And this is the issue that I feel is important as it relates to OHIO, not attempting to discern exactly how competitive OSU is or what their numbers might have been like before this Fall's freshman class was even born.
How does OHIO recruit these kids better? I agree that a portion of this pool are lost causes, but I do think there is a real potential for OHIO to do a better job of recruiting these kids and raising our admissions profile in the process. That, to me is the issue we should be talking about.
We are recruiting these kids better; OUr improving year over year freshman metrics support that (despite your continuing dismissals of your own favorite metric).
A more prudent question would be:
- How does OHIO recruit these kids at an even faster rate than we are currently?
Answer: You either increase the perceived value of OUr product to these specific kids. Or you decrease the perceived value of Ohio State's product to these specific kids.
A simple division of "these kids" would be:
- Academics first
- Athletics first
To increase OUr value academically:
Hire more professors that have a broader national presence either through publications, elite- level research, a track record of main stream media exposure, or just incentivize recruitment of our students by private industry either as interns or new college hires, that kind of stuff.
To increase OUR value athletically:
Win. Win everything. Every battle.
To decrease Ohio State's value academically:
Call them out. Advertise specifically what we do better than OSU. Quantify what ever that may be (J-school ranking, ceramics program ranking, research royalties, student happiness, personal safety, campus beauty, percentage of students that start as incoming freshman and go through graduation, whatever). Literally go out there, on TV, on radio, on billboards, and specifically say we do "this" better than Ohio State. If you care about "this", come to OHIO. Ask for the sale.
To decrease Ohio State's value athletically:
Call them out. Go to the newspapers, the TV stations, the billboards and say Ohio State won't play us in Athens because they're scared. They're a house of cards. And then, beat them.
In summary:
We can recruit "these kids" at a faster rate than we are currently. But do not dismiss the progress we've made so far. In order to attract these kids at a faster rate, you're going to have to spend money at a faster rate, or you're going to have to grow a pair and look your opponent right in the eye and challenge him to a duel.
P.S.
You didn't have to call out my estimate of OSU's transfer rate in an attempt to de-value my statements. But after I vetted my estimate, an acknowledgement of your error was merited.
Last Edited: 4/25/2014 10:47:18 AM by The Situation