UW-Madison or Northwestern... Which is more worthwhile?

anhydrite
Mon, 06 Apr 2015 03:30:20 +0000

I have experience at both. Northwestern is not academically superior in every way; in certain disciplines, NU can be inferior, but not by a landslide. Economics at UW is quite strong, though you may need a bit more diligence to create a relationship with faculty, research, etc. But it is there if you put in the effort. It’s true that NU undergrad may offer better Wall Street advantages. However, factoring in the graduate opportunity at UW with your costs, that shifts the deal imo. An advanced degree from an institution with internationally ranked economics should also hold you in good stead.

If you gained these admissions, you have the intelligence and discipline to do well. I’d recommend using your abilities to do a little more research on the strengths of UW as an institution, and look under the veneer of the more superficial rankings, or anecdotal evidence from college freshmen.

I concur they provide different atmospheres, and they’re different institutions structurally; I do hold NU in high esteem for certain programs. I don’t think NU is worth that differential in undergrad debt. I am of the opinion that the college experience can be what you make of it for talented scholars, so long as the institution in question offers sufficient resources. In this case, both UW and NU offer more than sufficient resources. Best of luck-