I have been admitted to both IU and Wisconsin. I plan to study business and have been also admitted to Kelley and the business school at Wisconsin. I grew up loving Indiana and being a Hoosier fan, yet still I can not decide which school to attend. I loved the campus of Wisconsin and know many people there, however I have more friends at Indiana. Wisconsin to me at least is a much better school in general which is making my decision hard. Where should I go?
How much scholarship did they give you at IU? Are you in their honors college, too?
Kelley is an equally strong business school, but the average student at Wisconsin is a good level stronger - even stronger than the Kelley group. I am a firm believer that the company you keep is critical, but they do put the Kelley kids up on a pedestal - and in a bubble (for better or for worse).
There is no good answer, so go where you fit better socially.
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I didn’t get money for either, but I will fit in socially better at IU
Then you should feel great going there. It is a solid school and an even better business school. I would not waiver on your decision for a second. Have fun and say hi to my niece.
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Don’t look at what money they gave you, look at NET COST for each.
Can you list the result for
IU’s (tuition, fees, room, board) - (grants, scholarships) =
UW’s (tuition, fees, room, board) - (grants, scholarships) =
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You are right, but I was just curious as a datapoint.
Direct admit to Kelley with a lot of money and honors and a direct admit business to Wisconsin no honors, no money, yet. Leaning Wisconsin bc overall better academically, but Kelley seems to have an amazing reputation. Just not impressed with the type of student in none biz classes. Opinions, thoughts? I want the best opportunity when I graduate. Socially I am fine with either, I know enough people at both.
In what part of the country do you live? IMO your assessment is directionally correct, but if I can be equally blunt… they are both midwestern state colleges (not Michigan) with solid reputations. Neither is a “change your life door opener.” Kelley may give you the better opportunities when you graduate, but Wisconsin has a greater academic brand in the northeast (why I ask where you are from). I am not sure Wisconsin academics are truly better (who says?), but they do accept a stronger applicant and admit a much lower % of applicants. I think if you are a school snob, which many people tend to be, go to Wisconsin. I also do understand “the company you keep” argument but IU has truly created its own closed off world with Kelley - not sure if that’s truly good or bad. My gut, however, is the opportunities when you graduate will be more similar than different so you would truly be better off taking the money from IU.
Georgia. I got into UGA and waiting on UF. I just wanted something new. Feel like Wisconsin is similar to UGA, northern.
you should not answer an OP’s question by posting your own, it’s called “hijacking” and it’s considered bad forum manners.
==> you should create your own thread, because you’re getting posters confused - this is sam1248’s thread, who’s in a different situation than yours.
You are right. I got confused - lol.
We are from Indiana, and my kid went to Wisconsin, so we are familiar with those choices! I don’t see a significant difference socially between the two schools, so I’d hesitate to say a person would fit better in at one or the other – unless you are in-state for Indiana and will have lots of high school friends around you. Greek life is more popular at IU than at UW, though still totally avoidable at IU, if that’s what someone wants. Wisconsin is colder but – to me and my kid – more beautiful than IU, who wouldn’t love going to school on a lake, with sailing and skating? Both schools do a good job of attracting kids from outside the state, though my sense is that perhaps more east and west coast kids go to UW than may go to IU – but that’s just thinking about my own kid’s friend group.
Madison has a fairly active start up and tech culture, plus is home (well, technically, just outside of the city limits) to Epic, a major software company. So for school-year internships, there may be more options in Madison for someone interested in business. Bloomington is a town, about an hour from Indy and the airport depending on traffic, so any school-year internships and activities have to happen in B’ton. Of course, Kelley School has a stronger reputation than UW B school, and if someone were interested in the renowned Kelley investment banking program - and got admitted to it – that would be a game changer.
I’m confused where the OP is from so this may not be relevant but – our kid, who had lived in Indiana for most of his school years – preferred Wisconsin because it got him out of the state and into a completely new environment. He loved the bustle of the high rise dorms, the busy-ness of campus. Other students may love the bucolic nature runs along the Lake. What we came to appreciate was how UW could work for all kinds of different students.
But, if a student were instate for Kelley, it would be very hard to turn that down. Or OOS with some merit money at Kelley, that would be hard to turn down too.
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I like both schools, but if it were up to me, I would choose Wisconsin. Love the town, which is much better than Bloomington. There is much more to do in Madison, and Chicago is 2.5 vs 4 hours away. Nothing like spending a summer swimming in Lake Mendota and hanging on the deck of the Union.
The political atmosphere is different. IU is a more centrist to slightly right school, like the state. Wisconsin is definitely a progressive school.
IU’s business school is top notch, but Wisconsin’s is good too. The average student outside of the business school is more accomplished at Wisconsin than Indiana.
Really depends on what you want out of the university experience. Can’t really go wrong with either school.
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