<p>Public colleges that have long stood in the shadow of their elder sister institutions are not only getting attention by increasing their endowments and grant awards, they are also attracting a higher caliber of students. For some, the difference between a so-called flagship and its nearest rival has been minimal; Michigan and Michigan State, for example. But in other states the older and more esablished university is on the run. Virginia, perhaps fearful of being overtaken by Virginia Tech, has started a substantial hard science initiative. And Ohio University is getting more good notices than OSU. Is Maryland next? Salisbury University and Towson University are beginning to draw students who aren’t comfortable at the cramped UM-College Park.</p>
<p>This is what I noticed when we toured Towson. I asked some very bright students why not UMD-CP and I was told that they chose the smaller sized school for their undergraduate degree, and the overall smaller class sizes.</p>