sports writers put into the preseason MAC football rankings. What I see when I look at the University is an institution that produces excellent business and community leaders than KSU across colleges across NE Ohio and Ohio in general. Maybe their Fashion Merchandising program has us beat, but I'd hire an engineer, business, teacher, nurse, etc over a KSU grad any day of the week. 

[adzip]

1 hour ago, RoyalBlu said:

 

I probably should not have looked this up ... but I did.

And I probably should not share this ... but I will.

 

2024 US News and World Report National Rankings (alphabetical order, 436 colleges and universities ranked).

 

Akron T-No 377

Ball State - No. 204

Bowling Green T - No. 273

Buffalo - No. 76

Central Michigan - No. 259

Eastern Michigan T-No. 377

Kent State - No. 231

UMass - No. 58

Miami - No. 136

Northern Ill. T - No. 273

Ohio U. - No. 179

Toledo - No. 296

Western Michigan - No. 288

 

Seriously, my guess is, what hurts Akron's ranking is student retention - probably expecting something easy when it is obviously not.

 

 

these rankings have little to do with academic excellence- most never have. They are based on public acceptance and exposure. The University of Akron has had historical disadvantages. First- lack of exposure due to localized student body. Second- the power structure of Akron largely didn't care because they sent their children elsewhere and they had the rubber industry. They started to care about 1980 when it became obvious the rubber industry was moving their manufacturing elsewhere- that meant employment at The University of Akron became important "core jobs" for the community. Next was the tendency of Akron residents to call our school "Hilltop High' which has largely disappeared and "Akron U" which has unfortunately not disappeared.  Also some of The University's leadership has not been as aggressive as they might in seeking to expand its influence- Dr. Guzzetta for one and the collection of weak leadership/temporary leadership more recently. Lastly- the power of sports towards the value of academic rating. No one in the 1970s would have considered the University of Alabama a strong educational institution. There have been multiple TV stories about the enrollment growth and the increase in stature there that Saban has built. There have been others- Notre Dame, for example- not as strong academically back 100 years ago as it is now.  

I agree with the poster above- better to measure the quality of the output than the input! 

 

The University of Akron provides a solid education and better than most colleges. There is little objective logic to the above rating even if you remove Akron from the list. 

[adzip]

On a personal note, as an undergraduate, I attended an "elite" private East Coast college with a 7% acceptance rate. I was not an athlete, child of an alum, nor child of a major donor. Their acceptance rates were much higher than 7%. The rest of us, therefore, had a rate even more restrictive. Tough to get into.

My master's was done at Akron in an area that had a number of combined undergrad/graduate classes in which graduate students were expected to do more- but- gave me an insight into the undergraduate student requirements. I assure you the undergraduate students had demands that matched those at the "elite" school. The difference was largely the research/book success of the professors at the "elite" school. Virtually no impact on the education received by students unless the student sought to be a researcher.

 

Quality of output is the most important criteria in measuring a college- UA can stand tall!

[GP1]

18 minutes ago, adzip said:

On a personal note, as an undergraduate, I attended an "elite" private East Coast college with a 7% acceptance rate. I was not an athlete, child of an alum, nor child of a major donor. Their acceptance rates were much higher than 7%. The rest of us, therefore, had a rate even more restrictive. Tough to get into.

My master's was done at Akron in an area that had a number of combined undergrad/graduate classes in which graduate students were expected to do more- but- gave me an insight into the undergraduate student requirements. I assure you the undergraduate students had demands that matched those at the "elite" school. The difference was largely the research/book success of the professors at the "elite" school. Virtually no impact on the education received by students unless the student sought to be a researcher.

 

Quality of output is the most important criteria in measuring a college- UA can stand tall!

I love the perspective. They always say the hardest thing about Harvard is getting in. Harvard is always #1 on the survey. 97% of the students who get into Harvard graduate. They have massive grade inflation. To me, that isn't a good look. If a school is truly challenging it's students and not producing just another generation of donors to the foundation, the failure rate should be higher. I don't blame the kids for this. They are probably very smart. It's not their fault the university isn't challenging them in a meaningful way. 

 

While living in the Carolinas, I once had a choice to make between an Elon grad and a YSU grad. The Elon grad was smart enough, but struck me as someone who could be lazy and entitled. The YSU grad worked his way through school at an auto plant working the night shift. I hired him because of that. He was a great, hard working employee who made me good money for two years. He has his own business now and is what I would consider to be successful. Regional schools like Akron, which really defines most universities, have plenty of kids like this attending and provide a great learning experience for someone who doesn't have the same advantages as others. The key for Akron is developing ways to admit those kids who are capable of graduating. The key for us as alumni is to provide support for these kids so they can share the same success we have. Things like direct financial support or a paid co-op, to name a couple of opportunities, are very important to these kids. It isn't easy, but duty isn't easy. 

