University of Wisconsin-Madison Top Questions

The best thing about Wisconsin is harder to decide than picking what college to go to. State Street is one of the cutest, most interesting places I have ever walked around. Coming from New York, the quaint area that the city of Madison is is a great break from the intense, rushed lifestyle we live on the east coast. One think that I might change is more availability to the several shopping areas that may be found about 10 minutes driving away from campus in all directions. We often find ourselves visiting the same 5 places up and down State Street relentlessly, although there is plenty available. UW-Madison is huge. There is no denying it! Almost every lecture of mine has at least 300 people in it, but those classes feature discussion sections which I have never had more than 15 people in. I love that the school is big enough to be constantly, throughout 4 years, keep meeting new people, but my dorm hallway is small enough to feel like you have a home within this huge school. People react differently each time I tell someone I go to Wisconsin. Anyone who knows the school with it’s fabulous and only rising positive reputation is thrilled for me, and half of the time says “go badgers!” (one of my favorite phrases of all time.) That reaction is normally when meeting people throughout the mid-west. However, back home, the reaction is “oh, that’s nice.” In my prestigious town, non-Ivy is somewhat frowned upon, and public schools are even more discouraged. However, again, the popularity of Wisconsin has been only steadily increasing, with 6 people of my 400-person graduating class migrating here this past year. I spend most of my time on State Street – whether grabbing a bite to eat with friends, shopping, or studying in a coffee shop. School pride is not even a question. If you don’t have school pride, DO NOT COME HERE. I would say that I wear a Wisconsin item of clothing at least 2 times a week. On State Street, within 2 blocks of each other are about 5 different novelty stores featuring our red and white coloring. In every lecture hall, about 3 football jerseys can be found, a dozen ‘Bucky’ hats, and about 70 t-shirts featuring something about our school being the amazing place that it is. Again, it is SO hard to pick out a single favorite moment here, but something that really stands out in my mind was my first football game here. Walking out on state street, there is not a color to seen other than red and white. Even people not going to the game sport our school colors. Then the walk down to Camp Randall, our football stadium, is a continuous flood of both students and alumni rushing to watch their beloved Badgers. It is easily the most amazing, exciting experience of my life. And not to mention the wave done at each game, with several rounds including double-time, slow motion, and criss-crossing arms. Most frequently I hear complains about the weather. It is clearly a cold place, but there are freak days that the wind chill is almost unbearable. But honestly, just stay inside as much as you can on these days – get to class, get home, and deal with it! And maybe invest in some long underwear.

the best thing about wisconsin is everything availabe to you outside of your jail cell from restaurants, to work out places, to the lake i'd change the weather, it's so cold, always it seems the school is large, but I like being able to listen to my ipod in a boring lecture, close my eyes, or skip if need be and not be noticed when I say I go to wisconsin they realize the prestige Most of my time is spent in my room, i'd like to say studying, but probably just hanging out the administration did not graduate from madison, therefore they lack at times the biggest controvery is the presdential campaign, one corner yells hillary and the other vote for obama there is a lot of school pride when you're present for function and in the wearing of our colors, but i didn't know until 3 days later that we won the Big 10 I'll always remember meeting two new people on move-in day and going out with them on state street that night wondering if I made 2 new best friends or was going to get myself in trouble being along with them on an unfamiliar street The most frequent complaints are the weather.

The best thing about Wisconsin is the atmosphere around campus. It feels like you are in college but you are also in a city so it is not closed off. I think the size is perfect because you are always meeting knew people, but also see familiar faces. When I tell people I go to Wisconsin they usually say they have a relative or friend who goes there and then we try to figure out if we both know that person. I spend most of my time on State Street, either in coffee shops or things like that. I like the sense of community you feel when walking down state street with other Wisconsin students. There is definitely a sense of Badger pride. I like the history of Bascom Hill and how far back our college goes. When showing guests around it is so great to be able to explain everything that went on here. I love passing things out in Library Mall in the fall and spring and listening to crazy people demonstrating in that area. It is an amazing place when all the kids are hanging out in the nice weather on Library Mall.

