<p>My son ( from China ) has been accepted to Wisconsin Madison and Purdue, and the departments both are Mechanical Engineering.
I would appreciate any input on quality of life at these two shcools in addition to thoughts on quality of undergrad instruction in engineering?</p>
<p>My son was also accepted by both. We live just outside of Madison & son’s high school is just down the street from the UW campus. So many factors for him to consider, not the least of which is cost (Madison is definitely cheaper for us). In your case, I’m guessing cost is not a factor, nor is familiarity (my kid wants to go someplace other than Madison because he wants to experience living someplace new). So here’s my read:</p>
<p>Both schools have a great reputation for engineering - I believe Purdue is ranked #11 while Madison is #13 for undergrad engineering. The Purdue name is probably better associated with engineering. When you hear “Purdue”, you think “great engineering”. With Madison, you think “great school overall”. Madison is more selective academically than Purdue. From what I’ve heard, the engineering drop-out rate at Purdue is something like 50% - possibly because they admit some less-qualified candidates. Purdue’s overall engineering program is twice as big as Madison’s. I’ve spent time at both campuses and Madison is definitely more diverse and prettier. Sailing on Lake Mendota, State Street shopping & dining, UW Sports (football, basketball & hockey are all championship caliber), etc. all outshine the Purdue campus. Madison as a city offers a greater variety of things to do than does West Lafayette. That said, Purdue’s campus is an easier walk - nice & flat. (The countryside around West Lafayette is also nice & flat and totally boring). As a freshman I always hated trudging up UW’s Bascom Hill in the dead of winter, loaded down with a 50-lb. packback when it was 20 below zero & the wind off Lake Mendota was blasting my face. Don’t be misled by that, however. Purdue’s winters are just as brutal - it’s just easier to navigate flat ice-covered sidewalks than it is to trudge up 45 degree angled ones, especially at 7:30 am (so tempting to stay in bed on those frigid days!). Once you are in the engineering school at Madison, though, it’s clear sailing as the engineering campus itself is situated on flat land.</p>
<p>Purdue’s strength is engineering. When you’re on the Purdue campus, it’s not too hard to tell which academic major is “king”. Their engineering campus has a gorgeous fountain, landscaped walkways and the fabulous Armstrong Engineering building. While engineering is important at UW, it is NOT “king” like it is at Purdue; UW’s engineering campus is smaller & is tucked away near Camp Randall stadium & the Southwest Student Union. Purdue’s overall campus feel is more conservative while Madison’s is decidedly liberal. Madison has a well-deserved “party school” reputation, but those who aren’t into drinking are able to find lots of friends who also don’t. </p>
<p>If you’re into spectator sports, UW-Madison wins hands-down. I’ve been to football games at both and there’s no comparison. 80,000+ screaming fans at Camp Randall doing “Jump Around” and beating the likes of #1 Ohio State on national TV is truly memorable. Yes, Purdue has its huge marching band & golden girl baton twirler, but other than that, the atmosphere at Ross Aide Stadium definitely seemed more subdued overall. </p>
<p>I guess the best advice I can give is to visit both campuses, although a visit won’t really give you the overall “feel” since it’s unlikely you’ll be able to experience all those little things that together sum up the total college experience. My son’s choice is yet to be made & I think it’ll come down to how much he’s willing to contribute to the cause, since we’ve told him we’ll pay for in-state Madison & if he wants to go someplace else more expensive, he has to come up with the difference himself. Both are great schools, each in its own way. Your future success will depend primarily on how hard you yourself are willing to work.</p>