<p>I think judging a school by the acceptance rate is about the worst method there is. Some schools-typically privates--spend lots of $$$ to generate the most applications possible. The quality of the applicant is not a big considerartion. Public schools rarely spend much on advertising and mass marketing. The quality of the enrolled students is more important. UW has higher average ACT and SAT scores than GWU by 20 points on the SAT (1600 scale) and 1.5 points on the ACT.</p>
<p>The acceptance rate is skewed. As a state-run school, UW-Madison is basically obligated to take a lot of students from Wisconsin and Minnesota. The rate for these students would then be relatively higher, pulling the average up. And since these applicants likely make up a large portion of the applicant pool...</p>
<p>Any student who thinks GW is a better school than Madison because it accepts less students does not have the critical thinking skills to do well at Wisconsin. Therefore, I would suggest GW.</p>
<p>Listen, Madison is a bit self-selective. What does that mean? It's similiar to what the University of chicago, an elite private school with a near 40% acceptance rate has. Many students from Wisconsin won't even apply if they do not have the stats. Kids who fall into the ranges do apply, however. This means a higher quality applicant pool and less of a need to reject 60-70% of the students.</p>
<p>Furthermore, the University of Wisconsin wipes the floor with GW on peer reputation scores and it is a peer institution of Michigan, UCLA, and Texas to name a few. Why? Because it has 70 departments ranked in the top 10 in the country. GW is lucky to have 5. It's peers are Miami, Syracuse, and Boston University. Not bad schools, however.</p>
<p>Well then, which one of those two schools has heavier workloads. Or harder to get good grades...</p>
<p>Impossible to answer. Depends on prof, major, how much you want to put into the class, etc.</p>
<p>The University of Wisconsin-Madison has one of the most respected econ departments in the country. It outranks GW and is a totally different college expierence! Just remember, GW will be all about Foggy Bottom/DC... UW will be about the traditional Big Ten, Midwest of the United States type of environment. They are very different. In my opinion, Wisconsin is more of a "true" college expierence and is much more balanced.</p>
<p>Also my feeling with Wisconsin is that it is a great place to start off if you planning on transfering to a better school (which I might after my second year). GW might not open you up to the same transfer opportunities, and for that matter grad school opportunities.</p>
<p>If you go into a school with a goal to transfer after a soph year, you will be miserable. I highly recommend taking a year off and reapplying to some other schools chi787ord. You don't seem to be happy with Madison, even before spending a single day there.</p>
<p>If I wanted to, I could transfer into some "higher ranked" schools, maybe some ivys, but I enjoy UW and I would not want to leave my friends. You will possibly find this to be the case too.</p>
<p>Gimme a break... UW-Madison laughs at GW. They are not even close. Big deal, you're school is in DC. Oooooh!!! Schools that have reputations dependent primarily on their location may be initially appealing but unless there is something of substance behind it, beware. Other schools I consider paper lion schools are schools like American and Northeastern. NYU and BU to a lesser extent, but at least they do have some world class programs. Contrasted with UW, where there is hardly a weak offering to be found.</p>
<p>Academically - UW definitely is more appreciated than GW, though GW is a good school as well. </p>
<p>I recommend not going somewhere just because of that, though. I actually began college at UW and transferred to BU. Just note that Madison, Wisconsin, and Washington, D.C., have vastly different feels. </p>
<p>I'd recommend Madison if you're looking for a true "college" experience in terms of frat parties and Madison just overall being a town swarmed in college kids. Urban schools seem to be better for people who are at kind of a different point in their life...people who are more into exploring new restaurants and neighborhoods. I'd say they have more of a grad-school-esque vibe. </p>
<p>I'm not saying ALL kids at UW Madison drink, or that there isn't a huge amount of drinking at GW, but I'd take into the account the the students at both schools are going to have vastly different interests.</p>
<p>For the record, the University of Wisconsin-Madison greek system is the smallest in the big ten. 91% of the campus chooses not to go greek.</p>
<p>NicoleT5050, Why did you decide to move to you BU?</p>
<p>Transfer, I'm not planning for sure to transfer after my soph year, its just an option i am keeping open. If I was to transfer, it would by no means be motivated because I do not like Madison or think it is the best fit for me, only if i feel there is a better academic program out there at a different school.</p>
<p>I'm sorry if I sound pessimistic about Madison to you. I'm actually really looking forward to it. Initially, I wasnt that keen on going to wisc, mainly because all of my life I imagined leaving midwestern suburbia and heading off far, far, away. But I've given it alot of though overall and of the schools that I was admitted to (UIUC, Loyola Chicago, BC, and GWU) Madison is the best fit. My choice had very little influence from the rankings either, UW just happens to be the best ranked school out of the bunch.</p>
<p>fair enough, good luck to you</p>