What to do. This is unacceptable.

[Indndawg]

https://www.forbes.com/top-colleges/

[Dawgfan77]

Honest answer? We need new fresh leadership. We need a new president. That's my opinion but we have been falling for the past few years.

[BorneDawg]

So they ranked this list with the following criteria: I'd Like to see how we stacked up in each category. Some degree fields that you may or may not offer can skew numbers.
They also only used numbers associated with Federal grant and loan students. Lastly this is Forbes were talking about I trust them about as far as I could throw a tractor!

Alumni Salary 20%
Debt 15%
Return on Investment 15%
Graduation Rate 15%
Forbes American Leaders List 15%
Retention Rate 10%
Academic Success 10%

[dawgman15]

Were first in the state for average early career salary

[BeardoMSU]

Not great.

[Kylesandi338]

Look at location and cost of living. These stats are like comparing apples to oranges.

[BrunswickDawg]

Not great.

No, its not.

The worst thing about rankings like these is so much of it is beyond the control of the university.
We are forced to admit at lesser standards than a lot of our competition due to the Ayers case; the Legislature will never fund the school at a level that will make it competitive for salaries; as one of the poorest states, we will always have a high student debt load unless a robust lottery program funds tuition like our competition; without a funding cash cow like a medical school we will always rank lower than OM which hurts perception; etc etc.

However, that means we have to maximize the things within out control, and I don't know that we are.

[StarkVegasSteve]

No, its not.

The worst thing about rankings like these is so much of it is beyond the control of the university.
We are forced to admit at lesser standards than a lot of our competition due to the Ayers case; the Legislature will never fund the school at a level that will make it competitive for salaries; as one of the poorest states, we will always have a high student debt load unless a robust lottery program funds tuition like our competition; without a funding cash cow like a medical school we will always rank lower than OM which hurts perception; etc etc.However, that means we have to maximize the things within out control, and I don't know that we are.

You hit the nail on the head. I believe we're the only school in the SEC without either a law school or a medical school. That hurts us a bunch. As also stated, our admittance standards are far too low to be able to move up any type of academic list. For every top scholar you bring in, you're also bringing in 5 farmers kids who are there to party for 1-5 years and not use the degree they get. Until we start focusing on other areas such as Birmingham, Atlanta, Dallas, Houston, Nashville, St. Louis, and Charlotte instead of Clarksdale, Greenville, Gulfport, and Southaven then we'll continue to fall. I mean everyone talks about how we don't recruit in football but go look at our academic recruiting. It's beyond putrid. They don't pay the Academic Counselors a living wage and as stated above, we hardly focus out of state. I'm not saying go all in on out of state like OM but give a little bit of an effort to it and we may be able to get in the door for the athletic prospects at these schools if they see their friends going to State as well.

[Bark]

Honest answer? We need new fresh leadership. We need a new president. That's my opinion but we have been falling for the past few years.

Yes. New leadership is needed badly. When hired I thought Keemun had political desires and this president gig was going to be short term? It's time to bring an outsider in to shake things up again. We need fresh blood with new ideas and energy. We've fallen back into the good ole boy network running things.

[R2Dawg]

Look at location and cost of living. These stats are like comparing apples to oranges.

Agree, the criteria for these rankings is somewhat bogus. Degrees offered, grants, scholarships, demographics, etc. I know some crappy schools that gets lots of grant money for lots of wrong reasons. MSU is very highly thought of in most of the key majors MSU offers in the real world.

The past few years I've not been happy with some of the leadership though.

[OLJWales]

Is this a money issue? Are funds being mishandled?

[BrunswickDawg]

Yes. New leadership is needed badly. When hired I thought Keemun had political desires and this president gig was going to be short term? It's time to bring an outsider in to shake things up again. We need fresh blood with new ideas and energy. We've fallen back into the good ole boy network running things.

The problem is "be careful what you wish for" - the IHL is one of the most dysfunctional entities in the state. We could very easily wind up with worse leadership.

