College- Going to Madison!

[utdfan]

I can't say to much for Marquette since I don't go there but, in terms of the cons for UW I may be able to help you a little. Yes, it is a huge school but I really don't see the downside of that. There are a lot of people and things to do which means that everyone can find something they like. And yes it is a liberal school but it isn't really that big of a deal. Its not as though people will hate you if you are conservative. Graduating in four years will depend on major and your general work ethic. If you are able to handle a decent workload each semester you can do it. The problems start when people take light schedules there first few years and then realize they need to take 18 credits every semester their junior and senior year to graduate.

 

Also, you said that Marquette is smaller and therefore has more one on one education. This may be true and I have never attended a class at Marquette, but at UW there are tons of opportunities for one on one education. In every class I have taken so far both the Professor and TAs have office hours which is when students can get help directly from them. Most people don't take advantage of this until the week before an exam, so for most of the semester if you go in for their office hours you will have all the help you will need directly from the people teaching the course.

 

Forgot to add this but I am sure you have heard that UW has a great poli sci department. I have taken a few of the classes and I am considering it as part of a double major. It also does not hurt that you will be within walking distance of the Capitol which means a lot of intership opportunites. I can't really think of any places to get interships in government around Milwaukee excpet for something in the city council, and that is one of the last places I would want to work right now.

[RyDogg66]

That Madison degree will travel out of state better, more options, cheaper, while MU is a good school, uw is better...what is not to like?

[mothershipconnection]

For majors I'm looking at Political Science, International Affairs, or History.......but I could end up switching all around.

 

Then go to UW by all means. Those are degrees that either may not pay well at the bachelor's level, or will require grad school. if you quit with a bachelor's and aren't making a ton of money, you're really gonna appreciate the $20,000 less in loans. If you do go on to grad school, I can't see UW pulling less weight on your application, and once you're in grad school, your undergrad degree becomes almost meaningless. People only care about my terminal degree, as I've never even been asked in a professional setting where I did undergrad.

 

 

Too liberal?

 

There's a socialist party chapter near me in Texas. With a population that big, you'll find plenty of like-minded people, even if they aren't the majority.

[Brewbadger]

Definitely go the UW route. I'm sure I have a biased opinion, but picking UW was the best choice I made. I was accepted into Marquette as well, but being from the suburbs of Milwaukee, I just needed to get away from home. Being away from Miller Park is a downfall but I can shoot down 94 and make a game in an hour and 15 minutes tops. The athletics are top-notch (Marquette doesn't even have a football team!). You can easily assimilate yourself into the campus life; for 40,000 people that go here, the campus seems tiny. You'll meet, see, and interact with a lot of the same people on a daily basis (as everyone falls into routines). The campus is liberal, but there is a somewhat sizable College Republicans group on campus you could always join. As for the dorms, definitely shoot for the SE quadrant (Sellery, Witte, new Ogg, Smith are all good choices). They're typically more "fun" than the lakeshore dorms, which are relatively quiet.

[utdfan]

Also, don't underestimate how much of a difference a football team makes. I realize it shouldn't be your only reason, but honestly the fall semester seems to go by twice as fast just because you have the football games to look forward to most weekends. Even when they were terrible last season, there really is nothing like getting up at 9 am to party and spend 3 hours watching (hopefully) a good football game.

 

And I couldn't agree more with Brewbadger in terms of the dorm decision. The SE side seems to be much more enjoyable and you will meet a lot more people. I know people who enjoyed the lakeshore dorms but I also know people who hated it. I have never meet anyone who didn't have a good time in the SE dorms.

[Brewbadger]

Yes, football gamedays are just awesome, no other way to put it. 100,000+ people decked out in red consuming the entire downtown, parties every few houses, tailgating everywhere. Beer flowing like water, nothing else like it. The football experience in itself should be enough to sway you in favor of the UW.

[T B0NE 10]

I sent in my $100 deposit to UW-Madison today....

 

I think thats where I'm going to go.

 

I will try to get to campus in a couple of weeks and do another tour or sit in in a class to make sure.

