The University of Wisconsin is a world-class university and admission is both competitive and selective.

Our admission counselors review each application individually and are looking for students who demonstrate strong academic ability, as well as leadership, community service, creativity, talent, and enthusiasm. We also consider personal characteristics that will contribute to the strength and diversity of our university.

Academic Course Preparation

Academic preparation, and specifically the strength of your high school coursework, is the primary consideration for admission. To be considered for admission, you must complete a minimum of 17 units/years within the five traditional academic areas (literature, mathematics, physical and biological sciences, social sciences, and foreign languages) as listed below.

Admission is competitive. It is therefore recommended that students exceed our minimum requirements and take exceptionally tough academic programs. We generally expect students to enroll in five academic courses per year and advanced-level work (e.g., honors and AP) in as many areas as possible.

^* Math requirement includes at least one year each of algebra, geometry, and advanced math, or an integrated sequence of courses. Statistics, business math, and/or computer courses will not fulfill this requirement.

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GPA & Class Rank

Applicants are expected to achieve a high level of performance in the course work they pursue and an increasingly strong academic record. We do ask for your GPA and class rank. We also realize that many schools consider GPA on different scales and some do not report GPA or class rank at all. We consider both GPA and rank in the context of your school. We typically see unweighted, academic GPAs between a 3.5 and a 3.9, and a class rank in the 86–96 percentile.

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Test Scores

Either the ACT or the SAT is required, including results from the writing section. We consider the highest composite score obtained in a single test administration as your “official” score, although we will look at all scores reported in an effort to get a true sense of your achievement. Admitted students will typically score between 26–30 on the ACT and 1830–1980 on the SAT, though again, there is no minimum required score.

We must receive your test scores directly from the testing service. Our test codes are 4656 for the ACT and 1846 for the SAT.

Statement on Score Choice: Applicants are free to use the College Board’s Score Choice option for the SAT and/or the similar option offered by ACT, though they are not encouraged to do so. Score Choice is the score-reporting feature that allows students to select which scores they send to colleges by test date. UW–Madison has always encouraged students to use the application and supporting materials (e.g., test scores, statements, recommendations, etc.) to make their best case for admission. We do want to see your complete testing history as part of our comprehensive review, and because we will only consider your highest score (by test date), there is nothing to be gained by suppressing scores through Score Choice.

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Extracurricular Commitments

Numbers alone do not determine admissibility. We look for students with special or unique talents, who give of themselves, and who learn outside the classroom as well as inside. There is space on our application to list your activities and employment experiences. We also have two personal statements, and we’d like to see two letters of recommendation as well. Use these aspects of your applications to give us a sense of your character, service, leadership, talents, citizenship, and interests.

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