<p>Good article Barron's, but it made the problem sound so serious when its really not. Everyone here gets along with anohter, and even the out of state students, you really can't tell the division between most kids. Most come from a middle class background, and yes I agree, Wisconsin kids are more down to earth, but coasties are not snobby either and most of them that do come here, are also kind people who get mingled with the environment. More on this topic later, have to get somewhere.</p>
<p>I think most of the people were pretty light-hearted about it. Of course the paper has to play up any angle they can to make it newsy. Are you at UW or looking at it?</p>
<p>Everyone here (students that is), male and female, seem to dress in blue jeans. I'm not sure how you could tell an in-state from an out of state student by the way they dress.</p>
<p>I don't know how anyone is saying that it's lighthearted. This divide is largely why I am taking this semester off just to transfer away from UW. The school is divided into two - </p>
<p>Wisconsin kids - most are from small towns, and definitely think that Madison is the biggest and "coolest" city on Earth... I say this because they're kind of ignorant, not just of urban environments, but of the culture and diversity associated with urban areas. I lived with three Wisconsin natives my sophomore year and heard a fair share of comments I considered racist. I know that these kids didn't mean for them to sound that way, but that is what I mean by their ignorance and lack of urban experience. </p>
<p>A lot of the Wisconsin natives seem to be a bit haughty of the fact that they attend Madison rather than the other UW schools. This bugged me. </p>
<p>These kids are much more down to earth and less concerned about money. However, at the same time because they weren't used to being around people with money, I felt like they assumed that anyone with money thought that they were better than them, and I was often trying to cover up my parents financial status to them. For example, I brought a car my parents newly purchased for me when I was 16... one of the only indications of my financial situation (besides out of state tuition), but I got a few weird, judgmental looks from these kids. </p>
<p>The Coasties - Oppositely, my freshman year I lived in a private dorm (The Towers). I am from an upperclass suburb of a large urban city (not on any of the coasts, though) and, being out of state, was closed out of the dorms. I remember visiting the towers my first day of orientation and already feeling awkward. In high school, I dressed up for school every day, but these girls had obviously spent a good few HOURS getting ready for orientation. When I finally moved to Wisconsin my first semester, I can honestly say it was the worst three months of my life. If a person did not have brown hair (I'm not kidding), a black northface coat, designer sunglasses, and ugg boots, the coasties in the dorms were not friendly to you. I kept to myself that semester, and when I would try to say hi to girls in my hallway, they would give me weird looks and literally not even respond. I am not a socially awkward kid - in high school I was in the "popular" group and had more friends than I knew what to do with. I did quickly find refuge by trying to meet public dorm kids in my classes. At one point I was a pledge for a sorority (despite my proclaimed hatred for the Greek system all throughout high school), but still did not trap myself in that system despite my desperation and dropped out. </p>
<p>All I'm saying is that if one is a coastie, or a wisconsin native, go to Madison and you'll probably love it. But if you're one of the more in the middle people (those from out of state but not cali, chicago, or the east coast), finding a social group is going to be really rough. My best friends were from Florida, Pennsylvania, the Twin Cities and Milwaukee (a lot of Milwaukee kids had trouble adjusting too because of my situation... an urban environment but not on the coast). However, a majority of these kids transferred, and now, here I am, doing the same. </p>
<p>here is an excerpt from a posting on studentsreview.com which I think hits the situation dead on the nose: </p>
<p>"Granted, the town is safe, but the lack of diversity is astounding, and the town seems to be made of people who strive to look the same and act the same- a kind of bland midwestern persona or a annoyingly snooty and arrogrant east coaster. Those two subgroups make up 99.99 percent of the campus. </p>
<p>...As for the social life- honestly students are ambitious and very full of themselves off state street (main street) area...the private dorms are notorious for the eastern metrosexuals and catty girls. Those from the midwest are more layed back and typically have a good sense of humor, but are cliquish with friends from home and go home often if from wisconsin. Parties are everywhere, but there just seems to be something lacking in the scene.</p>