[bani1717]

Good choice http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/smile.gif

 

This campus is definitely very liberal. That said, when I went to vote I rode my bike past a house that literally had 50 McCain-Palin signs in the front yard. It's liberal, overwhelmingly at times, but just don't go getting into a debate with someone from some socialist or Democrats for Obama student org and you will be all right.

 

Amen to the football games. Last semester went by very quickly, largely because of them. (Unfortunately, I had to miss the OSU game because of the NLDS game, but hey, it was a great decision to have to make.)

 

Personally, I had lived in Waukesha my whole life before coming out here. I'm not the most outgoing person when it comes to meeting new people, so while I made some friends last year, I definitely did miss home. So I went home a fair amount. This year, I'm living in a house with 6 other people (5 of whom I went to high school with), and I couldn't be happier. Having good friends around me and having the freedom of living in a house (in addition to having a more full schedule that's kept me more busy) has made me appreciate Madison more.

 

So basically, if you do attend school here, my two bits of advice (maybe echoing what others have said) is to realize your priorities, that school is number one, and to find a group of friends you can enjoy and can possibly live with in an apartment/house starting your second year.

[hawing]

I will try to get to campus in a couple of weeks and do another tour or sit in in a class to make sure.

Be sure to rock some Brewers gear again so we can spot you. http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/smile.gif

[utdfan]

I will try to get to campus in a couple of weeks and do another tour or sit in in a class to make sure.

Good choice. If its warm when you come, make sure not to sit in on a class in Bascom or Science Hall. I can't think of anything more miserable than sitting through a power lecture on a warm day in either of those buildings.

 

I would also recommend that you take a look in one of the dorm rooms just to realize how little room you will have. I didn't see my dorm room until I moved in and we had to spend a lot of time just to get all of our stuff to fit comfortably.

[T B0NE 10]

I got like a dorm book in the mail.

 

Anybody got any dorm suggestions?

I've heard SE from alot of people, then I hear from people who recommend lakeshore.

[bani1717]

I lived in Sellery (SE) last year. It's closer to most campus buildings and also to the State Street/downtown area. There are also a lot more partyers in these dorms, particularly Witte (whether that's something you'd prefer or something that would just annoy you, IDK).

 

However, on the down side, there was construction non-stop throughout the year it seemed like. It's not fun getting woken up to that at 6 or 7 am. And, when you live on the top floors of a tall dorm like Witte or Sellery, the stairs can be a pain, the elevators take a long time during peak times, and it is always hot in your room, even in the middle of winter (unless you live in Smith or Ogg, the new expensive dorms with A/C).

 

Personally, I think I would have preferred Lakeshore overall, but that's just me. However, the group of guys I lived with on my floor was decent. That could be one of the biggest determining factors as far as whether you enjoy your dorm experience or not, and it's impossible to know for sure what it's gonna be like until you get settled in at whatever dorm.

 

And as a last bit of advice my girlfriend adds, "Don't pick Witte!"

[hawing]

My dorm experience was too long ago to help you much, but if you think construction noise would bother you, it won't be over in the southeast dorm area in 2009-2010. Just saying.

 

I spent time in Chadbourne and Barnard (which are next door to each other, at Park St and University Ave) and liked those buildings. This was back, back, back in the day when they were women's dorms; there are no single-sex dorms anymore. Chadbourne is now one of those "residential college" communities that has organized activities and stuff (and I assume costs a little more). One of the summers I was in Madison, I had a lakeshore dorm room in Tripp Hall, which I also enjoyed - though it was only for eight weeks.

 

The architecture of Tripp-Adams, Kronshage, and Barnard has always appealed to me. They look like classic old-school dorms, and are the oldest buildings on campus still used as dorms. Even the Chadbourne tower is at least an interesting (some would say weird) shape. I think Sellery and Witte, as well as the CBS dorms (Cole, Bradley, Sullivan on the lakeshore) are ugly and unappealing. Think 1960s institutional. After a bad experience I had in a party dorm at another school, I was looking to avoid that scene, which was another good reason to avoid Sellery and Witte.

