As many people apply to colleges, Big Ten schools in the midwest are some of the most popular choices for students due to their great location. Big Ten campuses can be very beautiful, but there are 18 schools and not everybody can visit all of them. I visited Michigan State University, University of Michigan, University of Wisconsin, Indiana University, and Penn State University, ranking it on criteria of their respective campuses, downtowns, stadiums, and location.

University of Michigan

In the heart of Ann Arbor, you will find the University of Michigan. This campus has a beautiful college feel and has everything you would want at a school you would attend. One downside of the college is that the footprint of it is so large that there are three different areas of campus: central, north, and south. But when you step foot on any of these campuses, it has an amazing vibe. Downtown Ann Arbor was definitely my favorite out of any of the schools. The perfect mix of city and college feel, alongside all the amazing food and shop options, makes Ann Arbor an amazing place to be. Michigan Stadium, “The Big House” , is the largest stadium in America and one of the best atmospheres in not only the Big Ten, but in the country. It provides an awesome atmosphere as the crowd noise may hurt your ears! The thing I don’t love about the stadium is that the location is not directly on campus, making it a bit of a walk. Ann Arbor, located just 45 minutes from Berkley, and an hour from Detroit, makes it a great location for people in our area.

Campus- 9.0/10

Downtown- 10/10

Stadiums- 7.8/10

Location- 8.4/10

Overall- 35.2/40

Penn State University

Located in central Pennsylvania, it is home to the picture-esque Penn State in State College. As you approach Penn State, it is nestled right near Mount Nittany, which provides a good-looking background. The campus is large but homey, with similar looking buildings all around. You can easily navigate this university as it is all interconnected in one area, and I really enjoyed how the university provided a street map of the campus on every block. Unfortunately, walking this campus during the harsh Pennsylvania winters may hinder your experience, but in my case, the summer weather made for a perfect walk. While Downtown State College lacked upscale dining, it offered a diverse range of cuisines, including many international options. The downtown also had many options to buy Penn State merchandise, as well as the traditional fast food options you would find on any campus. Penn State branding dominates downtown State College, ensuring the Nittany Lion logo is visible everywhere. The stadiums are located just on the edge of campus, with Nittany Stadium, home of the football team, holding 106,304 people and ranking as the second largest stadium in the United States. I did not attend a football game, but the atmosphere is supposed to be one of the best in the Big Ten. The biggest downside of this campus is how isolated State College is from any big cities. In order to visit this campus, you will have to drive in since the closest airport is in Pittsburgh, which is about two and a half hours away. From Berkley, it is about a six hour drive. Overall, my visit to Penn State was all it was hyped up to be.

Campus- 9.6/10

Downtown- 7.8/10

Stadiums- 9.2/10

Location- 5.2/10

Overall- 31.8/40

Indiana University

As you drive down the “Hoosier State”, you will find Bloomington, which provides a perfect setting for Indiana University. The campus which starts at the iconic sample gates, is a small and compact area, making it very walkable. The layout ensures visitors can easily explore all aspects of the campus on foot. The fall weather added to the perfect experience for me, but the typical Midwest weather in the winter months may affect you when walking. You will have many food options, with a perfect mix of fast food, upscale, and international food all in the downtown area. Similar to Penn State, the university is the biggest thing in this city, which gives it a college town feel: almost everything is Hoosier colored cream and crimson with many merchandise stores. The stadiums are not located directly in the heart of campus, but it is just a short walk from all the action. Memorial Stadium, home to the football team, seats 52,626- a relatively small size for a Big Ten campus. However, the atmosphere can be electric when the Hoosiers are performing well, like I experienced during my visit. But if you know anything about IU (Indiana University), basketball is where the action is at. Assembly Hall, which some may think is the most iconic basketball stadium in the nation, has an outstanding atmosphere. Though I have never been to a basketball game, I hope to see this iconic stadium in person. Bloomington, which is just an hour south of Indianapolis and a four and a half hour drive from Berkley, makes it not too far to go see. Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed my time at Indiana, and would highly recommend it.

Campus- 9/10

Downtown- 8.1/10

Stadiums- 6.6/10

Location- 7.0/10

Overall- 30.7/40

University of Wisconsin

Built between Lake Mendota and Lake Monana is the University of Wisconsin in Madison. The campus, which is relatively large and spread out compared to the other schools on this list, is a very city-like campus. The high walkability made for a pleasant campus tour, though I struggled to get a clear sense of the overall layout. One downside of this campus is that many buildings are located atop a hill, which can be exhausting, especially during cold Wisconsin winters. With Madison being the capital city of Wisconsin, many of the college buildings blend in with the city buildings, which makes it hard to tell what the college buildings are. Madison does have some of the best food options out of all the cities, as you won’t have a hard time finding anywhere to eat down State Street, the main street of downtown. Camp Randall Stadium, the home of the Wisconsin Badgers football team, has the best atmosphere of any of the stadiums I’ve seen. The “Jump Around” tradition at the end of every third quarter makes the stadium shake, which creates an unforgettable experience for all. Getting to Madison won’t be a problem for you, as it is just about a five and a half hour drive from Berkley, but just an hour away from both Chicago and Milwaukee. All in all, the University of Wisconsin was a very fun college town experience with a balance of city and college feel.

Campus- 7.1/10

Downtown- 8.6/10

Stadiums- 8/10

Location- 6.9/10

Overall- 30.6/40

Michigan State University

On the banks of the Red Cedar River, Michigan State University is in East Lansing. The campus has very nice landscaping, creating a nature-rich environment. I enjoyed the feel of the campus which made it very enjoyable. But a downside for me was overall how large it was. The downtown for me was not up to the college town standards. With one main street with restaurants, shops, and very few MSU gear stores, I did not love the downtown compared to the others on this list. Spartan Stadium, home to the football team, is in a good location, but lacks atmosphere as the football team is usually not good, which causes empty seats and low energy. The Breslin Center, home to the basketball team is where you will find the best atmosphere at this university. East Lansing is easy to get to, as it is just about an hour and a half away from Berkley, but it is somewhat in the middle of nowhere compared to Ann Arbor. Overall, Michigan State is a nice and enjoyable campus with beautiful nature, but has more downsides to point out then the other campuses on this list.

Campus- 7.0/10

Downtown- 5.8/10

Stadiums- 7.910

Location- 8.1/10

Overall- 28.8/40