Does the campus feel like a campus?

Colleges and Universities A-Z University of Wisconsin
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<p>Well, I am having a really really really hard time deciding whether I should go to University of Minnesota (Minneapolis/st. paul) or University of Wisconsin. I have heard a ton of good things about University of Wisconsin....but, there are also a lot of good things about University of Minnesota. However....It seems like i'm getting conflicting information.</p>

<p>Many people say they like University of Wisconsin because of how personal it (or something like that, that may be a bad way to describe it), being that it feels like a university, that there are people who stay there on the weekends and live on campus, and that the campus makes the city. However, a post I made on on University of Minnesota facebook group asking why they choose minnesota over wisconsin (for those in my situation), one person said the following:

[quote]
at first, i had the same dilemma. I live 20 minutes south of Madison, so going to UW was almost a given last year. However, after I toured the campuses and compared the two, Minnesota was clearly the better choice. They both offer great educations, but the big drawback for me at UW was how crowded it was. I mean, you drive on University Ave and you're right in the middle of campus! To me, there's no unity on campus, no "college feel" because there are so many commuters and roads running right through campus. There's so much traffic and other things going on, when you visit it doesn't really feel like a university so much as a place that has classes spread out over a metropolitan downtown. I picked Minnesota because it is a major university that still has the campus feeling, and the campus unity. Hope this helps!

[/quote]

I have visited the Minnesota campus and it does indeed feel like a campus...it's like it's own little town. I really liked it and thought it looked great.<br>
As for Madison, I have not visited them yet, HOWEVER, I have been there for High School state forensics and thus saw a little bit of the campus (since, it took place there). It didn't feel like a campus or look like a campus...I felt like I was in some downtown metropolis area. Additionally, I have been looking at a ton of pictures at <a href="http://photos.news.wisc.edu%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://photos.news.wisc.edu&lt;/a> and am seeing the same thing. For example, take a look at the engeerning buildings --> <a href="http://photos.news.wisc.edu/view.php?id=7187%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://photos.news.wisc.edu/view.php?id=7187&lt;/a> . </p>

<p>However, there are also some very beutifull spots that Minnesota doesn't have at all (however, I still thought Minnesota had a very nice looking campus), but when considering just the campus as a whole, it seems kind of not like a school, butsome buildings scattered througout a town.</p>

<p>So, what do you guys think? It'd be nice for people who have been there who could comment. The thing is, even if I visit there (and I hopefully will), I still don't think I can make a overtly great evaluation of the school and how i'd really like it.</p>

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<p>Because of the Lakeshore dorms, UW always felt more like a campus to me. However, I really think it comes down to the person. If you visit UW and it just doesn't feel right to you, then ultimately you should go to the U of Minnesota. Everyone has their own opinion on this thing; on the UW forum especially you're going to hear people say U of W is a better campus, so perhaps you should post on both forums to get both sides of the story.</p>

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<p>I visited the campus a few days ago. The lakeshore area or northwest part of campus is very nice. You have a great view of the lake, nice dorms, and lots of green space. The southeast part of campus is more urban and is very crowded. Some buildings look very nice on campus like around Bascom Hill, but other buildings look very ugly and are just bland, 1970s, concrete types.</p>

<p>Yeah, you should visit UW for yourself to see if it feels right to you.</p>

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<p>UW's campus is more ivy league-ish. UMN's is more like a town.</p>

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<p>well, after looking through a lot more pictures, I'm starting to see that there is a lot more to the campus and town than just a couple not as appealing "traficy", overtly-crowded area. The lake-side residence areas look beautiful. Even though UW-Madison dosen't seem as much like a "little campus town" like Minnesota, the area as a whole seems very interesting and since it's at the capital, some interesting things with politics are bound to happen. Still a really tough decision between the two schools :S</p>

<p>sorry for my rambling....I'm sort of using these posts as a way to collect my thoughts and help me make a decision between the two schools.</p>

<p>
[quote]
UW's campus is more ivy league-ish. UMN's is more like a town.

