<p>Hello everyone,
I am applying to Michigan-ann arbor and I have heard it being comapred to Wisconsin often. Is Wisconsin just as good? How is its reputation compared to Michigan? And most importantly, how is the social life and the college town? </p>
<p>Thanks</p>
<p>I researched some, and a lot of reviews say that UW has no diversity and the people, including prof. are very arrogant. is this true?</p>
<p>I researched it, too, and don't really know because I have never been there, but I have heard all really good things. It is 60% instate, 30% out of state, has a HUGE freshman class(5500), is in a nice city, has great academics, every state and US territory is represented there, and it is fairly international. I think that a lot of the out-of-staters come primarily from Jersey, NY, and other NE states. It also is supposed be very liberal, and have one of the highest jewish populations in the country. This is what an unnamed source said about UW:</p>
<p>"The University of WisconsinMadison is home to "nice Midwest people" who are characterized as a "fun and crazy bunch." Amid a sea of undergraduates, one student comments, "people are friendly and willing to chat in class, which makes the large college seem smaller and more welcoming." A senior questions her classmates' priorities, opining that many are "least interested in school and the community." Some students are well-versed in studying "just enough for an A or B," but others are perpetually "way too driven and stressed out," according to a senior. The politically aware student body bends over backwards to defend the Wisconsin brand of diversity, emphasizing that the campus population is "very socio-economically diverse" even if it is "very segregated" and in sore need of "minority recruitment and retention." Interaction between students and locals is limited; one Madison native states that "most students do not know the city or its people.""</p>
<p>And for diversity:</p>
<p>Student Body
Enrollment: 28,583
Female: 53%
Out of State: 29%
International: 3%
African American: 2%
Asian: 5%
Caucasian: 85%
Hispanic: 2%
Native American: 1% </p>
<p>No, it isn't too diverse. Neither is the state of Wisconsin.</p>
<p>Yeah, it looks like a good pick academically. But socially...still kinda skeptical. I am an Indian American, and the town I live in has a 1% minority population. I am one of only two minority students in my class of 368. So diversity is very important to me. But then again its 5% Asian out of 5,500. So thats gotta be a lot right??</p>
<p>Also check this link out from studentreview.com: <a href="http://www.studentsreview.com/WI/UWMa_c.html%5B/url%5D">http://www.studentsreview.com/WI/UWMa_c.html</a></p>
<p>Many students seem to think that professors are very condescending and arrogant. Thats def. a turn off, especially at a academically rigorous institution like Wisconsin.</p>
<p>Thanks</p>
<p>Ok i live in Wisconsin. I have several friends who go to madison. If you don't drink, if you aren't outgoing, if you are a mediocre student and you have a lot of financial need, do not apply here, you will have an awful time. One of my friends does not drink and he is having a terrible time making friends because almost everybody partys all the time. He says that there are just a ton of people in his classes and the teachers aren't that great. He has smaller discussion groups with a TA and he said they are awful. I really have been thinking more and more that madison is just very overrated. if you love to party and your parents are paying your way through school by all means go there, but if you have academic scholarships that you need to maintain a high gpa, have fun. If i applied to madison i would no doubt get it, but i am going to try to get into a small LAC. Worst case scenario i will go to U of M which i hear is much nicer. Maybe the academics are a bit sub par, but it can't be THAT much worse... and minneapolis>madison, madison is a scummy collegetown with parties going on constantly and just a bunch of drunks walking around on the streets.</p>
<p>Yep, I am even more skeptical now. I've heard almost all negative reviews of madison. Anyone else?</p>
<p>90% of the kids at UW-madison like it very much. There are no more arrogant profs than at any school with most depts ranked in the top 20. Most think they are more friendly. Students Review and similar boards are neither scientific nor accurate. If I wanted to take the time I could write all sorts of bogus reviews about any school. Check some of the real published guides like PR TOP COLLEGES or The NY Times Guide to colleges.</p>
