<p>My son has been accepted at the UM Carlson School of Management and UW-Madison as a freshmen, for the fall, 2008. He also made it into the honors program at the U of M. We're Wisconsinites but live a little over an hour from the Twin Cities. Madison, on the other hand is is 4 1/2 hours away. We visited Carlson in the fall and were very impressed. Since then, we've also run into several families with children who attend or attended Carlson and everyone raved about the school. </p>
<p>Here's what we think we know. Carlson has a great campus and is making changes in its program which will be implemented in the fall of 2008 (freshman business course, sophomore year business core semester, mandatory international travel, etc.). Carlson also offers the advantage of its location in a prime business city and its strong connection with those businesses. Carlson admits freshmen into the business school.</p>
<p>We don't know much about UW Madison except that Business Week ranks their business school higher than Minnesota's and it's difficult to get in. Freshmen aren't admitted. The city is nice. We've visited before. </p>
<p>Even with reciprocity for Carlson, the cost of Wisconsin starts out a couple thousand lower and as a salutatorian, my son has earned a guaranteed $2200/year scholarship to any Wisonsin school. So he starts out with a $4000+/year cost advantage at Wisconsin.</p>
<p>We'd appreciate hearing from people who really know something about both schools, the advantages and disadvantages of both, and how they compare with each other in any and every way. Which school provides the better business education and which school's graduates might have the best opportunities?</p>
<p>Know good students who have chosen both for business- consider the overall campus/city appeal for your son. There are people who love/hate each campus. If your son has a definite favorite go with that one. Otherwise, it is a difficult choice. Consider the specific aspects of business your son is most interested in also.</p>
<p>$4000/yr is nothing to sneeze at. UW students don't seem to have much trouble getting summer internships and the focus is more Chicago which I think is a better business market than Minny in the long term. UW is also adding new business facilities and has $$$$ ($85,000,000) to enhance things.</p>
<p>Congrats! My son also was just notified that he has been accepted to UWMadison and U of M. College of Arts and Sc. at UWMadison and undeclared major at UofM with the possibility of entering Carlson after high grades freshman year. This also is a tough call for my son. One thing to point out though is that UW Madison is ranked Tier 1- Top 50 colleges in the US by USNews. UWMadison has a real impressive record nationally if that sort of thing is important for your son. Also, the UW has more out of state kids which can say a lot in itself as a selective college.</p>
<p>Average_Guy..i'm in the same boat as u. Except for i didn't get any scholarships for U of M or madison. I think Carlson is a better fit for you. There are more opportunities, and it basically guarantees you a job in the Minneapolis metro area. For me, I also debatin cuz i live 1.5 hr from Madison and like 7 hrs from U of M. I visited Carlson last summer jst before tht bridge collapsed....and i hated the weather. It was 95 in the summer, and i hear it's like -20 in the winter time. Madison is jst a lil warmer. Personally, I'm thinkin of going to Kelley school of business at Indiana University. </p>
<p>I can't decide either. I have also been accepted to both and live about 20 minutes from CSOM and about 4.5 hours from Madison. I don't really like CSOM but I love Madison. Is there a big difference in quality of education? A couple of friends of mine are going to Madison but I don't like the whole get accepted into b school in sophomore year.</p>
<p>Around my part of Wis many students go to both schools, many get accepted at U of M that are rejected by UW- UW is considered the tougher school. By all means go to the school you love, you'll do better and won't have regrets later or wonder what if... Minneapolis gets more weather extremes than Madison, the winters are more brutal. Some do choose Minn for the security of knowing they will be in the business school.</p>
<p>Currently I am attending the U of M College of Liberal Arts. I'm interested in business and if I wanna transfer into Carlson I need about a 3.8 just to be considered. Madison might be a harder school, but I currently have a better chance of being accepted into Madison's business school after next year if I transfer instead of trying to get into Carlson. Carlson seems to be geared more towards having a 4-year business experience.</p>
<p>UW will start direct admits os select freshman next year. Regular admits will be after freshman year. Big changes and I think more direct freshman admits will happen--we are losing too many great prospects because of this.</p>
<p>Just business so far. Each school is VERY independent. Business was able to get a hike in tuition to cover the cost of hiring their own admissions people.</p>
<p>I am currently a sophomore at UW-Madison (with Junior standing) and was just admitted into the University of Wisconsin Business school this semester. When I was applying to colleges, my decision came down to the Carlson School or Management, or L&S at the University of Wisconsin-Madison (I couldn't be admitted to the business school until Junior standing was achieved). I went to Hopkins High School in Minnesota and decided to risk it at Madison because I wanted to be out of the Minnesota and Wisconsin is regarded as a much better school than Minnesota. I know the requirements to be admitted to the school of business are changing, but when I was taking my prerequisites for the business school here is what I noticed of others trying to take the same track.
