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University of Wisconsin-Madison Visit Report by plaid freak

Visit to University of Wisconsin-Madison in March 2007 by plaid freak
(Parent of Student, HS Class of 2007)
(Member since November 02 2006 with 96 posts)
 
6 of 6 people found this visit report helpful

Visit Activities:


Information Session: Yes - Excellent.Panel of faculty followed by student panel. Students were very honest, and encouraged to also speak about what they don't like. Both panels were extremely helpful.

Campus Tour: Yes - Pretty good. Would have liked it to include Lake Shore area, as well, but I suppose the campus is too big to get everything in.

Classroom Visit: Yes - Unfortunately,my son ended up in a deadly dull econ class, which the school newspaper (he read it during class) had deemed "Most likely to fall asleep in." Good to know: avoid prof. Ingraham

Campus:


Friendliness/Courtesy of Students:
5 - Excellent
5 - Excellent
The ones we spoke to were very nice.


Friendliness/Courtesy of Staff:
5 - Excellent
5 - Excellent



Appearance of Campus:
4 - Very Good
4 - Very Good
I think my expectations were out of whack. From everything I'd heard, I'd expected to be blown away by the campus but was not. It's quite nice, though.


Building/Facilities Maintenance/Cleanliness:
4 - Very Good
4 - Very Good



Dormitories:
3 - Good
3 - Good
Hard to say because I only saw a model room. The dorm my son stayed in was ok. Another prospective student we met stayed in a new dorm and said it was amazing. There's a wide variety, apparently.


Security/Safety:
2 - Fair
2 - Fair
The campus is wide open to the whole city.It seems ok in general, but a student on the panel said she would like more security.Didn't note any campus security during our visit.


Overall Campus Impression:
4 - Very Good
4 - Very Good
Was expecting "excellent," but feel okay with "very good."

Off-Campus:


Area Immediately Around Campus:
3 - Good
3 - Good
Once again, not what I expected. The city is a bit grittier than I envisioned. State St. not as polished as I expected, which is fine. Not sure about the genesis of these expectations of mine.


City/Town/Community:
3 - Good
3 - Good
Only saw the area between campus and the capitol building. Not much to it. I noticed a few interesting restaurants. Some nice student hangouts. A good atmosphere for students.

Campus Visit Notes for University of Wisconsin-Madison


Visit Description:

The place felt very strong academically. Students seem to work hard. The faculty we met seemed sharp and enthusiastic. This bit of praise, of course, does not extend to the prof teaching the economics class my son attended.
We had lunch in one of the dining commons, and it was good. Students all said they like the food. Regarding security, a girl on the student panel said someone had been raped last semester. I agree with her that the school could use more security to deter crime. As I said above, we didn't notice much of a campus security presence. As we were leaving our hotel for the airport, we saw two young men being arrested, so it isn't like the city is some idyllic Midwestern place. It has the advantages and disadvantages of most small cities.
The students LOVE it there. Many were trying to figure out a way to stay for a fifth year. In general, I got a good feeling from the place, as did my son.

Hotel/Lodging Recommendations or Comments:

Stayed at the Doubletree. Nice room. Excellent staff. Very convenient to campus.

Dining/Restaurant Recommendations or Comments:

Ate at Afghan Kabob restaurant--liked it.