University of Wisconsin-Madison Visit Report by oregonianmom

Visit Activities:

Information Session: No - Son is already admitted, so we did not attend an information session.

Campus Tour: Yes - Led by a senior and a freshman. Both were very enthusiastic and knowledgeable about the university. The tour was about 2 hours long, and started with a short video presentation.

Classroom Visit: Yes - Son sat in on an English literature class and enjoyed it.

---

Campus:

---

The students all seemed very nice, seemed to love their campus and enjoy being there.

---

---

Hard to see with all the snow, but it looks like a well-maintained campus. Lots of construction going on here and there (which is a good sign in my opinion).

---

Buildings were clean, which must be difficult to maintain in winter weather. Some of the buildings could use some updating.

---

Typical cinderblock walls, typical sized double room. They do provide a refrigerator, and also lofting equipment for the beds.

---

The campus felt very safe, even with its proximity to downtown (which also felt safe). They have a few blue light poles here and there. There is a good campus security presence.

---

Son liked it, and is definitely considering attending.

---

Off-Campus:

---

State St. and downtown Madison is next door to the campus. Lots of students walking around State St. at all times. Very friendly feel, with lots of shops and restaurants. Closed to most vehicles.

---

Madison is a neat city with lots to do. The Capitol building is 6 blocks from campus. There are two big lakes on either side of the campus. There are some pan-handlers on State St.

Campus Visit Notes for University of Wisconsin-Madison

Visit Description:

We braved the cold and snow for a visit to Madison in late January. Son has been accepted there and we wanted to visit before he makes his final decision. We arrived on a Saturday and checked into the Dahlmann Campus Inn on Langdon and Frances Streets. Unpacked our stuff and then headed over to campus, literally 2 blocks away. We walked around campus for a while and got our bearings, then walked around State St. and found a great Afghani restaurant for dinner (Kabul). Sunday we took a campus tour. There were half a dozen students and their parents on the tour. It was quite cold but we covered a large amount of campus in the 2-hour tour. Half of campus feels very "downtown," while the other half feels quite suburban. There are two areas of residence halls: the SE area is downtown, while the other area is called Lakeshore. Very different feel in each area. Most of the undergraduate buildings are in between each of these areas, although it seemed like SE dorms are slightly closer to the main part of campus for undergrads.

After the tour, we walked around State St. some more and to the Capitol building and the Convention Center. Ate at a Japanese restaurant on State St. (Takara). Monday we met with an advisor in the journalism school. He talked to us about admission to their J-school, and toured us around the building. Then we went on a tour of the southeast recreational facility. Compared to some other universities we have toured, the rec facility we toured at UW Madison is not that impressive. However, we were impressed to see so many students working out at 11 a.m. Their other rec facility is called the Natorium, and it's on the other side of campus. We did not visit it, nor did we visit the indoor tennis facilties. They have many outdoor courts, as well.

That afternoon, we visited one of the libraries, took a bus around the campus (free, bus #80) and then walked along the lakeshore path. We also toured one of the private dorms (UH Langdon, on fraternity/sorority row on Langdon St. Very nice). Bought some UW gear at Steve & Barry's on State St. (great prices, great quality!), and ate dinner at an East African restaurant (Buraka). All in all, a very informative trip!

Hotel/Lodging Recommendations or Comments:

The Dahlmann Campus Inn. Free continental breakfast, free appetizers in the early evening, free dessert and coffee in the late evening. Good service, free shuttle to/from Dane Regional Airport.

Dining/Restaurant Recommendations or Comments:

Kabul, Takara, Buraka. Lots of ethnic restaurants on State St. Good food choices abound!

Other Comments (Transportation, local attractions, parking, etc.):

Did not rent a car. Hotel paid for taxi to and from the airport. Avoid parking at the school - it appears a difficult prospect.