<p>...My experience personally has been nightmarish, though outwardly it might have seemed normal and fun. To live in madison is to live in a classist society..."</p>
<p>Just be careful. This sounds like a kind of stupid situation, and I remember reading about it and hearing about it before I went to Wisconsin and kind of dismissing it. DON'T dismiss this issue - it can really make someone feel so socially out of place it's incredible. I've attended summer programs at numerous other schools and trust me, never anywhere have I felt more awkward than at Madison because of this reason. You get a choice between a bland midwestern kinda country-ish and ignorant persona, or a designer clothes, class-conscious, stuck-up and cliquey persona. There is no in between.</p>
<p>is the whole coasties vs loacls at UW more intense for girls? like do guys get along better than the girls do??</p>
<p>I'd be interested to know that too--if gender makes a difference. My S. was thinking about applying, but who needs to pay OOS rates for that atmosphere?</p>
<p>As a current student, and not one taking a semester off, I can certainly say that while people notice divides (as in, people from the coast may dress or talk differently) as long as you are friendly to everyone, there are no problems. None. I am from the midwest and have friends from LA, Boston, NYC, you name it. Why? Because generally those who decided to be cliquey made their social life that way.</p>
<p>I also want to say that the Towers and Statesider dorms are somewhat like what NicoleT has said. However, there are not only numerous public dorms, but other privates, such as the Langdon. Her situation can be avoided. I honestly believe that the Towers is so... weird... because the doors shut and they do a bad job of getting the kids to meet each other.</p>
<p>The vast majority of people love the UW and would attend again so I think this is way overblown. As a former coastie myself we certainly used to make some fun of the instaters--until we got to know them a little. It's the same at every big state school in the midwest. Most only live in a dorm one year anyway and then you are in a housemate situation where all that crap goes away.
I'm sure Michigan has some of the same issues between the huge NY/NJ crowd and the instaters.</p>
<p>Goblue, it really seems so lol. Barron's, I am a first year fresman here and I take the problem light hearted and barely notice it. If you compare me with the thousands and thousands of students: you really can't separate me from a Wisconsinan, I dress and talk like everyone else here and I am a east coastie. I tend to see that girls anywhere complain more than guys. Yes, there are arrogant people here and it is a large campus, but tell me one campus in America, that doesn't have them NicholeT? The same problem that we are talking about is a much greater problem at UMich-Ann Arbor, upper rich students from the east coast, and suburbs of Detroit, making everyone else mad. In a rural state like Wisconsin, Madison is a hell of a city in most people's eyes. In my eyes, it is one hell of an amazing city even though i got experience with NYC/Philly. People have to find their own groups.niche, true statement to really like it here, a small minority of them don't, and complain about everyting else. </p>
<p>"My experience personally has been nightmarish, though outwardly it might have seemed normal and fun. To live in madison is to live in a classist society." Every college from the east coast to west coast, will have the poor, the middle and the rich and ALL CAMPUSES HAVE ARROGANT PEOPLE. In Madison, most students have pride of their school and of themselves, the small minority who don't makes articles on it and want sympathy of all others. In studentreviews, the people wh would go back is nearly 65%, and judging the more people who complain post on these types of boards, thats really an awesome ratio. My best advice to all prospective students is to go to the school directly, and visit it yourself rather than fighting on cc. Ask students about their feelings, observe it yourself, and then make a judgement.</p>
<p>Yeah, as a follow up, I do agree and would like to say that the Towers is the most extreme dorm in terms of unfriendlyness, and I did notice a more pleasant atmosphere in dorms like the Statesider and especially the Langdon. </p>
<p>And like I said before, in terms of meeting people, the Wisconsin kids are friendly. I just had a lot of trouble relating to them. </p>