[/quote]

What do you mean by ivy league-ish? I guess I haven't really looked at those types of schools or been to them to understand what you mean.</p>

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<p>Does walking across the river to get from one part of campus to another in Minn or from St Paul to Mpls make a difference? I know they have a covered walkway, but some dorms are across the river from some classes. Do people stay or go home weekends? I don't understand where you get a sense of commuters in Madison, unless you feel students living off campus are such, not the living at parents' home type. All of the classroom buildings and dorms are contiguous in Madison. UW has both city feel parts and traditional low vehicle/high pedestrian traffic areas with a lot of grassy spaces. Madison is a college town, the university dominates that area of Madison beyond the campus borders. University Ave between classes is student/pedestrian dominated, drivers know it is not the street of choice for ease in getting anywhere! The Lakeshore path, Union Terrace, Picnic Point, Bascom Hill, Observatory Drive- all places to hang out on campus away from city life...</p>

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<p>Well, I'm not sure if you have been to UMN or not, but the campus is ...just the campus. There are no roads that anyone not involved with the campus uses and it looks like it's own little seperated town, completely seperate from the city of minneapolis. EDIT: Ok....according to what you said, people not involved with the campusare not using those roads ....it's hard to explain I guess, though, I frankly don't care and didn't exactly dislike it though.</p>

<p>However, after reading so many comments (not just from this board, but from individuals and other forums) as well as looking about about 3000+ photos on UW-Madison's photo gallery, I'm starting to think that I like how it is so integreated with the city.</p>

<p>
[quote]

Does walking across the river to get from one part of campus to another in Minn or from St Paul to Mpls make a difference? I know they have a covered walkway, but some dorms are across the river from some classes. Do people stay or go home weekends? I don't understand where you get a sense of commuters in Madison, unless you feel students living off campus are such, not the living at parents' home type.

[/quote]

Well, much of what I have said are paraphrases of other people's opinions...Maybe i'm explaining the "community" thing wrong...since, I don't exactly mean it quite so litterly. Also, I like taking nice walks (or rollarblading)...I'd be doing that at either campus though (probally more at Madison). I'm assuming commuters = community in your quote by the way...</p>

<p>I did get the initial impresion that it seemed somewhat like it was just in the middle of the city...but...I also think it was just that particular area. I don't know if I fully agree with the person in the quote I gave though...</p>

<p>EDIT: This post is kind of aimless :S Too sleepy to collect my thoughts properly I guess.</p>

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<p>I'm gonna hijack this thread for a second to ask what you guys would think about my particular situation: although I like U of Minn, I prefer U of Wisconsin for the "less cityish" campus and atmosphere". However, going to U of Wisconsin would probably mean taking out a maximum stafford loan and I'm guessing another 3000 private loan. I'm not sure what I really plan to do in the future; its going to be something in education so in the end I might just teach.</p>

<p>Considering U of Minn will let me go debt free, i think its the obvious choice for me. However, I really really like U of W and so am reluctant to give it up. What would you guys do in my situation? I know I said earlier U of Minn is where I'm going, but recently I've been second-guessing that decision..</p>

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<p>sorry... I really should've started a different thread but I figured some of the things mentioned would be relevant to the original question.</p>

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<p>If you can get through college debt free, I dont think its an option NOT to go to UMinn. I mean if you like the campus and the atmosphere, I would definitly go there and save a whole lot of money. That will set you up alot better after you graduate.</p>

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<p>Well, considering i'm liking both schools almost equally, I'd go with whatever was considerably cheaper.</p>

<p>There is something that is confusing me though. Why is Minnesota cheaper than Wisconsin for you? Minnesota and Wisconsin have a reciprocity agreement, so you should be paying the same price to go to Wisconsin as you would Minnesota. If you are in neither of the states, I'm surprised there isn't another reciprocity agreement, but then again, I think Wisconsin only has a reciprocity agreement with Minnesota :S</p>

<p>I'd decide by asking yourself is the extra money to go to UW-Madison really worth it and what would "I" be missing by going to UMN. Frankly, they are both neat schools with interesting areas and beautiful campuses.</p>

<p>EDIT: by the way, feel free to hijack my thread :-P Also, for your information, there is an edit button...which I tend to abuse a lot also :S Though, double posting is sometimes appropriate.</p>

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<p>thanx for the advice (although more opinions are always welcome :)
I'm from IL and that's the main reason U of Minn is so much cheaper for me (OOS tuition got lowered a TON this year I believe, I expect they'll get more OOS students) . Plus, I got a lot in scholarships from U of Minn.</p>

