Phil
A few of them do. Favorite class is International Law, I have a great professor. Least favorite is first amendment class, I had a bad teacher. Students study a lot here, Most students are in the library a few times per week. Yes class participation is very common. Yes, since it is such a great school, it is very competitive here. I took a class dealing with Fraternity issues on campus. It was great. I am a political science, history major. I meet with professors during their office hours. The requirements are very fair. Both.
Ruth
Since UW is such a huge school, it is much harder for professors and students to carry on a close relationship, even in upper level classes. This can be a problem, but it is also fairly easy to go to your professor's office hours if it matters a great deal; otherwise, TAs make the lecture hall experience more personable as well. I feel that students study quite a bit here--- I guess it depends what you're getting into. I am in the honors program so that gives me a bit of a different perspective. Students arguably are more competitive here, but overall I've been very impressed with academic life here. One of my favorite classes was an honors seminar I took my freshman year where we read "Paradise Lost" and "Omeros". The latter became one of my favorite books. I also did an honors project with a professor for a 20th century American history class, which I LOVED because that is my favorite thing to study. It was on the Harlem Renaissance - pretty cool experience.
Lindsay
As a freshman, my classes are large lectures, so my professors typically do not know me personally. If this is important, though, the professors hold office hours so you can go talk to them one-on-one. My classes are demanding, so I study every weeknight, and that is pretty common among other students I know, as well.
Kelly
Professors here only know your name if you make an effort to participate in class or visit them during their office hours. It is really on the student to get to know the professor. I like to think your experience is what you make of it.
The large classes are nice for when you don't have time to read the chapters ahead of time, so you know you will not be singled out to answer a question. I almost feel like I learn more knowing that I only have to worry about paying attention and taking notes instead of also having to try to formulate answers to questions.
Students here are very smart and it is great to be able to talk about real topics with other people my age. Students will also take the skills they learn in class and try to apply them in the real world especially in the business school where students will often start their own company with the support of other students and professors. It is just a great environment where we are all constantly learning whether we are in the classroom or just hanging out with friends.
As far as getting a job after college, recruitment at Madison is amazing. So many top companies come to Madison to recruit solely Wisconsin students and that is a great feeling to know they just want us. With that though, our professors put a lot of pressure on us to do well and make our classes challenging so we are prepared for these companies and will be successful.