<p>I am down to these last two choices, I have gotten into both and cant decide!!! I am interested in going into psychology, but I am also keeping an open mind and will probably switch my major a bunch so there is no specific program drawing me to either school. Also I live in Chicago.</p>
<p>Madison-
I loved Madison! Compared with Indiana it has a "better" academic reputation and is more challenging. It is also slightly cheaper than IU, so its probably a better bang for my buck. The people are amazing and the city of madison is great too. My concern is that the campus will overwhelm me, and that it's too large of a school.</p>
<p>IU-
When I visited IU I immediately fell in love. The campus is beautiful and set up perfectly, the people are super sweet, and Bloomington is a perfect college town. My worries here are that a TON of people from my high school graduating class are already planning on attending, that its reputation isnt as great as UW, and that its 5 hours from home instead of 2.5 like Madison.</p>
<p>I would really really love your opinions on which school you think is better, please tell me about academics, social life, the people, and your overall experience. Any opinions welcome and much appreciated!!</p>
<p>Parent here of a student who really liked both places when she visited, was accepted to both, and will be going to Wisconsin in the fall.</p>
<p>Undergraduate enrollment is not appreciably different at the two schools; in fact it is a little higher at IU. Psych would be a huge major at both places, so if you do pursue it as a major you will have some very large classes for sure. You can make a big place smaller by being engaged in communities and activities that interest you. IU is beautiful and it has a strong and interesting behavioral sciences program. Visiting and researching have given me the impression that, reputation aside, IU is just not as academically rigorous as UW. </p>
<p>Both schools enjoy reputations for having very lively and social student bodies, and their both big enough for you to find people who share your interests, though social life at IU seems much more Greek oriented than at UW, which didn’t interest my daughter.</p>
<p>Indiana resident and parent of UW student here, agreeing with Saperne. IU undergrad enrollment is actually bigger than UW, for what that’s worth. At either school, you will have large lecture classes, with discussions led by TAs, in intro classes. Greek life has higher participation at IU, though you can ignore it at either school. </p>
<p>It sounds like you are responding to the slightly more bucolic IU campus, with a smaller town setting. That is a very personal response – my kid loved the energy and bustle in Madison, the fact that it can feel urban or bucolic, depending on what part of campus you are on. UW attracts lots of Chicago and Minneapolis kids plus east and west coast. IU probably has lots of Chicago kids, plus east coast. </p>
<p>Overall, UW has a generally stronger academic reputation, though IU has excellent departments and, of course, is famous for its B school and Music/dance school. Can’t go wrong with either. </p>
<p>No matter which school you choose do not look back and second think your decision. Move forward and enjoy.</p>