<p>What are the best colleges in the midwest with the greatest overall college experience(academics, people, most fun, possibly sports)?</p>
<p>Michigan
Wisconsin
Illinois
Indiana
Ohio St.</p>
<p>Basically the Big 10 Schools.</p>
<p>And the Big 12 schools - Missouri, Kansas, Nebraska, Iowa, Iowa State, Oklahoma. Maybe not on the same academic plane as Michigan and Wisconsin, they're certainly better than Ohio State (what do you call someone who drives through Columbus Ohio? An Ohio State Graduate...zing)</p>
<p>In general terms, all are going to be similar, but each will have their own unique factors that may make them better or worse places for an individual. For example, I know Wisconsin has some great programs (i was a sociology major and I know they're really good up there) but everyone I've ever met from Madison was able to drink me under the table (even when I was in my prime) two or three times over. From my friend who is a Michigan grad, he certainly supports his teams, but it's not on the same level as most people from Nebraska (ie travel to bowl games, sellouts in other sports, etc). So it's really all going to come down to things like what's more your attitude about those specific type things - are sports more important? Academics? Partying? Do you want a strong Greek system or not? Are you looking for a bigger city (Lincoln, NE or Norman OK)or a quaint college town (Bloomington IN)? There should be plenty of variety among the big schools (and that doesn't even get into the smaller ones...)</p>
<p>IMO the best schools in the midwest probably go something like this </p>
<p>U of Chicago
Northwestern
WUSTL
Notre Dame
Michigan
Grinnell
UW
Macalester
U of I
Case Western Reserve
Oberlin
Purdue
Indiana
Iowa
Michigan State
Marquette
Ohio State</p>
<p>Michigan, Northwestern, UChicago, and Notre Dame are the top schools in the midwest.</p>
<p>Academically, there are many amazing choices:</p>
<p>Carleton College
Carnegie Mellon University (yes, I know, it is in PA, but I consider Pittsburgh to be Midwestern)
Grinnell College
Macalester College
Northwestern University
Oberlin College
University of Chicago
University of Michigan-Ann Arbor
University of Notre Dame
University of Wisconsin-Madison
Washington University-St Louis</p>
<p>There are many others that are excellent colleges and universities, like ALL of the rest of the Big 10 schools, University of Pittsburgh, Miamo of Ohio, Case Western, Kalamazoo College, Kenyon, Denison, Wabash, Lawrence University, Beloit, St. Olaf etc...</p>
<p>It is hard to say which one will suit you best because we are all different. If you want a university that mixes athletics, academics, lively college town and socializing, Michigan-Ann Arbor and Wisconsin-Madison are hard to beat.</p>
<p>top 9 in no particular order, the rest are just not worth mentioning.</p>
<p>uchicago
northwestern
carleton
grinnell
oberlin
wustl
michigan
notre dame
macalester</p>
<p>I agree with all the previous posts... except the one on that Nebraska has better academics and sports than Ohio State. Maybe Nebraska has a few fields where they excell in but Ohio State is a far more prestigious educational institute than Nebraska. Probobly even better than Iowa in the overal as well.</p>
<p>In looking at schools in the Midwest that have a great blend of academics, people, fun and sports, the choices depend on the academic and sports level that you are expecting. Many of the aforementioned state unis meet all of your requirements (U Michigan, U Wisconsin, etc.), but if your academic needs are more flexible, then the list certainly expands to include schools ranked modestly lower like U Illinois, OSU, U Pitt, Miami OH, Purdue, U Iowa, etc. </p>
<p>As for sports, you will find a very different (and much smaller) sports program at schools like Carleton, CMU, Grinnell, Oberlin, WashU, Macalester, etc. Great academic schools all, but athletically in a wholly different category from the larger Big 10 and Big 12 schools. Sports plays a large role in the life of these major universities and I am interpreting your original statement to mean that this is what you favor. If I read you right, I would steer you away from Carleton, CMU et al. </p>
<p>And for fun, most of the Big 10 and Big 12 schools offer a diverse and lively assortment of social opportunities, including some of the country's most active Greek and party scenes. </p>
<p>Big 10-Northwestern and U Chicago are a little different from what you might find at most of the other Big 10 and Big 12 schools. Both are terrific academically, but athletically NW and U Chicago are much smaller and have much less athletic tradition (esp U Chicago). At NW and U Chicago, social life is reportedly acceptable for most of their students, but it is certainly a different flavor than what you might find in places like Madison and Ann Arbor and more dependent on the social opportunities found off-campus in the city of Chicago. </p>
<p>Based on my interpretation of the criteria that you favor, I would suggest 1a and 1b. Michigan and Wisconsin 2. Northwestern</p>
<p>
[quote]
And the Big 12 schools - Missouri, Kansas, Nebraska, Iowa, Iowa State, Oklahoma. Maybe not on the same academic plane as Michigan and Wisconsin, **they're certainly better than Ohio State<a href="what%20do%20you%20call%20someone%20who%20drives%20through%20Columbus%20Ohio?%20An%20Ohio%20State%20Graduate...zing">/b</a>
[/quote]
Comments like this irritate me...</p>
<p>Iowa is in the Big Ten, not the Big 12.</p>
<p>US News Peer Assessment:
Ohio State - 3.7
Missouri - 3.3
Kansas - 3.3
Iowa State - 3.3
Nebraska - 3.1
Oklahoma - 3</p>
<p>US News overall ranking:
Ohio State - 57
Iowa State - 81
Missouri - 88
Kansas - 88
Nebraska - 98
Oklahoma - 112</p>
<p>cj:</p>
<p>A number of people here didn't read your post, obvioulsy. The way YOU define "greatest overall college experience" clearly points to the Big 10 schools. The old Big 8 schools (the part of the Big 12 that could even be remotely associated with the "Midwest") are generally not on an academic par with the Big 10 schools, though the University of Colorado probably comes closest (and I wouldn't place Boulder, CO in the Midwest, personally).</p>
<p>There are exceptions when it comes to particular programs, of course. </p>
<p>If you're a big partier, look very closely at Wisconsin. If you're a big partier but don't want quite the high-intensity party atmosphere of UW, look at Michigan. If you don't have the stats for either, look at Illinois. After that, I think just about any of the Big 10 would fit your criteria with the possible exception of Purdue, which is an engineering school first and foremost.</p>
<p>We seem to have missed U of Minneota - Twin Cities.
It's also in the Big Ten.
US News overall Ranking: 67
US News Peer Assessment: 3.8</p>
<p>True... we missed Minn and nice post Wolves</p>
<p>U Minn sports are in the crapper, it's a huge commuter school, and you just don't get the campus social experience of an Ann Arbor or Madison there.</p>
<p>Big 10 owns Little 12. :D</p>
<p>Michigan
Northwestern
Wash U in STL</p>
<p>
[quote]
Big 10 owns Little 12.
[/quote]
</p>
<p>Well, at least the Big 12 knows how to count! ;-)</p>
<p>ouch</p>
<p>Big 10 and the ACC are by far the best Conferences for Academics and Sports combined. Pac 10 follows and then all those other bla bla bla bla... Pac 10 is very top heavy.</p>
<p>Too few people had UChicago on their list - is that even objective?
It's like asking for best Northeastern schools and not including a few Ivies.</p>
<p>
[quote]
Too few people had UChicago on their list - is that even objective?
[/quote]
</p>
<p>Read the OP's original post. He/she wants sports and lots of fun. I'd say that the U of C doesn't really qualify, and I think that anyone who phrased the question that way would not really like the U of C.</p>