The Literal "Big 3" - WGU, ASU and SNHU

[Ares]

Highest Enrollment Numbers:

1. 183,000 - WGU (Western Governors University)
   
2. 181,000 - ASU (Arizona State University)
   
3. 173,000 - SNHU (Southern New Hampshire University)
   

Still not anywhere near University of Phoenix's enrollment record of 470,800 but these are climbing. The downside is, the bigger these schools get the lower the quality of academic advisors you are likely to have and the easier it is to slip through the cracks. Out of these, WGU has a CBE program and the lowest cost of the 3, ASU has the most well known name while SNHU just has the best marketing?

[LevelUP]

Here is a list of the top 100 colleges by enrollment (some data is a little outdated)
https://www.onlineu.com/online-schools/most-popular

Every college has its niche to why it may be popular for some students.

For example:

• WGU is CBE and known for its tech programs which are top-notch.
  
• ASU is the flagship university of Arizona. 
  
• UMPI is cheap, fast, and offers a lot of minor options.
  
• TESU has its CS program and you can easily double major there.
  
• SNHU has majors that nobody else has.
  
• TAMUC is CBE, cheap for Texans, and a decent brand for people living in Texas.
  

[ReyMysterioso]

• ASU is the flagship university. 
  

Technically, U. Arizona is the flagship university in Arizona.

[LevelUP]

• ASU is the flagship university. 
  

Technically, U. Arizona is the flagship university in Arizona.

ChatGPT disagrees with you:

The flagship college in Arizona is Arizona State University (ASU). ASU is known for its size, innovation, and extensive research programs.

A flagship university refers to the leading or most prominent institution within a public university system of a state, country, or region. It is typically characterized by its size, reputation, breadth of academic programs, and historical significance. Here are some common features of a flagship university:

1. Historical Role: Often the first or one of the earliest established universities in the system, serving as a model or standard for other institutions.
   
   
2. Prestige: Recognized for academic excellence and research contributions on a national or international scale.
   
   
3. Comprehensive Programs: Offers a wide range of undergraduate, graduate, and professional degree programs across multiple disciplines.
   
   
4. Research Focus: Plays a central role in research and innovation, often housing advanced research facilities and attracting significant funding.
   
   
5. State Representation: Seen as a symbol of the state’s public higher education system, often serving as the primary institution to represent the state nationally and internationally.
   
   
6. Athletics: Frequently associated with a strong emphasis on athletics, particularly in popular college sports like football or basketball.
   
   
7. Large Student Body: Usually has a diverse and sizable student population, often the largest among public institutions in the state.
   

[Jonathan Whatley]

The University of Arizona is described as a flagship university by the Chronicle of Higher Education and by University Business among others.

[LevelUP]

The University of Arizona is described as a flagship university by the Chronicle of Higher Education and by University Business among others.

You can describe the University of Arizona as a flagship university.  You can also describe ASU as well.

I can get citations too.

"Arizona State University is Arizona’s flagship university"

College Vine
https://blog.collegevine.com/best-colleg...ose%20from.

[Jonathan Whatley]

Some states formalize flagship university status. In 2022 New York Governor Kathy Hochul designated SUNY Stony Brook (on Long Island) and SUNY Buffalo as the flagship universities of the State University of New York system. Supporters of SUNY Albany and SUNY Binghamton (both in Central New York) called for them to be named flagship universities too. (Meanwhile, the City University of New York system is separately governed; City College of New York is considered that system's flagship.)

[LevelUP]

Some states formalize flagship university status. In 2022 New York Governor Kathy Hochul designated SUNY Stony Brook (on Long Island) and SUNY Buffalo as the flagship universities of the State University of New York system. Supporters of SUNY Albany and SUNY Binghamton (both in Central New York) called for them to be named flagship universities too. (Meanwhile, the City University of New York system is separately governed; City College of New York is considered that system's flagship.)

There is no hard definition of a flagship university, and some states can have multiple flagship universities. ASU has an enrolment of 75,000, nearly one billion in yearly research and strong athlete programs.

What is a Flagship Institution?
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/what-flag...jeff-doyle

"The best article on this topic was written by Brendan Cantwell (Michigan State U. higher education faculty) and W. Carson Byrd (U. of Michigan academic leader) in the Chronicle of Higher Education (2021) titled, “The ‘Flagship’ Folly - The nautical metaphor is a shoddy classifier of colleges — but a clear signal of higher ed’s obsession with status.”

Cantwell and Byrd conducted an analysis of “350 articles in 12 academic journals since 1980 that used the term “flagship” to refer to colleges. Of those, only 8% of all articles examined included any definition of what constitutes a flagship college.” And they continued, “None of the articles offered a clear and compelling definition of the term.” They concluded by saying that “flagship university is a confusing term, and those of us who work in higher ed should probably avoid it altogether unless we can settle on a clear definition of what it means.”"

[bjcheung77]

Basically, where there are multiple research institutions in the state, it comes down to the 'system' they belong under. There are multiple states that have several flagships... I think these three institutions are huge and have many students, they're good choices, I would stick with the recommended institutions we have, such as the ones on the WIKI.

[Ares]

If you are from a certain state you probably know without looking.

In New Jersey Princeton is the most prestigious and Rutgers would be considered our flagship university.