Welcome Weekend for Prospective Graduate Students - March 28th and 29th, 2008

Each spring, SACM hosts a Welcome Weekend for visiting prospective graduate students. They get the chance to meet current grad students, talk to faculty, and see the campus.

The weekend runs all day Friday and Saturday. If you can, it's best to get into Madison Thursday the 27th and fly out on Sunday the 30th. If you can't stay for everything, that's OK! The Friday sessions are more about the Computer Sciences department, and Saturday is more about Madison the city. We can get you to or from the Madison airport, no matter when you arrive or depart. You can save some money during your visit by staying with a current graduate student, read on below.

If you'll be attending, please fill out our registration form so we can plan for you! We hope to see you on the 28th!

Information and Frequently Asked Questions

How do I get to campus by car, by plane, or by foot?
Directions and maps
Where should I fly?
Most of the major airlines have a flight into Madison every few hours from all of their hubs. It is possible to fly direct into Madison from at least 10 major US cities. To save a bit of money, you may want to check prices to fly into Chicago and take the Van Galder bus.
How do I get to campus from the airport?
You can take a taxi, the city bus, or let us know when you're coming on the registration form so that we can arrange for a current CS grad student to pick you up.
How can I get from Chicago to Madison?
This question was asked by some people who were planning to fly in and out of Chicago. You can always rent a car (the drive is about 2 1/2 hours), but we recommend taking a bus. Van Galder has regular trips between Chicago's O'Hare airport and Madison's Memorial Union. For more information, call 1-800-747-0994, or (608) 257-5593. The bus is affordable (~$24 one way) and reasonably comfortable.
What/ Where is Union South?
Union South is one of two "Student Union" buildings on campus which contain cafeterias, game room, study and meetings rooms, etc. Union South is located conveniently next door to the Computer Science building. It is labeled #131 on the Zoomed Campus Map.
What are some other sources of information about UW-Madison?
Try the UW-Madison main page, the Department of Computer Sciences web page, and Information for Visitors. Visit UW-Madison campus.
Are there any travel reimbursement funds available?
Yes, for students who are admitted with guaranteed financial support. It is very important that you follow these reimbursement guidelines. We may not be able to reimburse you if you do not follow the guidelines.
What should I wear?
People wear a range of attire, but I would suggest casual dress: slacks, skirt, or jeans with a nice shirt or blouse, and comfortable walking shoes. Also, we're planning an optional tour of one of our athletic facilities Saturday afternoon. Bring exercise clothes or a bathing suit if you want to stay and work out. We'll be playing indoor volley ball, and if the weather's nice, we'll play ultimate frisbee at the park. Weather in Madison in late March tends to be 30 to 50 degrees +/- another 10. So plan for any conditions.
Can I talk with specific faculty during visit weekend?
A number of faculty will be available in their offices Friday afternoon for the sole purpose of meeting and talking with prospective students. Many faculty will be participating in office hour signups on the Friday of visit weekend, but if you want to talk to a specific faculty member, feel free contact that faculty member and ask if they would be willing to meet with you.
I can't make visit weekend. Can I visit another time?
Certainly! However there won't be as many social events planned, of course. Please contact Angela Thorp (thorp@cs.wisc.edu) to setup an alternate visit time.
I can't make it to Madison until August. Will any of this be on the web?
We hope to record the Friday morning sessions and put the video on the web. We are not planning on doing any streaming.
Can I stay with a graduate student when I visit?
If you would like to stay with a graduate student during your visit to Wisconsin, please indicate so on the registration form. Erik (epaulson@cs.wisc.edu) will use that form to match you up with a grad student. Please remember that if you are hosted by a graduate student, you will likely end up sleeping on a sofa, mattress, or floor. Important: We won't finalize matchups until the week before. If you haven't gotten an email from anyone by March 21st, contact Erik Paulson (epaulson@cs.wisc.edu).
What hotels are close to campus?
There are hotels which can accommodate for you at a special discounted rate. A hotel room may be a better choice if you would like some peace, quiet and privacy during your stay at Madison. Also try this site.
Madison Inn Ask for University conference rate; 10-15 minute walk from CS 601 Langdon Street (608) 257-4391
Wisconsin Center Guest House 10-15 minute walk from CS 610 Langdon Street (608) 256-2621
Union South 20 second walk, next door to CS 227 N. Randall Avenue (608) 263-2600
Where can I find more information about living in Madison??
You'll have plenty of time to talk to us about this during your visit, but if you want to read up on it before you get here we've got some links for you. Graduate students live all over the place, and have a wide range of living expenses. Living close to campus has the advantage that you're at the center of life, and the disadvantage that the houses are not as nice and the rents are high. If you are willing to live further from campus and commute you can pay much less for a nicer place. There's almost no parking close to the department, but there are very good bus connections to many areas away from campus. So it all depends what is important to you. You should also look at the Campus Assistance Center especially their Most Frequently Asked Question About Finding Housing in Madison.
Where can I find more information about life in Madison?
Try these sites:
Where can I find information about off-campus apartment rentals and housing?
The Campus Assistance and Visitor Center is an excellent resource.
Where can I find information about LGBT issues at UW and the Madison area?
The Ten Percent Society and LGBT Campus Center are good resources. You can also email Erik Paulson or talk to him during welcome weekend.
You didn't answer my question! 
Angela Thorp (thorp@cs.wisc.edu) is the graduate coordinator.  Direct questions about the CS department to her.  For questions about welcome weekend, contact grad students Erik Paulson or Ameet Soni (soni@cs.wisc.edu).