cow college

noun

, Informal.

1. an agricultural college.
2. a small, relatively unknown rural college.

Word History and Origins

Origin of cow college¹

First recorded in 1910–15

Idioms and Phrases

An agricultural college; any small, relatively unknown rural college. For example, He's never published a paper, but he might do all right in some cow college . This term uses cow in the somewhat pejorative sense of “provincial.” [c. 1910]

Example Sentences

There’s no cash cow college tournament for broomball.

From Wall Street Journal

He succeeded in quietly transforming the “cow college” in rural Blacksburg into a sprawling university that expanded to include colleges of architecture, arts and sciences, and education.

From Washington Post

On Saturday, Auburn takes on Alabama, whose fans refer to their state rival as a “cow college” and to its supporters as barners.

From Slate

Such is life at the ultimate cow college: The locals may not want anything to do with the in-state rival, even when its flavor tastes great, but that is why the dairy store — which has a mission to train the ice cream makers and cheesemakers of tomorrow — offers options like Nittany White Out, which is vanilla ice cream with a salted caramel swirl and pieces of white-chocolate-covered pretzels.

From New York Times

The lowly Big Ten, from the cow college in Michigan that didn't get Jim Harbaugh and the spotlight was a testimony to how good you've become.

From New York Times