1. Madison is a tough school-many will come here there first semester and say they are going to major in business only to get their first semester grades and realize that business may no longer be an option. When you come to Madison you need to realize that it is a work hard, play hard atmosphere meaning we love to uphold our tradition as the greatest party school, but we also know that it's going to take a lot of hard work and some sacrifice to get the grades necessary to achieve your goals.
2. Madison has a great alumni network and people are very proud to say they attended UW-Madison even though many chose to leave the city upon graduation. You need to realize that the campus is the city. The people of Madison love this school and the students love this school. Alumni love to come back and hire students from here because they know they are recieving an excellent education and 15 of those alumni are CEOs of Fortune 500 companies. Where the campus here IS the city of Madison, the UofM campus is embedded into the city. There is a much greater college town feel here, and it is hands down the greatest college sports town you could ever visit
3. I agree with you when you say there are more companies in the Twin Cities than there are here in Madison, but the staff here works very hard to recruit employers to come here and hire the students. Some very active employers include Target and General Mills, and the accounting department has a 100% placement rate among graduating seniors</p>
<p>To me, Wisconsin was no doubt the right choice. The great atmosphere, the great athletics, and the great education sold me and I've never regretted it for a minute.</p>
<p>I am currently a sophomore (with a Junior standing) at U of M and I faced this challenge too when I was looking at schools. I was torn between the University of Wisconsin - Madison and the University of Minnesota - Twin Cities. I grew up in Wisconsin and was about 2 hours away from Wisconsin and 5 from the Twin Cities.</p>
<p>When I finally made my decision, it came down to a couple of things. First of all, (I know it sounds corny) but Minnesota just felt right. Both times I visited, I felt like this was where I needed to be. Secondly, it was because I knew that I was already accepted into the Business School. I would never have to worry about getting to my major classes only to discover I didn't get into the business school and needed to find a plan be. Lastly, I chose Minnesota because it was in the heart of a metropolitation area. Like Cthomp99 said, the Madison campus is their city. Minneapolis is not just the MN campus its so much more.</p>
<p>Overall, I don't regret my choice for a minute. Carlson is an amazing school with a beautiful building. We just built an additional building (Hanson Hall) which is even more incredible. The technology is up to date and in every classroom. The teachers are great and more than willing to help you with anything you need. We have visitors daily from executives at Fortune 500 companies, not to mention very strong recruitment from these companies for internships and full time jobs. We have an amazing recruitment website which helps connect students with recruiters and we have a huge alumni base, all of whom are more than willing to help a student from Carlson.</p>
<p>Overall, I would have trust yourself and go with your gut. Both schools are good schools and you're going to get a good education at either school.</p>
<p>Thank you to the two above student posters. There you have it- visit each school, weigh your priorities and go to the school that seems to be the best fit. Do not worry if you like one school more than the other, if you like the school you are at (and not wishing you had chosen another) you are more likely to study harder and do better. Remember that you college experience is more than just the classes/major- go where you feel the campus suits you best (not your parents). PS- I am a bit suspicious of the MN poster, only one post- why would he ever visit this site... but still good information.</p>
<p>Take into serious consideration if you get accepted as a freshman into Carlson. I've had friends from my high school in MN who turned it down to come to UW, to get into our business program, only to be rejected. They're now econ majors or consumer science majors. They'll do fine, but it's not the business school. That early acceptance as a freshman is HUGE. UW doesn't offer that. So be sure to weight the competition you'll encounter here just to get INTO the school of business.</p>
<p>Of course there are intangibles (what feels right) and tangibles (tuition differences) that you need to consider. Only you can weigh those factors.</p>
<p>But, outside of that, I'm with MN Badger. My son is a sophomore at UW-Madison and is working hard to prepare to apply to the business school for junior year acceptance. He's a good student, but there is no guarantee. Why gamble with only a possibility of being accepted to the UW school when you're already in at a very good place like Carlson?</p>
<p>When do you apply to business school at UW-Madison? I thought the policy recently changed and that now you apply after completing 24 credits in residence, including 4 core courses (Psychology, Econ, English and one I can't recall).</p>
<p>Madison85, I think you are right (applying normally after freshman year and enter your sophomore year.)</p>
<p>But whether Madison or Carlson I think it depends more on the market where you want to work. Madison will help you more than Carlson to get a job in Chicago like Carlson will help more for the Twin Cities. I know I'm debating between Madison and Carlson right now, and I am leaning towards Carlson just for the pretty much gurantee of a job in the Twin Cities and of course it's farther from home.</p>
<p>I'm not sure this is entirely accurate. Completely based on my own experiences and those of other students currently around me, where you take an internship seems to be a better indicator of the arena and venue in which you are likely to find job offers after school. </p>
<p>EVERY major employer knows the business school programs and the trends within its grads. Depends on what you're going into, but everyone who's had a successful internship experiences that I've seen has for the most part, gone into that city (possibly because they enjoyed it, and sought it out, but also that area competitors and corporate HQ's knew the company where they were interning very well).</p>