[Indndawg]

You hit the nail on the head. I believe we're the only school in the SEC without either a law school or a medical school. That hurts us a bunch. As also stated, our admittance standards are far too low to be able to move up any type of academic list. For every top scholar you bring in, you're also bringing in 5 farmers kids who are there to party for 1-5 years and not use the degree they get. Until we start focusing on other areas such as Birmingham, Atlanta, Dallas, Houston, Nashville, St. Louis, and Charlotte instead of Clarksdale, Greenville, Gulfport, and Southaven then we'll continue to fall. I mean everyone talks about how we don't recruit in football but go look at our academic recruiting. It's beyond putrid. They don't pay the Academic Counselors a living wage and as stated above, we hardly focus out of state. I'm not saying go all in on out of state like OM but give a little bit of an effort to it and we may be able to get in the door for the athletic prospects at these schools if they see their friends going to State as well.

My son graduated 8th in his class and was heavily recruited by OM. Got one little dinky postcard from MSU.

[BorneDawg]

You hit the nail on the head. I believe we're the only school in the SEC without either a law school or a medical school. That hurts us a bunch. As also stated, our admittance standards are far too low to be able to move up any type of academic list. For every top scholar you bring in, you're also bringing in 5 farmers kids who are there to party for 1-5 years and not use the degree they get. Until we start focusing on other areas such as Birmingham, Atlanta, Dallas, Houston, Nashville, St. Louis, and Charlotte instead of Clarksdale, Greenville, Gulfport, and Southaven then we'll continue to fall. I mean everyone talks about how we don't recruit in football but go look at our academic recruiting. It's beyond putrid. They don't pay the Academic Counselors a living wage and as stated above, we hardly focus out of state. I'm not saying go all in on out of state like OM but give a little bit of an effort to it and we may be able to get in the door for the athletic prospects at these schools if they see their friends going to State as well.

Well, I was a Farmers Kid. I was at State 3 years got my B.S. in AG and used it to get a job in my field......oh and partied some of the time but took school seriously since I was paying for it. Point is we are among other things an Agricultural school! Seeing that most want things like food, clothing, shelter,.... I'd say it's a good thing to get those Ag students. After all Ag related careers are the largest group in the world. Now it won't place you at the top of a bogus forbes ranking but Agriculture is one of the most important fields there is

[R2Dawg]

You hit the nail on the head. I believe we're the only school in the SEC without either a law school or a medical school. That hurts us a bunch. As also stated, our admittance standards are far too low to be able to move up any type of academic list. For every top scholar you bring in, you're also bringing in 5 farmers kids who are there to party for 1-5 years and not use the degree they get. Until we start focusing on other areas such as Birmingham, Atlanta, Dallas, Houston, Nashville, St. Louis, and Charlotte instead of Clarksdale, Greenville, Gulfport, and Southaven then we'll continue to fall. I mean everyone talks about how we don't recruit in football but go look at our academic recruiting. It's beyond putrid. They don't pay the Academic Counselors a living wage and as stated above, we hardly focus out of state. I'm not saying go all in on out of state like OM but give a little bit of an effort to it and we may be able to get in the door for the athletic prospects at these schools if they see their friends going to State as well.

Yeah that is why it is hard to compare school to school. Different programs yield different results, doesn't mean it isn't quality.

I'll disagree with you on focusing on city kids. There are lots of smart kids out there that don't live in the city. Volume wise I agree, there are too many from less educated that go to college that probably shouldn't be there. With free grants, scholarships, etc, for various reasons, they are there. Every University has their share of kids just going to party too. The brand recognition stuff is BS too. I've worked with several Vandy grads and they were nothing special. Seen some ole country boys out do them in careers and perform circles around them.

I am out of state and at my kids school, MSU has gotten like 5 of the top 10 the past 3 years with several of the top and 2nd students at a 4/5A school. I was at another 6A school graduation a few years ago and MSU got 3 of top 10. MSU got more than Bama from that school. Auburn got none.