<p>Madison is a great town with a huge diversity of restaurants, shopping, coffee houses, and clubs. they just completed a $200 million performing arts center 5 blocks from campus. The lake and student union are unique and the best in the uS. There always is something going on in madison.</p>
<p>I think you should probably stick with Michigan, it's a really good school. If possible though, visit both campuses and try to make an adequate comparison for yourself.</p>
<p>Madison is ranked #1 for great college towns</p>
<p>This site did actual interviews--pretty accurate</p>
<p><a href="http://www.campusdirt.com%5B/url%5D">www.campusdirt.com</a></p>
<p>Its ranked as one of the biggest party schools in the US</p>
<p>I don't know much about the school (although I have heard some great things), but I have been to Madison. It's a great city. I highly encourage a campus visit.</p>
<p>I live in a suburb of Milwaukee, and we always go to Madison on field trips and stuff.</p>
<p>I love Madison. I don't know if I want to go there yet, but it seems like a great place to live. I don't know much about academics, I would probably compare it to any other state school on that level, or perhaps even any other Big Ten school.</p>
<p>The thing about Madison is that it's not only about academics, as other schools are. You have to like doing the "college" stuff, like seeing football games, partying, and doing other social stuff. It's not a completely academic environment, as many schools are. It's more about being a Badger and whatever.</p>
<p>Besides the attitude of the school, Madison is one of my favorite cities. Our teachers always give us an hour or two just to walk down State Street, which connects the Capital Building in Madison to the campus. It's great, there's a bunch of little shops like Urban Outfitter, some Starbucks, other restaurants and little gift shops that are just great to go waste money on. No cars are allowed down this street, and you just walk and talk with your friends. It's really fun.</p>
<p>Also, Madison can be categorized as two things--it's both a college town and a regular city. There are concerts there, it's a pretty big town, and Chicago and Milwaukee are only a couple hours away.</p>
<p>Above all else, I would encourage you to visit it just to see if it fits your attitude. If you're looking for a school that grad schools and employers will be very impressed with, Madison will fit the bill, but there's better places to go. But if you just want to go to a college kind of college, Madison's great.</p>
<p>Oh, and be prepared to freeze. It gets really effing cold in the winter.</p>
<p>I currently take 2 courses from UW madison as part of their special students program, i'm a high school senior. I live in madison, and have lots of friends who go to school at UW. good school, social scene is better than you'd expect. IM me at my aim tag fromageboy.</p>
<p>"One of my friends does not drink and he is having a terrible time making friends because almost everybody partys all the time"</p>
<p>Welcome to college. 99% of all college campuses in the country are like that..</p>
<p>at my school everyone goes to UW madison or university of minnesota-twin cities.</p>
<p>let me tell u madison is crap.</p>
<p>it has no regard anywhere outside of the midwest.</p>
<p>dont waste your time.</p>
<p>And you know this how?? Most academics ranked UW as one of the top 20 major universities in the US. It leads all but one school in research funding and tied Harvard for the number of Fortune 500 CEO's. Learn something before you spoutoff.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.bus.wisc.edu/news/0106.asp%5B/url%5D">http://www.bus.wisc.edu/news/0106.asp</a></p>
<p>Thanks for the posts everyone.
So I think I'm pretty convinced that wisconsin has awesome academics. But how do you think diversity is? I went to campusdirt.com and read the stats. They were pretty scary on diversity, here's some quotes:</p>
<p>Not nearly as diverse as the school tries to make it seem. </p>
<p>We have a very large student body that is not very racially diverse, but instead is very culturally diverse. </p>
<p>Very very liberal. Not too many minority students in Madison. Quite a few Asians, and a sprinkling of African-Americans, but hardly any Hispanic students. </p>
<p>Like I said before, the town I live in has almost no diversity, like less than a percent. Although I have nothing against living here, I would like to see more diversity. Being an Indian American, I want to intereact with different cultures and races. Thats a big thing in college for me.
What do yah think?</p>
<p>Thanks</p>
<p>It reflects the population. When grad students are included the diversity factor is much higher as half are from overseas--mostly various asian countries and India.</p>