<p>This school sounds great....but I still need a lot more information to consider it.</p>
<p>What majors are considered strong?
What is the typical student like?
What is the campus atmosphere like?</p>
<p>And if you know anything about UW-Madison feel free to post it, bc I want to know as much as possible.</p>
<p>Wisconsin is strong accross the board. I cannot think of a single department that is weak at Wisconsin.</p>
<p>Wisconsin students tend to be well-rounded in that they take their education seriously but at the same time, they like to socialize and have a good time. Of course, that's a very broad generalization, but I think it represents the "typical" student at the university.</p>
<p>Wisconsin has a very lively campus and the town of Madison compliments it beautifully. </p>
<p>I didn't attend Wisconsin, so I only know very little about it, but what I do know impresses me. Perhaps Wisconsin students/alums can offer more detailed information.</p>
<p>It's a good school - UW Madison is BY FAR the best Madison school available.</p>
<p>Some kids are upset that the school is not seen in the likes of U Chicago, Northwestern, Duke, etc.</p>
<p>I'm an incoming freshman, so I don't know much about being a student there yet, but I've visited Madison a bunch of times. The campus is beautiful and everyone is really friendly and ready to help you out with whatever you need. I sat in on a couple classes as well and the lectures were great. Like Alexandre said, Wisconsin is pretty good at everything! You should visit the campus to see for yourself if it's the fit for you that it was for me.</p>
<p>Big party school.</p>
<p>party, party, party. do an overnight with someone over halloween, you'll be shown a grand ol' time.</p>
<p>It's a unique school. Big time academics (70 academic departments in the top 10 nationally), a great social life (#1 party school), an intellectual and college friendly state capital (Madison, WI), a beautiful campus in between two lakes, great sports (national championships in the last few years: crew, cross country, mens hockey, womens hockey, and great football/basketball), and a lot of choices (160 different majors, 4200 classes).</p>
<p>There is no typical student. There are hippy children of the 60s, jock frat guys, protesting eco-feminists, and engineers (ha).</p>
<p>UW-Madison is sounding perfect right now....but just a few more questions.</p>
<p>Is the school laid-back?</p>
<p>And I'm considering majoring in business or communications and I know business is fricken bomb there, but how is communications?</p>
<p>Thanks....I'm planning on applying for sure now...</p>
<p>It's about to sound even better.</p>
<p>First, I'd say the school is "laid back" in that it lacks the "east coast" hyper academic competition, although pretty much everyone at the school wants/expects to do well. I have several friends from California who liked that Madison was more "laid back" so that if it is important, I am confident you would find UW-Madison to be a good match.</p>
<p>Second, the business program was ranked 13th in the nation according to the latest US News and World report. Real Estate was 2nd in the nation and several other programs are considered to be in the top 10 for undergraduate study. It ties with Harvard for producing the top number of Fortune 500 CEOs and Grainger Hall, in which the business school is located, has incredible resources for those who major in business.</p>
<p>Third, the communications/journalism schools at the undergraduate and graduate level are considered to be in the top 10 nationally. It is one of the most cited communication departments according to the National Communcation Association (a bunch of comm. academics) and The Onion started in Madison! Lots of ways to get involved at the student radio station and the two student newspapers.</p>
<p>Okay I'm applying for sure now...</p>
<p>Do you know about grant money for out of state students. Do they give out any? I know it will be more expensive than any of the UC's, but even if I have to take out a bunch of loans it will most likely be worth it.</p>
<p>There are no ways to make this pretty... but not really. It will be an out of state public university for you. It is for me. Starting soph. year I recieved a grant/work study which helps but I was able to secure an alumni scholarship and one other outside scholarship. So, it is possible to get some money. Also, if you are a minority you could get some serious dough from UW.</p>
<p>In my situation the parents can afford about 20K a year (after scholarships it costs just under 20) which made UW economical for me. The other schools I was looking at (including some "higher ranked" institutions) would have been 30, 40, and in one case 80K more. I think it's still a good deal especially when compared to some similiarly ranked private schools. But in the end, if it is the place you <em>really</em> want to be, remember that you only get one college expierence. For most people, anyway.</p>
<p>I would seriously consider doing a college visit before you decide to pack up and go. I live on campus here and I hate Madison. Don't get me wrong, the school (academic-wise) is one of the best non-ivy schools around, but it is the rest that gets really annoying.</p>
<p>The campus is very boring, the "downtown" is about 4 blocks long with independent shops (Except for the smallest GAP in the world I cannot think of another single nationally known retail store). The kids just drink, period. If you love to party every night of your life this is definetly the school for you, but if you just like to socially drink chances are you'll get sick of this school.</p>
<p>BTW, I am from SouthCal (I assume you are), and it is very hard to get used to the enviorment. I moved here because I thought I wanted this school, 100%. I wanted to move and wait for residency to kick in and then my parents said they could afford it. Midway through my whole plan (I decided to take online classes while I was waiting for residency to get some credits) I realized I hated how overrated drinking is here, how drinking is considered an activity here, and how bland the campus is. Coming from California, it is a completely different world here. I decided that this school, although academically great, is definetly not the campus I would ever want to live near, both because of the lack of activities + alcoholics, and the fact that I don't enjoy living in village-like towns. </p>
<p>I don't know you so I can't say what you do or do not like, but I would strongly suggest visiting before you make a decision, don't make the same mistake I did.</p>
<p>gshikunov is a fake--post from a couple weeks ago.</p>
<p>"My parents live in CA so I assume I would get in-state there if they claim me on the taxes. I am in Illinois going to a Community College (College of DuPage). I am majoring in political Science and planning on law school."</p>