<p>Madison is a great city... I chose to attend the school largely because of Madison's reputation. I meant that the kids from Wisconsin are more intimidated by it, and that it seems much more urban to them than someone from a larger city. They seem to think that because they now live in Madison, they are experiencing the world... </p>
<p>I'll be one of the first to say that this is also a significant problem at the University of Michigan. However, I think Madison and Michigan experience this problem to a more significant degree than other midwestern schools. I grew up next to a large public university and this problem doesn't exist there. The problem is that UW and UM are two of the most academically decent public schools in the midwest, which is going to bring in a lot of out of state kids. I would just like to say that this problem IS much more prevelant at UW than other US colleges.... and I've attended summer programs at other schools from around the country and seen nothing like this. I know I sound defensive, I just am upset because I took the posts to heart when I was about to be a freshman that said that this divide wasn't a real problem... it is if you are not one of the two social groups. </p>
<p>A lot of the people commenting on this post are from the East Coast... and if you look at studentsreview.com, a lot of the people commenting there are also "coasties". I understand that this stereotype is offensive, and that not ALL people from the East Coast act this way. I had a friend from NYC who lived in the public dorms and cliqued very well with all of the Wisconsin kids and still lives with them years later. I'd just be more interested in comments from the out of state kids who were in positions similar to mine, rather than being from a coastal state or chicago. </p>
<p>Additionally, the 65 percent from studentsreview.com is one of the lower approval ratings compared to most other schools on that site. Just as an FYI. </p>
<p>And, like I said before, I recommend UW - Madison to anyone from Wisconsin or a coastal state. However, I do NOT recommend this school to someone from other urban environments around the US. And that's just my simple opinion, I'm not forcing anyone to make any decisions. I just was more unaware of this problem than I realized when I first chose to go to Madison. I knew it existed, but read posts (mostly from coastal kids) saying that everyone was friendly and decided to go. The coastal environment did not accept me, and although the Wisconsin kids were incredibly friendly, I could not really relate to them.</p>
<p>Swamifez: You have direct knowledge about U of M--Ann Arbor having a "much greater problem?" I take it you've been a student there and speak from experience? If some of the OOS kids at UW are referred to as coasties, what name do they have for those types at U of M? That's right, there isn't one. Watch out about making sweeping generalizations. That's what got this tedious thread started about UW.</p>
<p>Sorry, I'm posting a lot. But to GoBlueAlumMom - both my parents attended Michigan and it really did not have this problem until recently. They both were surprised when I told them I did not want to apply to transfer there... because I've heard that just recently has this problem moved its way to Ann Arbor</p>
<p>For a FAR more scientific study of UW students feelings than SR try this</p>
<p>This is all ********, i'm a "coastie" and i have tons of friends from wisconsin. Also, yes, there is culture shock, like one would experience anywhere different from where they grew up. Yes, people from Towers are unfriendly, but the beauty of it is that there are like 40,000 other people in the university for you to be friends with.</p>
<p>After graduating here and spending several years in town afterwards, this is the first time I've ever heard that the university is divided into geographically-based cliques.</p>
<p>I am a Minnesota native, but Wisconsinite at heart, I actually am really not very fond of Minnesota at all, except for all my highschool friends. I am not trying to be arrogant, but I come from a wealthy upper middle class neighborhood. My family isn't rich but we are still pretty well off. I have a friend whose parents own airplanes and have huge swimming pools in their yards. However, though this kid has got money, you would never know fromt he way he treats people, and I love him to death (nonsexually of course). However, upon coming to Madison, I definitely noticed the difference between the coasties and the native Sconnies. The Coasties are big a-holes. It isn't the money they have, it's their attitude about it. I find them to be rather unfriendly and arrogant. (The rich people from Illinois are like this too) The people in Towers are a God aweful breed, and I generally avoid them. If you are from the East Coast, don't worry, you will have lots of East Coast friends, but if you want to make friends with small town Wisconsonites, then you will have to do the following.
