Aside from being absolutely beautiful, fun, and full of incredible things to experience, there are quite a few reputable educational institutions both in and near Mequon, Wisconsin. The city itself contains a vast Lutheran community, mainly due to early Lutheran colonists being some of the first to settle certain cities throughout the state. In turn, many colleges reflect the beliefs of the Lutheran faith and offer a curriculum that includes or at least mentions Lutheranism. All three colleges located directly in Mequon are private Lutheran schools. I realize not everyone will be on-board with attending a school that has Lutheran teachings, so I’ve also included a Presbyterian university and a notable public college (both of which are outside of Mequon, though not too far). If you’re intent on staying close to Mequon, be prepared to attend a school with some sort of religious affiliation!
Concordia University Wisconsin
The Concordia University Wisconsin (CUW), located in Mequon, is a private Lutheran college. The college is fully accredited by the Higher Learning Commission. There are 78 undergraduate programs and 17 graduate programs. The university also provides adult education programs, doctoral programs, and online classes. CUW contains one of the three pharmacy schools in the whole state of Wisconsin. Similar to many colleges, it is split into multiple departments, Legal Studies, Business, Education, Human Services, Continuing Education, and the Arts and Sciences. The university also provides a variety of athletics teams for both men and women, including basketball, cross country, golf, ice hockey, lacrosse, shooting, soccer, tennis, and plenty of others.
The campus itself spans over 192 acres, with over 3.5 miles of interconnected walkways between buildings. These walkways, locally referred to as “tunnels,” provide indoor access to every residence hall and academic building on campus. The school has student-run clubs, government, and plenty of other fun campus activities to attend. With a little under 8,000 students in attendance, enrollment at CUW accounts for over 30% of the population in Mequon. The college has seen significant growth over the past years and is expected to continue expanding over the next decade. CUW is reportedly the largest Lutheran university in the United States!
Carroll University
Carroll University is a liberal arts college located in Waukesha, WI (about 40 minutes from Mequon). First established in 1846, Carroll is well-known as being Wisconsin’s very first four-year institution of higher learning. The private school is affiliated with the Presbyterian Church, with the motto reading “Christo et Litteris,” which means “For Christ and Learning.” The university offers over 95 undergraduate degrees, covering a wide array of subjects, including accounting, applied physics, the arts, business, chemistry, mathematics, information technology, physical health, philosophy, nursing, music, and much more. Carroll also offers master’s degrees for some subjects, though it only has a single doctorate program, specifically for physical therapy.
There are approximately 3,500 students in attendance at Carroll University, with 133 full-time staff and 258 part-time. The school draws enrollment from all over the country and even the world. Students at the university hail from 33 different states and 31 different countries, collectively. The campus itself spans over 132 acres and is quite lovely. Many of the buildings in use now were built in the early beginnings of the school. The Sneeden House, for instance, was built in 1922 and is used as a guesthouse/conference center. Carroll also has a variety of athletic programs and teams interested students can be a part of. Athletic teams range from basketball, cross country, and lacrosse to golf, swimming, and tennis. Carroll University offers a ton of programs and extracurricular activities, so it’s definitely worth checking out.
Milwaukee Area Technical College
The Milwaukee Area Technical College (MATC) is a community college located in, you guessed it, Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Before I jump into more details about it, it’s worth mentioning that community college is an exceptionally viable option for many people—especially if you don’t have a lot of money to dish out on college or can’t get loans. I still remember seeing pamphlets handed out by my old school depicting community college as basically a gateway to becoming a “burger flipper making $7.00 an hour,” but people are starting to realize that’s far from the truth. Community colleges are a great and cheap alternative to their often over-priced, full-college counterparts.
MATC has a student attendance of over 35,000, offering over 12 associate degree options that include business, human services, creative arts, healthcare, and STEM. Aside from being affordable, MATC prides itself on flexibility and offers guaranteed admission to over 35+ four-year colleges. So, if you finish a two-year degree and wish to proceed to a full college, you can do so! They also offer over 100 vocational licenses and job training certificates (which, in 2020, often offer better salaries than other options). To top it all off, the school also provides GED and HSED classes, offering an alternative route to gaining a high school diploma with its Adult High School program.
Other colleges in Wisconsin
I’ve done my best to outline some of the differences between these colleges, but there are plenty of others to check out here. Many colleges in Wisconsin are private and affiliated with a specific religion, but that doesn’t mean you can’t get an excellent education at them. Attending Carroll University as a Catholic or enrolling at Concordia University Wisconsin as an Atheist will not necessarily ruin your education or your personal experience. Keeping your options flexible is an integral part of the college-application process, which many fail to realize. Everyone always checks the educational merit of a college first, which is undoubtedly essential, but be sure to look for a place you believe you’ll be comfortable spending two to four years of your life at!