Login Register

University of Wisconsin
- Local Atmosphere

RT
Currently attending or alumni?
Review this school!
Are you interested
in this school?
Yes, let this school know
Maybe, bookmark for later
No, get better matches
Saving your decision
Yes
Maybe
No

We will attempt to notify this
school of your interest.

This school has been saved to your schools list.

This school has been removed from your recommended schools list.

For your next recommendation, check out .

Jump to a section:

Grade
Quick Stats
Student Author Overview
Student Reviews
Student Polls
Facts
Listings
Take A SurveyWrite A ReviewUpload A PhotoLink Up A VideoWrite The Guide
University of Wisconsin - Local Atmosphere - Local Atmosphere - College ProwlerCollege Prowler4.24

Local Atmosphere

A-
Where does this grade come from?View all Local Atmosphere rankingsReview this school to add your opinion

Comparable Schools' Local Atmosphere Grades:

Quick Stats

Fun Local Trivia
  1. According to Forbes Magazine, Madison is ranked 2nd in the nation of top places for overall education.
  2. Madison is the 82nd largest city in the U.S.
  3. The cornerstone for the capitol building was laid down in 1837.
  4. The original population of the city in 1846 was 626 people.
  5. Madison is known as the "The City of Four Lakes." Those lakes being Lake Mendota, Lake Monona, Lake Kegonsa, and Lake Waubesa.
Notable Natives
  • Chris Noth – "Sex & the City" actor known as Mr. Big, originally from Madison
  • Phil Hellmuth – famous championship poker player, born in Madison and attended UW-Madison
  • Meinhardt Raabe – born in Wisconsin, attended UW-Madison, and currently living in Madison, he is the only surviving munchkin of The Wizard of Oz movie.
  • Butch Vig – drummer for the band Garbage, grew up in Madison
  • Chris Farley – comedian and actor, born in Madison
Local Slang
  • Bubbler: Water fountain ("I need a drink from the bubbler.")
  • Cheese-head: Wisconsin native ("Oh, you're from Madison? You cheese-head!")
  • Disc-Golf: A hippie sport that incorporates golf and frisbee ("Wanna play a few rounds of disc-golf?")
  • Doozy: Unfortunate situation ("She dumped you, now that's a doozy!")
  • Froke: Past tense of freak ("I failed my test and froke out right in class.")
  • Jack: To assault or attack someone ("I'll jack you!")
  • Salty: A way one feels after being defeated ("After we lost at disc-golf I was feeling pretty salty.")
  • Soda: Carbonated beverage ("To drink? I'll just have a soda.")
  • Tight: A phrase to show approval ("You have a date tomorrow?! Tight!")
  • Tyme Machine: ATM ("I need to get cash, where's the closest tyme machine?")
Points of Interest
  • Camp Randall
  • Capital Square
  • Lake Mendota
  • State Street

Student Author OverviewWhat's This?

With two large lakes bordering opposite ends of campus and the Capital building sitting at the top of State Street, visually, there aren’t enough positive things UW students can say about the locale of this college. Apart from the gorgeous aesthetics, students find the areas near campus to be very accessible. State St. offers a multitude of restaurants, shops, bars, and cafés. Capital Square also offers dining and shopping, but at a little higher price. Students acknowledge the nearby universities, but at the same time, admit to not interacting with them much. In general, students feel the placement of campus creates a very picturesque and “college-esque” atmosphere.

Madison itself is a comfortably-sized city located in the heart of the Midwest. Most students feel its locality creates a friendly and safe environment. The UW campus sits right next to the city’s trendiest street, complete with shops, restaurants, and bars. However, the campus is also close to a strong business district. The meshing of these two worlds exposes students to college life, and that of the ‘real world’. Overall, students at Madison will be provided with the comforts of a small town, as well as the opportunities of a large city.

See how you stack up against students who were accepted to this school . . .And calculate your chances!Register to get started

Wisconsin Student ReviewsWhat's This?

Sort by:

Loading...

Local Atmosphere at University of Wisconsin

cjuliar

Criminal Justice and Law Enforcement Administration '15

5.0
A+

Good Size City

Madison is a decent size city and there is always something to do on the weekends on or off campus and usually events on weeknights as well. We also have State Street, which is home to great shopping and numerous dining venues and cafes. Badger sports are huge here, so make sure you like the color red!

Apr 26, 2012

Comment actions: Rate
Report as inappropriate/inaccurate

Local Atmosphere at University of Wisconsin

jdblair

Marketing '14

5.0
A+

On Wisconsin!

Madison is a great college town with many attractions and interesting places to visit. The great local atmosphere and range of activities make UW-Madison a fantastic college campus.

Apr 19, 2012

Comment actions: Rate
Report as inappropriate/inaccurate

Local Atmosphere at University of Wisconsin

hvanert34230

Nursing '15

4.6
A

So Active!

Madison always has something to offer! There is something to do every night of the week, all seasons for everybody! During the summer there are concerts on the terrace, and during the winter there are broom ball games out on the frozen lake. There is something for everyone in this busy city.

Apr 04, 2012

Comment actions: Rate
Report as inappropriate/inaccurate
Page 1 of 13
User rating for University of Wisconsin - Local Atmosphere is 4.6 out of 5 based on 37 user reviews.

Student Survey Poll ResultsWhat's This?

Rate the local atmosphere on the following topics

What is the local atmosphere like at your school?

What is the proximity to other universities? Is there much interaction?

Can you see yourself living here after graduation?

Facts

Shopping Centers
  • East Towne Mall
  • University Square Mall
  • West Towne Mall
Major Sports Teams
  • Green Bay Packers: football
  • Milwaukee Brewers: baseball
  • Milwaukee Bucks: basketball
City Web Sites
Distances to Nearest Major Cities
  • Chicago: IL: 3 hours
  • Milwaukee: WI: 2 hours

Movie TheatersWhat's This?

Eastgate Cinemas - Madison
5202 High Crossing Blvd.
(608) 242-2117

Orpheum Theater
216 State St.
Madison
(608) 255-8755

University Square Theaters
62 University Square Mall
Madison
(608) 251-FILM

Become a Contributing Author Learn more »

Most Recent Student Author View all

Name
Marie Puissant
Hometown
Green Bay, Wis.
Major
Marketing and English

College Prowler is seeking talented student authors to assist with writing and updating the College Prowler guides to their schools. This is a great opportunity for a student to gain experience and tremendous exposure, utilize new media techniques, and share advice with high school students about what life is really like at your college.

Buy the eBook "University of Wisconsin 2012: Off The Record"
AmazonBarnes & NobleGoogleSmashwords
Download a FREE Printable Summary (PDF)

Find a college

Find a major

Scholarships

Reviews

Search College Prowler

Company

How do we get our information? Find out here or report an error here. The statistics on our site are from the National Center for Education Statistics IPEDS database.
We update this information twice annually, most recently in May 2012, but it may not be the most recent information available for a particular school.
For additional information we encourage you to visit school websites or contact the schools directly.