University of Wisconsin-Madison Top Questions

My advice would be to do a lot of research and campus visits, but most importantly talk to students that attend the school of your interest currently. It is important to get the most opinions of the school you are considering as you can. As a transfer student I know how hard it can be to start at a new school after having attended one. Its a hard change, but by doing all you can to get to know the school you want to attend before you attend it, you may be able to avoid a transfer. More specifically, I would suggest to look for larger schools. You may be surprised by how small a large school can get after you have been there for a year or more and once you have close friends. Also, a large school allows for more opportunity to find out where you really belong, who you really get along with and gets you out of your comfort zone a little. Just remember that you change a lot in college and what you think you want going into it may be the exact opposite coming out of it.

Actually go and visit the schools and talk to random students about their experience.

I would make sure to have a good understanding of your child's learning style. Most importantly whether or not they do well with multiple choice exams because part of going to a larger university is that your grade is often based off of only 3 multiple choice exams. I would also have a realistic idea of how much time one wants to allocate toward studying and socializing. Colleges do a great job of providing many socializing opportunities to their students, however if you are likely to be easily distracted this could be a deterant to your school work. Overall, the nice thing about a large public university is the amount of resources that they can provide including internships, volunteer opportunities, a much wider variety of classes and much more. This is something that is very beneficial to any student.

UW-Madison is a very beautiful school located at the center of the city and next by a beautiful lake. The students hear are friendly and very school spirited! Whether you love music, theater, sports, or just relaxing by the lake, I think anybody and everybody could find something that they can't resist to love about the campus. If you are looking for a beautiful and safe campus and a lot of fun people to study with and hang out with, I think you would find all those at UW-Madison.

make sure you like the town and scope out what you would do outside of school within the town.

Make sure the college is right for you academically and socially.

When looking for the 'right' college, search for a school that fits your learning needs. If you have trouble learning, especially learning the subject you plan to pursue, look at smaller community colleges. These schools allow more one-on-one help and are not as competitive, which will make you more likely to succeed in college and in other areas of your life. If you are at the higher end of your class in high school and are independent, attend a larger university. These colleges are more competitive and will continue to challenge you the way you to be challenged so that you do not get bored. To make the most of college, do not give up. As a freshman, many students feel home sick and many transfer to a smaller colleges closer to home. However, the students who stuck it out their freshman year ended up liking their original school more than the students who transfered liked their new school. Live in the residence halls your freshman year and get involved! Don't just get involved in activites you think you would like, there are many activites you wouldn't realize you'd enjoy until you actually tried them.

Go with what ever school is best rated. If you get into a great school but it isn't in your kind of town, trust the ratings and endure the four years of unpleasentness to make off with an excellent degree. You shouldn't be enjoying the sights anyway; you should be studying.

Often when a former college freshman comes upon an incoming freshman, their first reaction is to tell that person something they wish they had known before they chose or entered a college. For choosing a college, I would suggest writing down certain criteria that are necessary and then eliminating the universities that don't meet that criteria. Nothing is more important in choosing what college to go to than a person's own personal preferences. It is essential to remember however, that some criteria may not be as important as one might think. Thus, if a college is perfect in every way except one, it could still be the right school. Once the school has been chosen and the freshman has arrived, it is important to not only be as friendly to those in the same dorm (since they are the people most likely to become your friends), but also to become as involved as possible in as many different clubs or activites as possible. At first, this is a great idea, especially before the homework load has really begun. Later on, however, I would cut out the activites that are not as enjoyable to lower one's workload.

Definitely go visit the campus and talk to current students as well as alumni you may know. Take into account the location and proximity to home, and the weather and campus layout. Finding an environment you will feel most comfortable in yet will still be challenged is important.

