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- Life in Madison, Wisconsin
- FAQ: Life at the Unversity of Wisconsin-Madison
- Life at the Unversity of Wisconsin-Madison
Q: What is Madison like? Is Madison a good
place to live?
A: Depends on where you come from. To me it is a nice, largish
town. The american dream is still alive, for better and worse. The
place is liberal "for the midwest," an important qualifier. During the
summer it is hard not to bump into live music, art fairs, etc. The lakes
are wonderful and make any coast-lover feel less landlocked. The
people are nice, kids ride bikes, families picnic.
A: Madison is basically a big, midwestern college town. If you like
college towns, you will probably like Madison. If you like city life,
you will probably not like Madison.
A: It's safe, it's very pretty, it's peaceful. On the other hand, it's on the
expensive side for the midwest and you couldn't find a decent bagel if your life depended on it.
A: Wonderful. There are forests for hiking within the city limits,
and the lakes allow for boating. You can bike a lot of places. It's a
small city with the feel of a town while maintaining some degree of
culture. There is a fantastic farmer's market during the warmer months.
It's a great place to live. Housing costs are moderate. Being a small
city there are no long commutes. Parking on campus is difficult, but not
impossible.
Q: I hope to find a 2-bedroom apartment. What do you think the rent would be?
A: $700-800
A: Low-end would be about $600 and it goes up from there. Then
again, it depends on where you live. If you're willing to drive to school
every day, you can find a very nice 2-bedroom apartment for less than $600.
A: Between $550 and $800.
Q: What's the local music scene like?
A: Coffee houses and then music quite frequently outdoors in the
summer, from Jazz to Peruvian.
A: Madison used to be known for its indie-rock scene. It may still be,
but in the last several years a number of the venues where those bands
used to play closed down. I think there's a small jazz scene. As far as
classical music is concerned, the scene is pretty mediocre.
A: Unfortunately there are fewer and fewer venues for live music.
However, there is an active local music scene here.
Q: Is there much crime in Madison?
A: Compared to any large city, I think Madison is very safe.
Compared to any small country town, it's probably got more crime.
Residents say and feel that it is safe. Walking at night alone seems safe
in most areas. Women jog alone, people have picnics, etc. But people
lock their bikes and houses (at least we do).
A: Not that I'm aware of. And the university offers a lot of safety
services. For instance there are saferide and safewalk services offered
all the time for those who do not feel it's safe to walk alone at night. A: Not compared to larger cities.
Q: What are the student recreational facilities like?
A: Amazing. Gyms, ice skating, sailing, anything you want to get into.
A: They're decent.
A: Okay. There are a few gyms with some exercise equipment.
There intramurals and exercise classes. If you have a sport you like
to do, you should be able to find people to do it with. The student
unions are great. There is a huge terrace on the lake at one of the
unions -- it's great.
Q: Are there opportunities for getting away from the city (camping, hiking, etc.)?
A: Yes, alone or with groups organized around these themes.
A: Yes, definitely. There are lots of places to camp, hike, & canoe in WI.
Nothing as beautiful as in the mountains, but there are lots of nice
places. There are also many tourist attractions near Madison which
can be good for a bit of kitsch.
Q: Is it easy to live in Madison on a student's budget?
A: Easier than a big city. Most people seem to do just fine.
A: ore or less.
A: I wouldn't say easy, but it's certainly possible.
Q: Do most students live on- or off-campus?
A: Most grad students live off campus.
A: About half and half. I'm assuming "on campus" means within
walking distance of the psychology department.
A: Very few students live in residence
halls. Most students live in apartments or houses off campus.
Q: Is living on campus convenient?
A: Yes. Parking around the department is a nightmare.
Q: Is owning a car necessary in Madison?
A: No. Buses are free. Biking is easy. Walking is easy too.
Madison is small. Getting almost anywhere in Madison takes
20 minutes by car.
A: It's not necessary, but it helps. There's not really a good grocery
store within walking distance of campus. And if you want to get out
of Madison a car is a necessity.
A: No, it's definitely not necessary. Makes grocery shopping easier
though. If you are a clinical student, you'll want a car by your 3rd or 4th
year so that you can get to your off-campus supervisors.
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