Advising College–Bound Students
High school counselors are our key partners in the admission process. We created this page to give you easy access to the information and forms you'll need as you work with students who are interested in learning more about or applying to UW–Madison. If you have any questions along the way, feel free to contact your admission representative or contact us and we’ll be happy to answer your questions.
About UW–Madison
This Office of Admissions Web site provides a complete introduction to the University of Wisconsin, in addition to specific information on our admission requirements and application process. For an overview of the university and a listing of our points of pride, visit Why Wisconsin. Use the left navigation to learn more about Costs & Aid, Academics, and Student Life.
Application Process and Dates
We pride ourselves on presenting an application process that is easy to understand and convenient to complete. Still we know students will have questions along the way, and that they'll come to you looking for answers. The information presented in our Freshman Admission pages will help you answer these questions. Start with Requirements & Expectations and then move onto Applying, Deadlines, and Decisions. Details about our postponed applicant decision process and next steps is presented in our Postponed Applicant Frequently Asked Questions (PDF, 59K).
Counselor Newsletter
Our quarterly counselor newsletter features timely columns and articles designed to help you in your work. Click to view our most recent issue (Fall 2009, PDF, 1.52M) or visit our Counselor Update Newsletter Archive to read past issues. If you'd like to be added to our mailing list, send an e-mail with your name, high school, and address to mittelstadt@admissions.wisc.edu.
Transfer Advisors Newsletter
Our e-newsletter for transfer advisors is another source of information for counselors and advisors. This quarterly publication is e-mailed to two-year advisors at our top transfer feeder institutions. Check out the current issue and archive of our Transfer Advisors Newsletter.
Visits & Events
In addition to our comprehensive campus visit program for prospective students, our admission representatives travel extensively throughout the country—attending college fairs, making high school visits, and hosting receptions. Go to our Visiting page to learn more and see when we'll be in your area.
Download Forms
Forms and paperwork are an inevitable feature of our work. Visit the Forms page for easy access to important documents, including the Application for Undergraduate Admission (PDF, 365K), the High School Counselor Form (PDF, 39K), and the Recommendation Form (PDF, 32K).
Application Status Check
It's not possible for counselors to complete an online application status check for their students who have applied to Wisconsin. However we do make it easy for the students themselves to go online to see if their application has been received, if any application materials are missing, and ultimately the admission decision. It's all available to students at our Check Application Status site.
Access & Options
There are a variety of pathways to UW–Madison—from general freshman and transfer admission, to guaranteed transfer programs, to transfer contracts. Download a copy of Access and Options (PDF, 457K) to learn more about how you can help your students chart their path to UW–Madison.
Freshman Profile
Here are the general qualifications of our admitted freshmen. These figures are not cutoffs. They are the middle 50% range for each indicator, so 25% of admitted students fell below the range and 25% placed above it.
Rank: 86-96th percentile
GPA: 3.5-3.9
ACT: 26-30
SAT: 1830-1980