 

Ogg and Smith Halls, the newest kids on the block, are supposed to be pretty luxe. I think you enter a lottery for the privilege of paying extra to live there. Elizabeth Waters (the last all-female holdout) had the largest rooms on campus when I was a student; the rooms in Ogg and Smith might be bigger.

 

You may want to consider where your classes are likely to be, and think about how far from your most likely classroom haunts you want to live. The southeast dorms are closest to Humanities (history, music, art), any building on Bascom Hill, Grainger Hall (business), Helen C. White (English), Science Hall (geography), etc. The lakeshore dorms are closest to agriculture and life science buildings. Remember that even if you want to be, say, a business major, that you may not have a bunch of classes in Grainger until you're actually in the school of business, which would not happen your freshman year. There are campus buses that you can ride for free, but at class change times they're packed. Plus, walking Bascom Hill is healthful once you're accustomed to it. http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/smile.gif

 

If you like to exercise or do intramural sports at a gym, the lakeshore dorms are closer to the Natatorium and the southeast dorms are close to the SERF. I always preferred the Nat. I don't know where the baseball club team practices or plays, but you might want to look into that as well.

 

If you want nice surroundings, I would try for Tripp, Adams or Kronshage, maybe even Slichter. If you want proximity to non-ag classroom buildings, go southeast - but like bani1717's girlfriend, I would avoid Witte. Maybe also Sellery, but if I had to choose between them I'd choose Sellery. If you want to try for expense and luxury, try for Smith or Ogg.

 

(Of course, you now have to tell us how you wind up ranking the dorms.)

[Brewbadger]

I lived in Sellery two years ago and thought it was great. Tons of fun, close to everything, SERF right across the street. Witte was also always a good time as well. I had a lot of friends that lived there. Of course, I was the consummate partier back then, so that may have skewed my views. Now that I've unfortunately grown older, and (hopefully?) matured, I'd try the lakeshore, but to experience Madison for what it's known for, I'd shoot for the SE dorms. Ogg and Smith are both really slick as well. Air conditioning is really worth its weight in gold sometimes.

[NeedMoreFans]

I lived in the lakeshore dorms for 2 years, and LOVED it. Yes, it is a bit farther than the SE dorms from State St., the liberal arts area, etc... but you get a free bus pass. And if you have a bike, the lakeshore path is nice and quick. I liked how quiet it seemed. It also never felt very crowded. There is a lot more green space to play outdoor games, too. I think Tripp and Adams halls are for non-freshmen (they have single rooms)...at least they were when I went there. Tripp is a very nice dorm.

[utdfan]

I lived in Witte and could not have had a better time. You meet a lot of people and there is always something to do. Right now I either live with or keep in touch with over half of the 60 people that lived on our floor. The only thing that I didn't like was that it was a relatively long walk to some of the classes that were further west. Being close to State Street is also nice especially if you don't want to eat at the dorm cafeteria every day (Although I still miss the pizza and nachos from Eds and I wish they delivered to my apartment). In the end, it really depends on what your looking for.

[T B0NE 10]

From what I've heard I think I'm leaning Southeast or Liz Waters. I'm planning on going to a TON of Badger games, and I'm a pretty outgoing and social guy. Whats the word on Smith? Everyone seems to talk about Sellery, Ogg, and Witte for the Southeast dorms.

 

I hear Sellery is the party dorm, but is it too crazy?

[owbc]

Overall I agree with what others have said. I lived in Sullivan from 2005-2007 and I have worked at the front desk at Witte from 2007-present so I am very familiar with University Housing. Although there are a number of issues with the dorms, it is essential to your college experience that you live in the dorms, otherwise you will get left behind socially.

 

Here are a couple of other suggestions:

 

Don't live in Smith. It is the fanciest dorm but is also fairly high up on the anti-social list. I also strongly suggest avoiding Tripp and Adams if you are outgoing or social. Housefellows in Tripp and Adams are trained to recognize depression while housefellows in other dorms look out for excessive drinking and noise.

