Now that the admission decisions and Fin Aid info are here, which is the obvious choice?
UW-Twin and Lawrence have the same out of pocket cost (loans of 6,500). UW-Eau Claire is a bit less (mainly because it cosst less overall).
Is there an obvious choice for a currently undecided major?
Your comments are greatly appreciated.
<p>It really depends on what you are looking for in a school. As far as rankings go, I would place them as Lawrence - UM - UWEC. But they are all pretty different places. Lawrence has 1200 students, UM has something like 35,000, and UWEC is in between. Appleton is a very different place from the Twin Cities, although more like Eau Claire. What attracted you to each of these schools in the first place? If you really like spectator sports and want a Big 10 experience, then go to UM. If you want small classes and a cozy atmosphere (along with great music opportunities) go to Lawrence. If Lawrence seems too small and UM too big, the UWEC is a good choice. I assume you have visited all 3?</p>
<p>Shennie,</p>
<p>thank you for your comments. UW-Eau Claire and UM-Twin Cities were safeties schools (the choice set was regional, all schools within driving distance to Madison, WI).</p>
<p>Lawrence feels like a best choice, but it seems like it might be just a bit too small. Music classes unfortunately are of no significance.</p>
<p>You can get an excellent education at any of these schools. If you think Lawrence will be too small, then you should seriously look at the other 2, even if they are safties. Both have a lot to offer and you sound like you will be happier with a larger school. Also, if you have no idea what you want to major in, going to a larger school will give you more opportunities to explore different things.</p>
<p>it depends on what kind of school you are looking for.
small liberal arts college or big univ with huge ppl</p>
<p>"Also, if you have no idea what you want to major in, going to a larger school will give you more opportunities to explore different things."</p>
<p>There is truth in this statement, but I believe the quality of this exploration may be higher at a small, selective LAC, particularly when it comes to selecting a major. At the U of M (where I went to graduate school), initial exploration of academic areas may all be done in 100+ classes taught by TAs. At Lawrence, it will be more likely to happen in much smaller classes where it is easier to get the attention of a professor, even if you are not a declared major.</p>
<p>If you are torn between two areas of study, you may be able to get into some more engaging coursework at the U of M before making a major decision. But if you are really undecided and need to check out a variety of disciplines, I'd go LAC. </p>
<p>That said, if you go to the U definitely check out the Psychology department (not my area of study) and the Geography department. They both rock. Political science is excellent too, as is Business.</p>