Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
I've been to Ann Arbor...wonderful town....but basically a larger version ofChampaign, Bloomington, or Iowa City. Madison is on a totally different level.
Madison literally covers 3 times as much land area as Ann Arbor which gives it's 3 times as much opportunity to be a "much larger city". So just cherry pick which metric for measuring a city validates your arguments.
Having spent time in both cities anyone saying that Madison is "much more urban" or "much more cosmopolitan". is a homer who has never been to Ann Arbor, or a typical C-D poster that hasn't been to either city and just creating opinions based on google searches.
This is a tie...there is a reason both of these cities jockey each other on the endless "best of" lists created. They are both known for their diverse economies, inclusive cultures, and cosmopolitan nature. Not to mention being the anchor for two of the most elite universities in the world. The anecdotal, and down right bias crap people throw around on here gives me endless entertainment while i'm distracting myself from work.
Thanks, this was a helpful post. The best choice is especially not as black and white considering that per my criteria, bigger and/or more cosmopolitan doesn't necessarily mean better. A smaller city could just as easily be better than a larger one in these areas.
I've been to Ann Arbor...wonderful town....but basically a larger version ofChampaign, Bloomington, or Iowa City. Madison is on a totally different level.
Having spent time in both cities anyone saying that Madison is "much more urban" or "much more cosmopolitan". is a homer who has never been to Ann Arbor, or a typical C-D poster that hasn't been to either city and just creating opinions based on google searches.
And this comment pretty much confirms you're a homer for Ann Arbor. I have been to both many times, and you're completely wrong.
Madison is much bigger, and much more urban. Madison has a solid corridor of high density between the state capital and university, Ann Arbor has no equivalent. Madison's main pedestrian/shopping street runs around 10 blocks, Ann Arbor's main pedestrian/shopping street runs around 3 blocks. Madison has big, high density buildings, a long, vibrant pedestrian mall, and a large downtown.
There's no comparison. Ann Arbor is a good university town, but not that different from Bloomington, Iowa City, and the like. Madison is more of a mid-sized city, with a large downtown, and much more density and vibrancy.
Quote:
Originally Posted by mjlo
Not to mention being the anchor for two of the most elite universities in the world.
This is silly too. They're both very good universities, but U-M usually ranked around #25 in the U.S., and U-W usually ranked around #40. Neither are among "the most elite universities in the world", they aren't even at the top in the U.S.
Thanks, this was a helpful post. The best choice is especially not as black and white considering that per my criteria, bigger and/or more cosmopolitan doesn't necessarily mean better. A smaller city could just as easily be better than a larger one in these areas.
What may help Ann Arbor make up for its smaller immediate size in comparison goes back to its proximity to the Detroit metro. So, even if Ann Arbor itself isn't doing it for you, you have a very viable option that you can go to on a daily basis, if you want to.
And this comment pretty much confirms you're a homer for Ann Arbor. I have been to both many times, and you're completely wrong.
Nola you hate everything you're like the grumpy cat of C-D you're not exactly coming from the worlds most unbiased place, especially when it comes to things like this.
Quote:
This is silly too. They're both very good universities, but U-M usually ranked around #25 in the U.S., and U-W usually ranked around #40. Neither are among "the most elite universities in the world", they aren't even at the top in the U.S.
Given the fact that there are literally thousands of universities in the world I'd say that being in the top 50 would make them in the company of the most elite.
Given the fact that there are literally thousands of universities in the world I'd say that being in the top 50 would make them in the company of the most elite.
Michigan, Wisconsin (and Illinois) are probably the best public universities in the Midwest, and some of the top public universities in the U.S. They have very competitive programs (some of which fall in the top 10 nationally and internationally) and very good overall academics. However, given the enormity and breadth of students they serve, they rarely fall in the uppermost echelon of schools when ranked, which is generally full of private, more selective schools. Nevertheless, you will get a great education at either university, but the school as a whole may not be in the top, say, 5% of schools in the world simply due to the enormity and diversity of students served.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