 

I recommend Liz Waters and Chadbourne as they are the most centrally located and have Cafeterias right in the building. The one disadvantage is that the cafeterias tend to have limited hours compared to Frank's Place (Lakeshore ) and Gordon Commons (Southeast).

 

Witte, Sellery, and Ogg all have reputations for being social dorms. The amount of partying seems to vary by floor and by year, so I wouldn't pick one based on that--if your floor is too loud or too quiet, transferring rooms is a relatively simple and common process. This year, Sellery is definitely the party dorm, but Witte was the party dorm last year. Out of the three, I recommend trying to get into Ogg even though it is more expensive. It has a great blend of larger, more comfortable rooms while still being social. Witte and Sellery are exactly the same as far as I'm concerned--1960s style with small rooms--although the furniture was just upgraded last year which helps somewhat.

 

I recommend Lakeshore dorms (Cole, Sullivan, Kronshage, Bradley) if you like a slightly quieter atmosphere or like going for runs/bike rides along the lake. They still are relatively social but tend toward less partying than Southeast. Also, they are farther away from just about everything besides engineering. Lakeshore also has the tennis courts and large fields. The Nat is also less busy than the SERF. Also, the walk from Lakeshore to the Kohl Center is 20-30 minutes.

[hawing]

I'd promote Chadbourne more, except the housing website says that the building will be undergoing renovation throughout the 2009-2010 academic year. They say they'll minimize inconvenience to residents, but come on, they're replacing the elevators, how do you do that quietly?

[utdfan]

T B0NE 10 wrote:

I hear Sellery is the party dorm, but is it too crazy?

When I was in witte, it was never "too crazy." You could always get your work done in the den (common are on the floor) on weekdays and there is always the library if you have something you really need to focus on.

[zurch1818]

I lived in Smith the first year it was open. The rooms there are actually quite nice because they are so big. Each room has 11 foot ceilings, so it is nice not having to worry about hitting your head on the ceiling. It is also 5 people to a bathroom versus a whole wing of people to a bathroom.

 

Another nice feature was air conditioning. When I lived in Bradley the year prior, it got fairly hot in my room during the start and end of the year. Ogg also has AC.

 

The only problem I had with Smith was doors closed, then locked automatically. I know many people that got locked out of their room because they went to the bathroom and did not have a key to get back in their room and did not leave the door open. You have to figure out a way to rig your door to stay open if you want to be social. People that do leave your door open are people that are wanting to be social with. Let me know if there is anything else you would like to know about Smith.

[PrestigeWorldwide]

I lived in Cole and loved the lakeshore area. I enjoy more of a laid back atmosphere and that area was perfect for me. My friend, who also lived in Cole, is more outgoing, more social, and enjoyed partying more. He liked it there, but if he had to do it over again he certainly would have chosen southeast.

 

I also met my wife in Cole so maybe that introduces a little bias into my recollection.

 

Congrats T-Bone, what an exciting time for you. You made an excellent choice!!

[slack00]

Congrats on making such an important choice. I don't think you could have gone wrong either way, but it's still probably one of the most important choices of your life. I had the same decision to make at that point in my life and while I'm sure I would have been happy, I couldn't imagine where I'd be now had I chosen differently.

[jackellberry]

I hear Sellery is the party dorm, but is it too crazy?

I went to visit a friend of mine who lives in Sellery earlier this year and it isn't too crazy at all. Also saw a friend who lived in Ogg-wow that place is like a 5 star hotel.

[T B0NE 10]

Well I'm trying to find a roommate on facebook right now and try to find a roommate with similar interests......I don't know if I want to go the completely random route, I've heard some horror stories.

 

This is the way I have them ranked right now....Could change depending if I find a roommate or not, or if you guys talk me into changing

 

1. Ogg

2. Elizabeth Waters

3. Sellery

4. Witte

5. Kronshage

6. Slichter

7. Smith

8. Bradley LC

9. Chadbourne LC

10. Sullivan

11. Adams

12. Cole

13-17 The LC's

18. Friedrick