On Thanksgiving weekend in 1984 Boston College and the University of Miami faced each other on the football field, Miami was the defending national champion and Boston was a heavy underdog. With time ticking off the clock quarterback Doug Flutie would throw a pass into the endzone from around seventy yards out thus claiming the surprise victory over Miami. With this pass Doug did more then just win the game, he also did more then solidify his spot has the Heisman Trophy winner, because of that pass, and the win on national television Doug helped Boston College's application numbers go up by twenty-five percent, and giving a name to a phenomenon that would be called the "Flutie Factor".
             The Flutie Factor is the name given for a schools increase in applications after well know success in athletics. Winthrop University benefited enormously as both its baseball and basketball teams made the Division I playoffs last year. Winthrop received coverage from 98 total media outlets, which led to an increase in membership requests for athletic boosters and admissions applications requests. Likewise, Northwestern University also benefited significantly: their athletic success led the nation to discover its academic reputation. The Wildcats' 1996 Rose Bowl year helped prompt a 3,000 percent increase in royalties collected from merchandise sales. Not only have admission applications increased, but sales from merchandise have as well, generating revenue for the university. In addition, national media attention has provided free and very beneficial advertising to alumni and potential students. More recently Maryland finally making it to the Final Four last year along with their amazing success in football this season will effect the number of applications, along with other bonuses like added alumni money, and an increase in recruiting.
             In an article published in The Chronicle of High
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