speaking of housing stock...

uw always has the less smart population of "instates" its just a thing, state schools have to have a good amount of people from their state. yeah its dumb but if you're smart and worked hard to get in to this school its the less smart kids that provide the bottom of your curve so it actually helps you in the end

maybe they are black

We are entering a demographic low point. Entrance standards have eased considerably because high school graduating classes are so much smaller than they were even 3-4 years ago. Plus people are really scared about what Scott Walker is doing to educational institutions and they are opting to go elsewhere. So, no, I'm not stunned.

Clearly standard reading for all incoming freshman when considering schools. Lmao. We get it, you hate Walker. Definitely a divisive guy, but I'm from OOS and don't vote in WI, so my opinion about their governor is a moot point. But a record amount of applicants combined with "moderate to extremely competitive" admissions standards, pretty much support that potential incoming freshman don't give a crap who's governor of the state....And as for your inability to summarize the main ideas in the original posts...what do you think inferring that the reason applications are up is "mainly because guidance departments are letting people know requirements have eased" means? Look, don't get mad b/c I just reported the facts verbatim from the first 2 pages of (unbiased/nonpartisan) Google results and they don't fit your UW/WI-bashing agenda. But hey---Based on the 2014 data reports, it looks like the 2015 admission statistics should be out in the next few weeks---maybe it's changed and your theory that admission standards have been relaxed has done truth to it. I guess we'll find out soon enough.

Sorry, meant to respond to "Hmmmmm..."--- hard to follow the sub-replies on my phone. Sorry for the confusion.

idk, i was convinced i was wildly lucky when i got in with a 34 ACT and a 3.4 gpa three years ago

Wisconsin admission has been known to heavily consider the origin of the applicant along with what he/she is studying as well. If this person is from a Wisconsin "village" and is trying to study agricultural or water science it really is not even a remote surprise. The admissions office wants to promote the higher education of the Wis. villages (and they give them a lot of money as well) and it sees this up-bringing as an extreme educational disadvantage. Additionally, I doubt even with this disadvantage would this applicant make it into UW if he/she was already set on entering one of our premier schools, but if he or she is entering one of our smaller schools, especially those that have become so vastly unpopular that they need to fill them up, then there is no doubt they make it into this school.
The assumption of a level playing field at Wisconsin in terms of intelligence is not even remotely correct. Any public university is going to have range, but Wisconsin may have the most because it is elite in a few fields, pretty dang good at a few others, and it has an incredible girth of subjects all sitting at the "high-end public" education level below that. Also, the origin argument. It is pretty interesting that somewhere on this thread someone said they go to UW because they didn't get into Minnesota. Meanwhile, 99 to possibly 100% of Minnesota native UW students got into Minnesota quite easily. There is even a rumor that Madison has had an implemented "Minnesota Quota".

and I feel like a ton of it deals with extracurriculars and then writing samples too, which are intangibles

Because someone wants to use her acceptance as a political commentary on the state of education and the"devastation" of Walker. To answer her question, all the sororities are gorgeous in their own way. Not like the SEC, but gorgeous. I especially like GPhi and Kappa. And PiPhi, APhi and theta are right on the lake.

The OP didn't mention Walker or the state of education. I really don't understand how someone who wants to know if sorority houses are pretty deserves your, or anyone's wrath. Is everyone on this campus so judgemental and nasty?

I thought "someone" was singular, referring to the OP, who was one person. But now I find that 'someone" actually refers to "certain people," which is plural. I am SO CONFUSED. The OP just wants to know about the sorority houses. She made no political commentary and is not responsible for the reaction of others. JUST TELL HER ABOUT THE HOUSES, for gods sake. and save your vitriole for someone who deserves it.

The fact is the sorority houses are a step above most dorms, but that's not saying much. A lot of the sorority and fraternity houses on this campus are really old and in need of repair. They aren't nearly as nice as on other campuses with a Greek system that is stronger. But that's not the point. The point is that joining a sorority remains the best way to get close to a bunch of girls with whom you have something in common and with whom you will grow to be lifelong friends. It is a connection that will last for many more than four years. dorm friends come and go. apartment friends change all the time. But a sisterhood lasts forever. So, in short, it's not about the quality of the structure.