<p>I'm debating whether to attend Madison or NU this fall. I want to get a good gpa 3.8+ so that i can go to either a top law school or top ibank. I plan on double majoring in music and economics. So, how much harder is it to get a good gpa an NU than it is at UW?</p>
<p>Also, how is the party scene at NU?</p>
<p>I am not familiar with UW-Madison. I understand that NU 2011 had the third largest number of NMF in the US. The figure was something over 200 students which I believe makes up over 10% of the freshman class.</p>
<p>I can give you really good advice on this regard, I'm at Northwestern while three of my very best friends are at UW Madison. And they admittedly agree that they are not exactly academic students at all, all three of them, but have said that they've found college relatively easier than high school even. At Northwestern, on the other hand, people are usually broken into their first Bs, and it is a constant struggle keeping up with the quarter system, the midterms you'll have bascially every other week after week 2 of classes until your finals.</p>
<p>But if you're willing to do the work, I'm sure it'll pay off; I know dozens of seniors last year who got into top ivy law schools, U of Chicago and Northwestern, and a good number of people, I've been told, work at firms like JP Morgan, Allstate and Goldman Sachs.</p>
<p>As for the party scene, I wouldn't worry. Greek life is big here.</p>
<p>UWisconsin is slightly easier than Northwestern, though the social scene is larger and more diverse at UW-Madison.</p>
<p>^ Not if you count partying in Chicago bars & clubs.</p>
<p>^yes, but being 21 will come after 3-years at the college--unless a fake ID is at hand--more likely to be bounced out the door.</p>
<p>I'm guessing that NU will be slightly more difficult.....</p>
<p>You will need to work hard at UW-Madison too if you want to maintain a 3.8+ GPA with a challenging curriculum.</p>
<p>NU is definitely harder in the sense that it has a more rigorous academics. But, keep in mind that U of Wisconsin is slightly a more distracting envrionment: it has endless parties and the overall atmosphere of the student body is really laid back. which means you will have to motivate yourself harder at U of Wisconsin to get a stellar gpa.</p>
<p>UW is not an easy school by any means...I think they'd be equally difficult, give or take. </p>
<p>You have the potential to do well at either. Both have good names.
Just go to the one you like better.</p>
<p>Although it is obviously easier to get into Wisconsin than it is to get into Northwestern, once at the school, I would assume both are equally hard, all things being equal (same major and courses).</p>
<p>Agreed with the above. NU probably isn't much harder, if at all.</p>
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NU is definitely harder in the sense that it has a more rigorous academics.
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Do you know that for a fact, or do you assume so because NU is more selective?</p>
<p>UW tends to grade on a straight curve and you really have to work hard to maintain a straight A. You can challenge yourself and make your curriculum just as rigorous.</p>
<p>Although I am not U of W student, I go to UIUC college of business. This school is at least 2 times easier than my h.s and I have been getting straight A's w/o much effort at all. On the other hand, I have friends who go to Madison and NU. My friends (6 of them) at NU constantly complain about the rigor of the classes as well as agressive workload as a result of quarter systems. Here at U of I, it is really laid back and classes go on w/ very slow pace. My friends at Madison mostly agree with me that their experiences at Madison has been similar to my experiences at U of I. I am just speaking from my personal experiences and my friends' views. But, I highly doubt that Madison is as difficult as NU.</p>
<p>Delivery man, Business is a relatively easy major, compared to say Engineering, Math, Economics or the Sciences. What are your friends at Northwestern and Wisconsin majoring in?</p>
<p>Alexandre:</p>
<p>I agree that Business might not be the hardest major. However, since I took AP Econ in H.S. and AP Calc BC, I took intermediate Microeconomics and Intermediate Macroeconomics this year. (these are required for business) Also, I am currently taking Econ Stats II and ACCY and finance classes. My courseload, as my counselor said, is of sophomore standing and I could graduate in 3 years if I choose to stay here. But, I wanna transfer out of here bc there isn't enough challenge for me here. </p>
<p>3 of my friends at NU are bio majors, 2 are Econ majors, and 1 is journalism major. 2 of my friends at Madison are Econ majors, 1 government major, and 1 is biochemistry major. I know that UIUC engineering is very hard as it is for any other engineering school. But, I believe that in general, at least in liberal arts courses or business courses, NU is harder or at least classes at NU move more rapidly. (more tests, less time.)</p>
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at least classes at NU move more rapidly. (more tests, less time.)
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But then you take only 3 to 4 courses each quarter instead of 5 to 6 each semester (semester credits x 1.8 = quarter credits).</p>
<p>In general, freshman business classes are not so competitive (ACCY is supposed to be the weeder course). Your friend the biochemistry major may have to work harder as he/she has to compete with engineering and premed students in courses like Calc III and organic chemistry.</p>
<p>delivery man, I am not surprised that your friend majoring in Government at Wisconsin is having an easy time. Economics is what you make of it. But I doubt your friend who is majoring in Biochemistry at Wisconsin is having an easier time than your friends majoring in Biology at Northwestern. </p>
<p>Overall, the material convered in a specific course will be similar, whether it is taught at Northwestern or at Wisconsin. </p>
<p>And although quarters are shorter than semesters, one must remember that on average, students typically take fewer than 4 courses by quarter compared to 5 courses per semester.</p>
<p>
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In general, freshman business classes are not so competitive (ACCY is supposed to be the weeder course).
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</p>
<p>Didn't I tell you that I am taking advanced classes for a Freshman? I have talken Intermediate Micro and Macro Econ + Econ Stats I + Econ Stats II. I took Intro Econ(weeder classes) back in H.S. I also took Calc I, Calc 2 back in H.S. All the Econ classes I took this year as Freshman are meant for Sophomores to take originally. Still, these classes are very manageable as long as you do the work. Besides, the curve at this school is overly generous so that you can literally bomb midterms and still walk away with at least a C. </p>
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Economics is what you make of it. But I doubt your friend who is majoring in Biochemistry at Wisconsin is having an easier time than your friends majoring in Biology at Northwestern.
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</p>
<p>I have taken advanced Econ classes at UIUC and most people in these classes walk away with at least Bs bc of the curve. Also, as a Business major, you have to take Econs + finance classes, and I think that these classes are harder than just Econ. Many Econ major don't even take a single math class beyond Calc 2 and basic Stats course anyway. What's so hard about it, then? (of course, you can make it hard by taking hard classes on purpose, such as advanced math classes. But, many Econ majors here at UIUC don't do this anyway.) I am comparing Econ majors at UIUC/Madison to Econ majors at NU. Comparing BioChem major at Madison to bio major at NU wouldn't be fair. Compare it to BioChem major at NU.</p>
<p>Delivery man, getting a C anywhere is easy. Hell, getting a B doesn't usually take much of an effort. I took advanced undergraduate classes at both Michigan and Cornell and Bs always came easy. Getting the A is always tough.</p>
<p>Anyway, you obviously have a perception in your head and you will not let it go until experience has proved otherwise. Go ahead and transfer to a "tougher" school and you'll see that the problem was not the school but your own expectations.</p>