University of Wisconsin-Madison (UW-Madison)

The University of Wisconsin-Madison is a large research campus sitting on an isthmus between two lakes that lets more than 35,000 undergraduates avail themselves of 4,700 courses, 129 majors, and "an abundance of research opportunities in all fields." Resources abound here: students have "access to state-of-the-art technology" and "lots of programs and opportunities to go abroad." First-years "can easily work in a lab, and...there is potential for publication" if they spend enough time there. The school "provides amazing opportunities to its students and is extremely accommodating." As one student describes, "Academic tutoring happens around campus for almost every single class and mental health resources are available 24/7."

Professors "know that the university culture involves lots of interaction and mentoring of students" and therefore "are truly about teaching and learning." "Tests are generally fair and...outlined well," says a student. Another notes that some courses are styled as "active learning classes," in which "students watch short lecture videos" and work out homework with the assistance of the professor and TAs during class time. There are "multiple avenues to gain research experience on campus" thanks to the great many labs offered. Since "there is very little downtime here," the academic curriculum "does not occupy your time with busy work." Though students admit that there are a few faculty members with areas for improvement, they say "Wisconsin does a pretty good job of keeping professors who don't like to teach" out of the classroom.

Most students here "are from around the Midwest, especially Wisconsin," and "midwestern kindness prevails" among this "fun and intellectually diverse student body," which is "not too big or too small." Students are "extremely active in extracurriculars," and they take full advantage of the more than one thousand student organizations on offer. "Everyone gets so excited about sports," particularly during football and basketball season ("athletic games are sacred places for [the] Badger teams"). "Everyone is genuinely thrilled to be at this school, whether it be on a football Saturday or just another day of class," says a student. Most here "care about preparing for their future, but don't get too competitive about grades," and "it's easy to pick up new study partners in any class by introducing yourself on the first day."

Even during cold weather "people spend a lot of time outside" and students can often be found "by the beautiful lakes [and hanging] out in the city, student unions, or parks." The "bus system is excellent" and "makes getting around campus very easy," which is useful as the campus sits on 936 acres. It "is part of a city environment," so students can go "to State Street to grab food or coffee," and "there are several concert venues around that attract pretty intriguing acts." Additionally, the school itself hosts "lots of free activities like concerts and art events and food events and speakers" that are "always well-attended." Several of the dorms "are top-notch" and the "dorm food is usually very good."

"It's never hard to find a party" here, but even though "students may go out and be social at night, the library is full by 9 a.m. the next morning." "The average student...parties a lot, and studies even more," says one. But regardless of what you like to do, students are confident that even "if you do not drink, you will find other people" to hang out with.