I am an alum but both my kids got more mail from MSU than any other school. Just like the NIL and sports recruiting, academic stuff is crazy too and kids choose places for dumb reasons. Most Bama students only go there because Nick Saban and Bama football. I do know some more serious students that go to Aub for engineering because it is better than Bama. BTW MSU engineering is way better too but Bama football will bring in the out of state students.

[bulldogcountry1]

I guess I don?t see a purpose in comparing State to a school over 1000 miles away. If you are applying for a job in the SE, I think a degree from State will look better than a degree from Williams College.

[RocketDawg]

Honest answer? We need new fresh leadership. We need a new president. That's my opinion but we have been falling for the past few years.

That happens when you go for quantity over quality.

[BeardoMSU]

That happens when you go for quantity over quality.

yep

[BeardoMSU]

I guess I don?t see a purpose in comparing State to a school over 1000 miles away. If you are applying for a job in the SE, I think a degree from State will look better than a degree from Williams College.

Ok, then compare us to our fellow SEC schools and we're the equivalent of the gimp from Pulp Fiction.

[Bothrops]

Being the only major university that far down is awfully strange though.

[BeardoMSU]

Being the only major university that far down is awfully strange though.

It's not us, it's them. Obviously.**

[CaptainObvious]

Everyone needs to get over this ranking.

Mississippi State University IS the People?s University. The goal is to educate the tired, the poor, and the huddled masses.

[Bothrops]

It's not us, it's them. Obviously.**

Behind Sunbelt schools lol

[RocketDawg]

Everyone needs to get over this ranking.

Mississippi State University IS the People?s University. The goal is to educate the tired, the poor, and the huddled masses.

Folks can make all the excuses they want to, and try to rationalize, but at the end of the day it's terrible and unacceptable. Does Keenum get retained based on performance? Apparently not.

[Bothrops]

Folks can make all the excuses they want to, and try to rationalize, but at the end of the day it's terrible and unacceptable. Does Keenum get retained based on performance? Apparently not.

There's no way it could be that ****ing bad. I mean the ROI has been listed higher than several SEC institutions in various publications few a number of years now. Somebody has a political vendetta somewhere, against someone. Might as well be dead last, here.

[State82]

It is a complete Charlie Foxtrot. Nothing more can be said or justified. That is it. Period. We can accept it and continue the status quo or not. Simple as that.

[IMissJack]

I guess I don?t see a purpose in comparing State to a school over 1000 miles away. If you are applying for a job in the SE, I think a degree from State will look better than a degree from Williams College.

How about comparing us to one 85-200 away? Still bad

[BeardoMSU]

How about comparing us to one 85-200 away? Still bad

One would think being not only last in the SEC, but over 200 spots behind our in-state rival, would be cause for concern....

[coastratdog]

Millsaps - 514
Mississippi College- N/R

There a lot of doctors and lawyers from these schools. As someone pointed out the Ayers case is holding all of the Mississippi schools back.

[OLJWales]

Millsaps - 514
Mississippi College- N/R

There a lot of doctors and lawyers from these schools. As someone pointed out the Ayers case is holding all of the Mississippi schools back.

Good Grief. Millsaps?!!! I can't believe that. I remember back in the 80's living in Jacktown and Millsaps was always like top 30. I have no expertise in this arena at all. Or does my memory suck that bad?

[KOdawg1]

Yawn

[BeardoMSU]

Good Grief. Millsaps?!!! I can't believe that. I remember back in the 80's living in Jacktown and Millsaps was always like top 30. I have no expertise in this arena at all. Or does my memory suck that bad?

I think the Millsaps prestige was mostly mythologized inside MS.

[LC Dawg]

I wonder how our community college system affects these rankings or if it has no affect. There are quite a few students that enroll as freshmen that should be at a community college but we have a lot of transfers that do well for a couple of years and graduate.
I let one of my three enroll as a freshman and made the other two attend community college first because they weren't academically ready for State.
I've been surprised at the number of parents that have told me they are going to send their kid to State and if it doesn't work out they can just transfer to (insert local juco).