State Street is the best part of the UW campus. Countless restaurants and bars are on the street, as well as a combination of hip and hippie. Urban Outfitters, Gap, and Jamba Juice are cool and hoop. But there is also Art Gecko and PipeFitters which gives Madison its hippie feel. State Street is right on campus, and easily accessible to all UW-students. The stores and restaurants would not survive without the university, but there are also thousands of citizens in the city of Madison that would not categorize themselves as a "badger". At Madison, students don't feel lost within a city like Boston University students in Boston, and they also don't feel totally isolated like students at small town university. The city of Madison and the university have an amazing connection, and they work hand in hand.

the best thing about wisconsin...i can't pick just one! the parties are amazing, the sports are great, the campus is beautiful, everyone is smart,people go out no matter the weather , the professors are amazing, there are so many opportunities to get involved. If I could change one thing it would be the hate towards the "coasties." I'm from long island and I don't wear "not pants," big sunglasses, and a huge north face. Dear Sconnies, Quit complaining about my clothes and have a beer with me. People are extremely impressed when I say I go to Wisconsin. It has a really good reputation. We were voted best college town in america multiple times....enough said.

The scenery is gorgeous. There are so many different types of personality on campus it would impossible to meet and befriend great people. I would love better clothing stores. I think the school is a great size- "You can't make a small school big, but you can always make a big school small." I think they are impressed by both my perceived intellect (being such a great school), drinking ability, and extreme school spirit. State street bars, the library, different restaurants and my apartment. Definitely college town! Us winning the big 10 basketball championship! (I guess not really a controversy!) Tons of school pride, No matter what state I am, if someone is wearing WISCONSIN apparel I always talk to them. So many! From pulling all nighters and going straight to exams, or drinking until the wee hours in the morning, and all the great times at the terrace. The campus is big, we walk a lot! Especially when its cold-great excuse to not go to class.

1. Laid back feel 2. I wish the university was better at shoveling the snow and getting rid of the ice on the sidewalks 3. just right 4. jealousy 5. bars, restaurants...oh, and class 6. major college town 7. pretty good 8. the band trip hazing 9. yes! 10. We get LOTS of snow and it's really cold 11. 2004 Halloween--all the people, the riots, and the pepper spray 12. Too cold

The best thing about Wisconsin is the tradition and how the students come together at sporting events. It has tremendous school pride and it has a great campus. I spend most of my time at my dorm, library, and frat house.

One of the best things about Wisconsin is the amazing school spirit that not only unifies the school, but also leads to incredible school pride - we're proud to be Badgers. I would include more of a minor program (the certificate program is quite small with only twenty or so certificates available, a fact that's even more extraordinary considering how there are over 100 majors to be attained here). The school is about the right size for what it is - people don't come to Wisconsin looking for a small school, but there's enough of a community aspect on campus that it feels to large either. People usually react to the news that I go to Madison with "that's a really good school" or "big party school, isn't it?" I spend most of my time on campus at my sorority house (where I live) and at class. Madison is definately a college town in that it's very student-friendly, but it also is wonderful in that the larger community integrates pretty well into the edges of campus (there's no jarring feeling of here you're on campus, here you're off). I don't have a lot to say about Wisconsin's administration (from lack of exposure), but I wish the university would be better about calling snow and cold days BEFORE 3-5pm (it's often colder earlier in the day, and that's when most people have classes). Biggest recent controversy: people getting ready for the Wisconsin primary (especially with all of the candidate and surrogate visits in the week or so before the election). Wisconsin IS school pride in Bucky the Badger form. Wisconsin is unusual in that, even though it's a big state school, the overall community feeling of the campus is such that when you meet a fellow Badger (not on campus), the neutral feeling towards them is goodwill. I will always remember the football games - I might not know the most about football, but that's where the true feeling of Wisconsin spirit can best be known, during a game. Most frequent student complaints: cold in winter? (we're in WI, what do you expect?)

the best thing about wisconsin is the school spirit. it is truly amazing and i love how everyone is so into supporting all the activities going on around campus. i think wisconsin is the perfect size. some may think it is too big, but you always see people you know when you are walking down the street. wisconsin is definitely a college town, more like a college state. everyone loves the badgers!! this year when the weather went crazy and we got over 90 inches of snow the biggest complaint was the sidewalks weren't ever completely shoveled until a week after a storm.