[RoyalBlu]

Miami, Ohio, Toledo and Akron were all ranked a lot lower than I would have anticipated.

 

Thought Miami would have been in the top 100, Ohio inside 150. Toledo just a breath above 300 was a puzzle, too. Expected Akron to be about in the middle.

 

As for Harvard ... that's said about almost all private schools, high school or college. Once you get in, they pretty much make sure you graduate some kind of way. It adds to their elitism.

 

 

 

 

 

Edited Sunday at 04:59 PM by RoyalBlu

[MDZip]

I may have mentioned this on here before but in light of the current conversation, undergrad in Computer Science at a school that honestly at the time I didn't love and wasn't that happy to have to go there. Grad school at Johns Hopkins, not exactly an apples to apples comparison since it was part-time night school, but Akron's program blew Hopkins away. I've come to appreciate Akron so much more in the intervening years. Hopkins is a good school and often comes in the top 10 in rankings, but if you gave me the blind "taste test" I'd have ranked Akron higher. Screw the stupid rankings. 

[72 Roo]

I believe rankings can be made to suit the people you want to please. An Akron education can carry a grad to whatever level of achievement he/she wants. I taught several classes in the Fisher Sales Institute in the College of Business Administration. 100% of the students graduating from there get jobs. They are high paying jobs too. The preparation the faculty put students thru exceeded that of the company in which I was director of sales. We were a career destination and required previous sales with two companies. Still the UA students were excellent. Akron's sales program is one of the best five, if not the best, in the U.S. Just another point to be proud of.

 

We take a hit in the rankings because we take chances on marginal high school grads that decide they want college. Of course, many aren't prepared and don't make it, but others do and UA gave them a vehicle to achieve their dream. Many have money issues so they need to commute. I prefer the residential experience at a university, but if you and your family can't afford it God bless you for going to a school like Akron and making it happen.

 

We need to be proud of who we are!

 

 

[clarkwgriswold]

"Wherever you're going you can get there, from the University of Akron."

 

You old timers recall that commercial jingle?

[GP1]

1 hour ago, 72 Roo said:

I believe rankings can be made to suit the people you want to please. 

There are consulting companies a university can hire to positively impact their score by gaming the system. 

[ZippyRulz]

4 hours ago, clarkwgriswold said:

"Wherever you're going you can get there, from the University of Akron."

 

You old timers recall that commercial jingle?

 

Absolutely. They should bring it back and keep it.

 

[Illini Zip]

11 hours ago, clarkwgriswold said:

"Wherever you're going you can get there, from the University of Akron."

 

You old timers recall that commercial jingle?

I have been told on more than one occasion that I should go to hell. Can I get there from the University of Akron?

[Blue & Gold]

50 minutes ago, Illini Zip said:

I have been told on more than one occasion that I should go to hell. Can I get there from the University of Akron?

Indeed. It's only 10 minutes east on 76.

Edited Monday at 11:25 AM by Blue & Gold

[GP1]

2 hours ago, Illini Zip said:

I have been told on more than one occasion that I should go to hell. Can I get there from the University of Akron?

Not anymore. The portal to Hell was the single doorless stall in the men's room on the home side of the Rubber Bowl. 

[clarkwgriswold]

2 hours ago, Illini Zip said:

I have been told on more than one occasion that I should go to hell. Can I get there from the University of Akron?

 

Indeed you can.  It involves sitting in the PCCC section at an Akron/PCCC game.

[72 Roo]

3 hours ago, Illini Zip said:

I have been told on more than one occasion that I should go to hell. Can I get there from the University of Akron?

Have you ever sat in an Economics class? If so, you've been there.

[72 Roo]

15 hours ago, clarkwgriswold said:

"Wherever you're going you can get there, from the University of Akron."

 

You old timers recall that commercial jingle?

I'm singing along to it now. Go Zips!

[Let'sGoZips94]

LOL

[clarkwgriswold]

12 minutes ago, Let'sGoZips94 said:

LOL

 

Talented kid.  One of the top whiners in the MAC.

[roopride]

amazed how players move around in the same conference

[NWAkron]

2 hours ago, clarkwgriswold said:

 

Talented kid.  One of the top whiners in the MAC.

Kittens will be reloaded and LEGIT with serviceable bigs.  Groce whiffed again.  

[Let'sGoZips94]

9 minutes ago, NWAkron said:

Kittens will be reloaded and LEGIT with serviceable bigs.  Groce whiffed again.  

 

Please tell me this is satire.

[Let'sGoZips94]

2 hours ago, clarkwgriswold said:

 

Talented kid.  One of the top whiners in the MAC.

 

Amen. I think he's a mental midget.

[clarkwgriswold]

With Boals influence, maybe Simmons can step into the shoes of Clayton and go from pre-season All-MAC to All-MAC third team.