I am an out of state student (from Illinois). I got a fairly substantial scholarship from Michigan State (18,000 a year as well as an invitation to the honors college) and I got nothing from Wisconsin, however I know that academically Wisconsin is the superior school. I plan on getting an economics degree from whichever school I attend. I could really use some input from current students or alumni to help me make my decision.
Hmm, well it depends what your goals are. Wisconsin’s economics department is significantly better than MSU, but MSU does have some strong disciplines, alumni, etc. If you are considering graduate school, while MSU’s offer can leave you better off financially, study and research in UW’s prominent department has the capacity to advance you further.
It may come down to your family financial situation – what can your family afford? And you may be able to qualify for Wisconsin’s honors program as well, as most admitted students are eligible. At UW it is more about intellectual curiosity, rigor and individual effort, rather than purely stat-based. Though you may need to wait a year / cycle to apply, if the deadline for UW honors has already passed for fall semester.
What about economics at UIUC? Is that a possibility if finances are tight? You may not want to attend, but the quality would probably be better for your field than MSU. If finances are more ample in your situation, Wisconsin may be worth it.
The Honors College at MSU offers great opportunities. Are you looking at econ in the social sciences, or doing business in Eli Broad?
Econ is better at Wisconsin for grad school, but there is no reason to think that MSU isn’t just as good for undergrads.
The Wisconsin econ department used to not focus much on their undergrads but that has changed in recent years. MSU has a strong program for undergrad econ majors.