What We Look For in Our Applicants (2024)

What Are We Looking For in an Applicant?

Grades and Coursework

First-Year Students: When we consider your grades, we are looking both at the grades you earn and the level of difficulty of the courses you take (rigor) throughout your high school career. We look for you to be earning top grades—mostlyAs—in challenging courses, including honors, IB, and/or AP, when available. While we don’t specifically base a decision on your GPA or your class rank, we do consider your academic performance in the context of the available offerings at your school.

Your high school record should demonstrate both rigor and breadth in the types of coursework you pursue. Applicants must meet the minimum course requirements listed below to be eligible for admission to UW–Madison. Competitive applicants often take additional credits in the core subject areas, including the most challenging advanced-level work offered at or through your school in as many areas as possible, while maintaining a strong GPA.

Note: For trimester schools, two trimesters is considered one year/credit. One trimester is considered 0.5 years/credits.

*Math requirement includes at least one year each of algebra, geometry, and advanced math with algebra or geometry prerequisites. If you take any of these courses in middle school, that will count toward the requirement. Courses that will not fulfill this requirement include statistics, business math, and computer classes.

**Taking two years of the same world language in high school is highly recommended, as this can fulfill the world language requirement as a student at UW–Madison.

Students who do not fulfill the university world language requirement with high school work will be required to do so as a student at UW–Madison.

To meet the requirement in high school, world language credit must be on your high school transcript as credit earned at an accredited institution. Online language programs or applications such as Rosetta Stone will not be accepted.

American Sign Language (ASL) may be accepted if it is taken through your school and is reflected on an official transcript.

Students who are not native English language speakers can satisfy world language with an official transcript verifying their education in that language. If you were educated in your native language through grade seven, you will receive two units of world language. Non-native English language speakers who were educated in their native language through grade eight will be awarded four units.

Transfer: When reviewing applications, we pay particular attention to the college-level coursework you have completed, and specifically:

• Rigor of coursework: Appropriate for continued study at UW–Madison and increasing in difficulty.
• Course breadth: Showing a combination of English, math, science, literature, social science, and world language.
• Grade trends and patterns: Steady or improving trends and patterns that show consistency across all academic areas.
• High school performance: Your academic performance in high school will be more or less important to us depending on how many college credits you have earned. Generally speaking, students who are in their first two years of college-level coursework will have their high school records more carefully analyzed. The more college-level work you have completed, the less we will rely on high school performance criteria, such as rigor of coursework, academic GPA, grade trends, and class rank.
• Required courses: Regardless of the number of college credits earned, your high school transcript (supplemented in some cases by your college transcript) must show that you completed the following required course work:
  • Algebra: One year in high school
  • Plane Geometry: One year in high school (cannot be modified, basic, or informal)
  • College-Preparatory Math: One year in high school, or 1 college course at the level of Algebra 2 or beyond
  • Single World Language: Two years of the same language in high school or two semesters of the same language in college*

*Students who are not native English language speakers can satisfy the world language application requirement with an official transcript verifying their education in that language. If they were educated in their native language through grade seven, they will receive two units of world language. Those who were educated in their native language through grade eight, will be awarded four units.

Students who have studied a world language using only Rosetta Stone have not fulfilled the world language requirement.

American Sign Language (ASL) may be accepted to meet the world language requirement for admission if it is taken through the student’s school and is reflected on an official transcript.

In rare circ*mstances, students may be admitted without two units of a single world language. These students will be required to complete two sequential units of the same world language as a UW–Madison student.

ACT/SAT Test Scores

The University of Wisconsin–Madison received authorization from the University of Wisconsin System Board of Regents to waive the requirement for first-year applicants to submit an ACT or SAT test score as a part of their application to the university through the spring 2027 term. During this time, including scores from either the ACT or the SAT with your application is optional, and you will not be disadvantaged in our evaluation process if you choose to not include these scores for consideration in your application. You can indicate your choice regarding including test scores at the time of application.

ACT/SAT scores are optional for transfer students.

More information can be found by viewing the news releaseand our ACT/SAT Score FAQs.

Extracurriculars

We also review your extracurriculars and the positive impact they have had on you as a student. If they matter to you, they matter to us. On your application, you can list your extracurriculars, including activities and involvement, leadership, service, employment, talents, and interests.

Essays and Writing

As part of our holistic review, we refer to the essays you submit to understand more about you. What you choose to share gives us an idea of who you are and what you want to accomplish as part of our community. Tell us about you and your unique story to help us know you beyond your GPA and test scores. Your essays might also be used for campus program and scholarship review.

If you apply using the Common Application, you will be asked to respond to one of thefirst-year Common Application essays. If you apply with the Universities of Wisconsin Application, you will need to answer the following prompt:

• Each student is unique. Please tell us about the particular life experiences, talents, commitments, and/or interests you will bring to our campus.

All applicants will also need to respond to this prompt:

• Tell us why you would like to attend the University of Wisconsin–Madison. In addition, please include why you are interested in studying the major(s) you have selected. If you selected undecided, please describe your areas of possible academic interest.

Keep these tips in mind as you work on your writing:

• Develop your thoughts before you begin the writing process, and create an outline.
• The maximum word count for each essay is 650, but we recommend planning for 300–500 words.
• Do not type directly into the web form. Instead, work on your draft in word processing software.
• Allow time to develop and revisit your writing.
• Check for spelling mistakes and ask someone to proofread your final version.
• Be genuine and honest in your writing.