1. Be more accepting of moderate to conservative viewpoints. Madison is acclaimed as a liberal campus, but remember small town people don't think about issues that rich people do, and there is a large but quiet community that identifies itself moderate, conservative, or apethetic.
2. Drop the attitude. Its not the money, its the attitude. Friendly hellos, goodbyes, and thank yous go a long way in the midwest. Always say please and be considerate when asking for things.
3. Your opinion is just that, an opinion. I am sick of yuppie coasties telling me how things are, when I see life differently.
4. Don't be so critical of small town life. Small town people are not hicks! Drinking beer and shooting deer does not make someone a hick. Many Wisconsonites hunt and fish, and they don't like to hear people tell them how horrible it is to kill animals (unless your a girl, then its okay to say that). Be aware that the midwest has a different culture, and we have different ideas of what fun is.</p>
<p>That said, I have met one Coastie I actually like and I hang with him all the time. I try not to hold a prejudice, but I have met very few that I really like.</p>
<p>I agree with the post above. Madison is known to have a very liberal campus but out of 40k people, not all 40k people are liberal. I myself am moderate. I am a east coastie, and my parents are well off, but you would never know it the way i dress/clothes/or talk to people. I respect everyone here and their views, no matter how crazy or arrogant some people can be. Most people here are open minded, but again some problems can lye with those who are not. And I made an amazing group of friends that I stick with, and the university all of a sudden is smaller to me. My department, molecular bio/independent studies in cancer bio has amazing research facilties and i get along with all the students, most people love to help- the usual hello, how are you, type of things wouldn't hurt either. Its a friendly gesture. </p>
<p>Like everyone else, I go out socially on whatever my freedays are and study my ass of during the week. The courses are challenging no matter what your major is, and the resources are great here. However, a great deal of people do transfer from here to lesser universities (this I have to admit), I know a person who went back to NJ and Rutgers and another to UW-Whitewaters. Most people i talk to love it here, but some do not and transfer back which is perfectly fine in today's world. </p>
<p>You have to be top of things in world wide known research school, because no one is going to feed it to you, and if you get your courses on time, etc. etc. Many students do not understand the difficulty of a world wide known research school and fail to grasp the concept. Every type of person imaginable is here, and if you do not find your niche here, you are definitely an alien. Talk to your adviser, what you want to do, you'll be fine. I have had no major problems here so far and do not think I will. Good luck to you all.</p>
<p>Ahh, these posts are starting to scare me! I'm from a suburb of St. Paul, Minnesota, applying to Madison and I completely understand these sterotypes... I was just hoping that people weren't like this anymore by college! I went overseas this summer with a program that was mainly people from out east and although I made friends, I never felt that I was being myself. Upon everyone meeting, I was the one shaking hands and saying 'hi' as anyone here would do but I got so many sidelong glares and comments behind my back for having common courtesy. I don't mean to sterotype but from my experience, the "coasties" tend to be more cold at first and talk behind your back instead of confronting the issues they may have with you. As I said, I ended up making friends and most of the girls were very nice but they did sooo much talking behind backs than I was used to at home. It just really turned me off from east coast schools even though I had always planned to go to Boston since I have lots of family there.</p>
<p>What suberb of St. Paul? I'm from Woodbury. And what school?</p>
<p>Don't worry about the coasties. Apply to the University dorms, NOT the Private Res Halls, and pretty much everyone will be from the midwest. I have very little if any contact with any of them that I do not like.</p>
<p>Apply to Sellery or Witte for nicer rooms, Ogg Hall is really crappy, but I guarantee you will have a good time, I think the people in Ogg know how to have fun. It will be the last year for it though, and I don't even know if people will be living in it, I am not sure what the deal is, but I know they are gonna blow it up soon. Don't apply to lakeshore dorms or you will be walking a long way, and though it is nice and peaceful on that side of campus, I think it would suck to live there.</p>