In a narrow and outdated formula that includes variables like how many applications a college denies, how high their admitted students’ test scores are, and how large their endowment is. But that definition of excellence doesn’t serve students—or America.
If we care about long-term student success and national competitiveness, we need to focus on the institutions that deliver social and economic mobility at scale. And by every meaningful measure, public universities—especially regional public universities—do this best.
