Is it worth $50,000?

JW_Muller
Thu, 03 Apr 2008 13:13:56 +0000

Wisconsin-Madison has the reputation of one of the best academic public universities, sort of like the Cal-Berkeley of the midwest, so there is nothing to be gained from academic prestige.

In terms of selectivity, neither does UCSB have the advantage, if the rough-and-ready indice of average SAT scores is compared.

Wisconsin

Critical Reading:
560 - 670
Math:
620 - 710
Writing:
560 - 670

ACT: 26 - 30

UCSB

Critical Reading:
530 - 650
Math:
540 - 660
Writing:
530 - 650

ACT: 23 - 29

Wisconsin has the further advantage of being well known, and you’ve got all that Big-10 sports, so that the rest of your life you’d be able to cheer on your Badgers, and adorn your car with big red W’s and all that. If you plan to live in Wisconsin after graduation, having all your fellow Badgers around could be advantageous.

If you are looking to bust out of Wisconsin, however, and re-brand yourself as a Californian, UCSB will certainly do that, with academics that suffers only slightly from Wisconsin. When you arrive in Santa Barbara you will, as did Toto, know you aren’t in the midwest anymore.