One of the first questions to ask yourself is how far away from home do you want to be? College is scary , and you may feel more comfortable being closer to home. Knowing you can hop on a bus and be home for the weekend is very comforting, even if you never find the time to do it! Ask yourself how you will get back and forth. It makes a difference with you and your family. Next, think about what profession interests you. If you have an idea, then look for colleges that match your interests. If not, no worries, just enroll and pick classes that interest you. Your counselor can help with that. Find out which are the "Freshman" dorms and stay there. It's fun to meet new students in the same boat as you. Get involved with something you are passionate about. I love volleyball, so I am playing on UW Madison's Club traveling team. It's so fun and I've met some great friends. It keeps me in shape and busy so I am forced to budget my time well for my schoolwork. I love my school. Go Badgers!

Campus visits are often touted as the 'absolute best' way to get a feel for a school and decide if a college is right. However, I would suggest talking to students who attend the specific college, particularly those who have been to the same high school as the prospective student or who come from a similar background, about their experiences. It is not only the lecture halls and football stadium that constitute one's college experience. It is the interactions with teaching assistants and professors, the availability of courses that interest the student, and late nights with Starbuck's Coffee to name a few. Learning from other's experiences at a college is an invaluable tool in the college selection process. With regard to making the most of the college experience, there is one thing above all else that I would say: Do not be afraid! Don't be afraid to introduce yourself to new people right away, don't be afraid to join that organization that seems cool, don't be afraid to take risks. Courage is key, because at the end of the day, college is entirely what you make of it.

They not only should look at what type of academics the school has, but also what kind of clubs and extra curricular activities are offered, the demographics of the school, and what kind of a setting the school is in (rural vs. urban, etc.). I definitely recommend visiting a school at least once before deciding to attend it. Visiting the school can bring a whole different light to your perspective (and not always a good light). I think it also helps to search the internet to see what kind of opinions are out there and what the pros and cons are about the schools you're looking at.

Be sure to visit all different types of schools. I had never even considered the school I attended and just happened to apply because the application was one of the easier ones. I visited all different types of schools because I wasn't sure at all where I wanted to go, and ended up visiting the school I would later attend. I am thankful everyday that I did take the weekend to visit that school because I could not imagine myself anywhere else after graduating. Always remember to keep an open mind.

Figure out what's best for you.

Talk to current students and professors

When you visit a college you will know right away if you are a good fit, run with your heart.

To find the right college, I would say just go with your instincts. Visit the schools you are considering and see where you could picture yourself (or your child). I had absolutely no clue where I wanted to go to school but once I stepped onto the campus at UW-Madison I could see myself there and felt the most comfortable. Don't waste time comparing ratings, choose the school where you feel most at home. To make the most out of the college experience, realize that grades are not the most important thing (they may be important if you are trying to attend graduate school after, but they are not your only priority). Personally, I believe my college experience was more valuable socially than academically. I don't mean to downplay Madison's academic excellence- I just think the life-long friends I made are more valuable than anything I may have learned.

The most important factor to consider when visiting a college to determine if it is a best fit for you, is talking with current students, not just the tour guides. Interacting with students and asking them how much they enjoy the college is the best feedback you could get when determining the how other students feel about the decision they made in attending that prospective university. You can read a students body language and facial expressions when describing how they feel about their school. Typically wide smiles clue you into the fact that they are enjoying their college experience. While college is about getting the best education, it is also about developing as a person. Being away from home for the first time gives a person a sense of individualism that makes them realize they are now on their own. College is about experiencing many different things to find out who you truly are. Make the most of your college days, because one day you're going to look back on them and realize you would not want to change a single thing about those days. Live, learn, and discover who you are.

In high school, I had convinced myself there was one university I belonged at. Unfortunately (or rather fortunately for me) upon visiting this instiution, I realized it was not the school for me. Conversely, after visiting a school I had not focused much of my attention on, I realized it very much was the perfect school for me. To truly gauge a school, it is imperative that applicants visit before making such a crucial, life-altering decision. It is only when visitng a school that a prospective student can really sense and feel what a school is about, and possibly see themselves there in the future.