<p>The one thing I haven't mentioned affecting my decision is that U of Minn is 6 hours from home; U of W a little more than 1. Although I'm not sure I wanna be so close to home, I really worried about heading out that far from my parents and all my extended family.</p>

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<p>UW-Ma is about 1500 dollars more in tuiton for Minnesota residents with the reciprocity agreement. So about the same as Wisconsin residents pay.</p>

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<p>
[quote]
The one thing I haven't mentioned affecting my decision is that U of Minn is 6 hours from home; U of W a little more than 1. Although I'm not sure I wanna be so close to home, I really worried about heading out that far from my parents and all my extended family.

[/quote]

to tell you the truth, one factor leaning me towards madison is the fact that it is a 5.5+ hour drive from my home versus a 3 hour drive....I'd rather be as far away as possible from home :S</p>

<p>If I were you, I'd stick with no the no debt option....both schools are great from what I have heard and I think you'll enjoy it at either place. Now, if you absolutely hate the city then maybe you should consider someplace other than minneapolis, but otherwise...yeah.</p>

<p>
[quote]
I prefer U of Wisconsin for the "less cityish" campus and atmosphere".

[/quote]

When I visited UMN it seems like the campus is very separated from the city...I didn't feel like I was in the city while on campus...I felt the complete opposite during the few times I was on the wisconsin campus (not a full visit though...just state forensics...so...this is somewhat biased).</p>

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<p>Go where you feel most comfortable</p>

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<p>
[quote]
Go where you feel most comfortable

[/quote]

But what do you do when you feel comfortable at both places?</p>

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<p>Flip a coin? Seriously, you'll know which side you want to land face up while the coin is still in the air. There's your answer. :)</p>

<p>As to the original question, the eastern half of UW felt very "city" to me and the western half felt more like a campus. I didn't care much for all of the traffic whizzing by on the east end of campus. But the way I see it, you get the best of both worlds - city and country, as it were. Now, if you prefer your campus to be more isolated - in its own space - from the rest of the community, I don't think UW has that feel. Some of the other campuses we have visited felt more like traditional college campuses to me. But that's not in itself a good or bad thing, just different.</p>

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<p>
[quote]
Flip a coin? Seriously, you'll know which side you want to land face up while the coin is still in the air. There's your answer.

[/quote]

I've been tempted to do so :-P Though, a month and a half ago I would have hoped it would land on Minnesota, but now Madison...I'm worried in another week I'll go back to wanting to go to Minnesota :S</p>

<p>
[quote]
As to the original question, the eastern half of UW felt very "city" to me and the western half felt more like a campus. I didn't care much for all of the traffic whizzing by on the east end of campus. But the way I see it, you get the best of both worlds - city and country, as it were. Now, if you prefer your campus to be more isolated - in its own space - from the rest of the community, I don't think UW has that feel. Some of the other campuses we have visited felt more like traditional college campuses to me. But that's not in itself a good or bad thing, just different.

[/quote]

One thing I do like about UW-Madison is it seems a lot easier to get onto state street and the rest of the city. There are free bus passes and it's easy enough to take a walk to parts of the city...while...with Minnesota you pretty much have to take the bus to get off campus and if you want to go off campus to get a coffee or something (even though I don't even like coffee....I like the coffee cakes though :-P) it's sort of impractical at Minnesota.</p>

<p>I should just send in an acceptance form right now and stop agonizing over this :S</p>

<p>EDIT: Yup, absolutely no luck finding anywhere where I go buy Figls...oh well, looks like I'll be walking or possibly biking (I haven't biked in years though. :S).</p>

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<p>If you walk out to Picnic Point ON the UW campus you will feel like you are in a state park with a great view of the city. The main part of campus--about 85% is north of U Ave and very campus like with no thru traffic. The parts to the south are more like an urban school. You really don't notice it after a month.</p>

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<p>
[quote]
EDIT: Yup, absolutely no luck finding anywhere where I go buy Figls...oh well, looks like I'll be walking or possibly biking (I haven't biked in years though. :S).

[/quote]

Opps, sorry...that was suspose to be an edit for a completely different forum and I can't edit it out of my post now :S</p>

<p>Figls were a sort of ski that would attach to any boot.</p>