re: The Best College in Every State.

Good point. It can mean that. Absolutely. What I'm trying to get across is, with so many variables on acceptance, the rate alone is not a good barometer.

But, in the case of OM and MSU, acceptance is not a badge of honor. The standards are identical and embarrassingly low. Each school would raise their standards of possible.

A good example of the flaws of admission rates is law school. Your typical applicant applies to many schools. (Grad school is where the space limits really kick in) Also, a person will apply to schools at the upper end of their qualifications. Now, let's say two schools are remarkably similar in academic stature, with very similar admission standards. One is a private school with a $500 application fee, and the other is a state school with a $50 fee. The state school will have many more applicants, resulting in a lower acceptance rate, but it says nothing of the quality of the institution, comparatively.