<p>Why don't you watch your damn mouth, the college (DuPage) is in Illinois, I stated I take online classes in my post so put 2 and 2 together...</p>
<p>I live in the middle of campus, 2 blocks away from state street, by the khol center and the nitty gritty. before you make accusations try to use some common sense...</p>
<p>" I am in Illinois".</p>
<p>That is where my school is, like in my earlier post I stated I take online classes because I wanted residency in Wisc.</p>
<p>I don't even know why I am replying to this, you're such a joke. You think I make up where I luive and walk around spending time letting others know about the campus here in Wisconsin?</p>
<p>I can tell you absolutely everything there is to know about the UW campus, I moved here January 2nd of this year. </p>
<p>As I said before, why not actually read over everything instead of just going off, and seriously, before you make any accusations get the facts, cause you look quite pathetic right now.</p>
<p>Anyone who thinks having big chain stores is the mark of an interesting college town belongs in California.</p>
<p>If thatsb the best you can come up with I'm inclined to agree. After all that you decided to at least cool it, good.</p>
<p>Do you go to the school or something? </p>
<p>And yes, I like being around skyscrapers, buisness cities, fast-paced life, expensive cars, and huge malls...Wisconsin has none of that, no beach either.</p>
<p>Here's the best article I've read on UW-Madison. It gives a very insightful discussion on the U of Wisconsin, the campus life and what makes the Madison campus unique:</p>
<p>"Madison is a truly awesome place to be. It is the perfect combination of an intellectual academic school and a hedonistic social school. It is very similar to Michigan in this respect. UW-Madison is unique in that both its liberal arts and its sciences are both extremely highly regarded. UW-Madison has over 40 programs that are ranked in the top 10 nationally. In terms of its pure academic reputation it is among the best in the nation. Almost all UW graduate programs are ranked very highly. Because UW it is so large and can accept a large number of students, and because it is in the Midwest as opposed to the east or west coast it is not as selective as some other schools that it competes or bests in terms of pure departmental rankings. Michigan also has this same problem when competing against the best from the east coast. The academic reputation of UW will help you in seeking a job, and especially in gaining entrance to a top graduate school.... </p>
<p>Downtown Madison lies between two very large lakes, Lake Mendota and Lake Menona. The campus of UW lies along the shore of Lake Mendota. The Memorial student union is on Lake Mendota and there you can sit on the terrace, drink a beer, feed the ducks, and watch the sailboats (weather permitting of course). UW-Madison has a very liberal campus, some people sarcastically refer to it Berkeley-North. There is a constant political dialogue on campus. In Madison you will see sit ins, protests, speakers getting booed off stage, legalize pot marches, socialists calling for revolution, and every other fringe opinion you can think of being expressed. I am a conservative person but I appreciate the liberal atmosphere because it leads to self examination and growth, which is important in a college atmosphere. I am currently at the University of Virginia in grad school and it is painfully clear how much there is to be said for a liberal campus atmosphere which we so sorely lack here. The UW campus is so large and the student body so diverse and open to anything that you can get involved in absolutely anything you have an interest in. State street is the street the runs from the edge of campus down to the Capital building marking the middle of the isthmus between the two lakes. It is a walking only street with TONS of bars, restaurants, shops, etc. It is a very cosmopolitan and fashionable area catering to very diverse interests and the real estate in the area is astronomically expensive (and unfortunately so are rents when you leave the dorms). Hardly any sudents drive in Madison as everything you could ever need is within walking distance. It is impossible to get parking from the university so if you decide you want a car you will have to pay for private parking running somewhere between $50-100 a month depending on your luck. I would say maybe 10% of students have a car (I had one since I was from Nebraska and had to haul my stuff back and forth). There are more bars on State Street and the side streets off of it than anywhere else I have been in the world except on Bourbon street in New Orleans (Dublin can't compare). Every night is a wild night on State Street. Everyone has a top 10 list of their favorite bars and these can be hotly disputed. The Capital square also has lots of great restaurants and bars. Halloween is totally wild where around 70,000 people take to state street dressed in every conceivable costume (don't bring children...). It is a crazy event that always ends with things being burned and police trying to stop things from being burned....The Mifflin block party is a similar event in the spring without the costumes, maybe not quite as big, but also probably even more out of control. Open house parties are all over. All you have to do on a weekend is walk around and pick the house with 100 out front people that suits you. DI athletics including Badger football and basketball are awesome if you like sports. </p>
<p>I just cannot express how much fun you will have living in Madison. It is always incredibly lively and there is more going on in Madison on a random Tuesday night than there is on most campuses on a Friday or Saturday. It is a very hedonistic place, but it is also a very intellectual place. Your professors will expect a lot from you. Most courses are graded on a strict curve. Personally I have found that many of my undergraduate classes at Madison were taught at a more advanced level than my graduate courses at UVA. Work Hard, Play Hard could definitely be the UW slogan."
(copied from the old CollegeBoard forum; uvacavmatt who wrote the above in late 2004 was a history PhD student at UVa at the time.)</p>
<p>I totally agree with what Matt said from my own experience. I couldn't have said it any better.</p>
<p>To tell the truth, with the exception of the exaggeration of how great state street is, the rest of that is about dead on. As I said, everuone is different, and if that is something you want then by all means go for it. All I can tell you is that Madison is another world compared to California, and some love it others hate it.</p>
<p>Good luck with whatever decision you make!</p>