<p>Hi, I don't post very much but I really need some help and advice. I have limited my college choices down to U of Minnesota-twin cities, U of Michigan Ann Arbor, and U of Wisconsin and I am completely torn. (FYI: I am going to be a pre-pharm major) I really don't have much of an idea what each campus is like or what makes them different because I am unable to visit any of them due to hard financial situations. Any one who has visitied, or goes to, any of these schools that could give me their input would be greatly appreciate. If you could mention things like dorms, honors programs, food, aesthetics, social life etc. that would be great too. Thanks.</p>
<p>I've not been on Michigan's campus, but I can tell you that I like Madison's campus MUCH more than the Minnesota's.....Madison kind of has its own little section whereas U of M is totally a part of downtown Minneapolis.....I guess it's whatever you like, but I personally liked the feel of Madison the school and city much better.</p>
<p>Read the CC posts about UW for the past year or 3. Dorm food at UW is no minimum purchase required- good selection. Liberal, lakeshore... You need to make a list of your priorities and compare each school. Check out hteir websites and Google Earth for views of each town/campus.</p>
<p>Honestly, I really love Ann-Arbor (I have lived in Madison for 17 years, except for 6 months I worked in Ann-Arbor). The UMich campus doesn't have the lakes, but in my opinion the rest of it is much better than UW. The best non-chain, non expensive restaurant in Madison would probably make the top 10 in Ann Arbor. It was hard to come back to Madison after my research was done. </p>
<p>Ann Arbor is also progressive (a bit of more insular than Madison), and if Detroit interests you it is never boring.</p>
<p>The fish frys in Madison are outstanding for the $$$. Madison also has a lots better selection of bars. Better performing arts center, a better farmers market, a cool zoo and the lakes really have to count for a lot. UW's union>>>>>>>>>>UM's.</p>
<p>Wisconsin has a beautiful campus. I was accepted but I am not going. My sister attends as do some friends. It is not a school helpful to undergraduates. Academic help is hard to get and all the people I know who go there tell me that the professors are difficult to talk with limited office hours.</p>
<p>If in-state for Michigan, you should probably go there. Many people say Michigan is a better school academically than Wisconsin. I don't know what Minnesota would offer over the other two other than the fact that St. Paul is really nice, although a friend of mine's daughter chose it because she liked the vibe better.</p>
<p>My Badger daughter has gotten tons of help from TAs and a reasonable amount from the professors.</p>
<p>Are all three programs pre-pharmacy or does one offer a six year PharmD program? If one does, that should make your decision easier.</p>
<p>If Michigan is in state, go to Michigan.</p>
<p>Otherwise, go to Madison.</p>
<p>You can get a fine education at all the schools. Probably the order of preference would be: Ann Arbor, Madison, MN.</p>
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I am unable to visit any of them due to hard financial situations
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<p>However, I highly counsel you, especially given your financial situation, to go to the cheapest to attend, after grants and scholarships, but before loans.</p>
<p>University of Michigan- Ann Arbor, though University of Wisconsin may be more fun ( including academics) and more college campus like.</p>
<p>i LOVE the u of minnesota campus!!
I like how there's always a lot of people there and when the
weather's nice, it's fun walking down by the mall area studying
in the grassy areas where people play football && frisbee.
i just think it's a really nice campus because i really like the city.</p>
<p>the social life is great and it's really easy to meet a lot of people.
dorms and food are okay... if you stay in the honors dorm in west bank they have really nice dorms with the best food.</p>
<p>i have quite a few friends and my brother as well, chose mn over madison.</p>
<p>HOWEVER, i still haven't visited madison... which i'm doing this friday.
i'm most likely going to madison because the u is way too close to my house.</p>
<p>i currently take classes at mn and love it. my professors and TA's are WONDERFUL!</p>
<p>The above description of U of M could also be used for UW- except the meal plan is better at UW with its totally a la carte method and no minimum food purchases required (excellent food at all the dorm food service areas, anyone can eat anywhere but dorm residents pay less than the public). Reciprocity has benefited residents of both states who want to get away from the familiar.</p>
<p>i visited madison today and was really disappointed.
my expectations were much higher because of what everyone said.
the U of M has much prettier buildings and structures.
especially the mall area.
at madison it looked kind of dull. it was pretty by the lake but i still
think that the u has a better looking campus overall.</p>
<p>I like the city life and that may be why i'm in love with the u of m.</p>
<p>Ya some of the buildings at Madison are a little lack-luster (They need a new architect) but there are some pretty sweet spots. Obviously Bascom Hill is pretty interesting. The Red Gym and Music Hall are pretty nice too. The SE dorms are ugly, but overall I think it's very nice with the mix of urban SE and natural small feel lakeshore. It has the ability to mix that U of M lacks.</p>
<p>^Yeah, I really liked the urban feel of SE compared to the quaint feel of Lakeshore.....speaking of dorms of course. I don't know, if I were choosing between U of M and UW-Madison, I'd choose Madison, but I also live 30 minutes away from the U and really want a big change...so I could be biased. :)</p>
<p>Easy choice for you then. "Beauty is in the eye of the beholder" still is true- people sort themselves out by these factors and you will be happiest with those who share your opinion (a lot of us are pro UW and don't, of course). Good luck, you'll find being at a college is far different than living in its town.</p>
<p>I wouldn't decide by which campus you think is more "beautiful." It's a really horrible reason to decide where you want to go, actually, since you are basing a good campus off of never having actually gone to a University for an extended period yet. </p>
<p>This is especially true in the upper midwest, where the crude November - mid April winters turn the most beautiful, picturesque mall or park into the most bleak, dark, depressing, and empty wasteland. And of course, frigidly, astoundingly cold. During these months, the last thing that will be going through your mind will be something about the aesthetics of the campus. Most likely, you'll just be silently whispering "$*<em>$ing *#$</em>! I want to get home!" Not to mention, looking at buildings gets old fast... as does looking or sitting at a mall. Sitting on a pretty blue lake doesn't.</p>
<p>More importantly, though, a year after you move on campus... your ideas of what constitutes a good campus will change a bit. The whole "secluded campus" thing gets a bit old - I was in it for a year - and although you do want to hang onto that "college experience" of a campus, you definitely don't want to feel trapped in it. In this regard, I think UW-Madison offers one of the best experiences in the Big Ten. Why do you think so many people want to live in the SE dorms, even though they are "uglier," afterall? (And I'll admit it, the architecture firm that designed the new Ogg/Smith should be forcibly closed). </p>
<p>Behind Bascom Hill, I'll agree that the campus isn't all that great (although it is getting better). However, I think Bascom Hill, Library Mall, Memorial Union, and State Street are so far superior to anything any other peer college has to offer that it doesn't matter. As an Engineering Student, your area of the campus is starting to get dramatically better with the addition of the beautiful Wisconsin Institutes for Discovery and the new Union South.</p>
<p>Not to mention the best part: Starting about two inches off campus, you will find literally well over a hundred different diverse dining options within a 10 minute walk on a usually packed pedestrian mall. Not to mention all the stories, music venues, and other places that are only a short hop off campus.</p>
<p>I'm not saying go to UW-Madison, I'm just saying... keep these things in mind. In my opinion, UW-Madison's campus is much better than UMN's, which seems to me to feel almost suburban, as if it could have been placed 30 miles outside the city in the middle of a prairie. A ton of parking lots, extremely spread out (UMN's campus is 3 times bigger in area than UW's), etc. Admittedly, most campuses are like this, but UW's unique blend with the city and it's urban feel are something that I think most students value, not detest, despite the slight loss of the idyllic "picturesque campus" that inevitably the ensues.</p>