<p>On the Wisconsin question – UW has a very strong Econ dept, I recall top 10 or top 20, depending on what rankings you look at. While UW is known for being a party school (I should know, my son is there), it is entirely possible to go through UW on a different path. One can live in Lakeshore neighborhood, join academic clubs, get research funding as an undergrad to work with faculty etc. </p>
<p>The winters are long and cold – we are from the midwest, and my son reports Madison is colder, for longer, than he is used to. But, campus sits on a lake, with lots of blue sky, cold winter days. Not the brutal wind you get in Chicago, but certainly cold. </p>
<p>Madison is more manageable as a city – as the state capital, there is lots going on, but it is not a big city. </p>
<p>The application does include one or two essays, so there is some commitment involved in applying. With rolling admissions, if your app is in by Nov 1, you should hear by end of December – while many students are postponed until Jan-March cycle, the applicants with the highest statistics tend to be admitted during that first admission cycle. Financially, it doesn’t hurt that tuition is about $27,000 instead of the typical $43,000 or so for the private universities. </p>
<p>Good luck, it sounds like you have some solid safeties on your list.</p>