If you are considering submitting an application to UW Madison, the deadline for Fall 2023 admissions is January 15 and the fee for the application costs $60.
Application fees can add up, but some schools offer free applications and students with financial need may qualify for for fee waiver for their application.
Students who apply to UW Madison for fall should hear back from UW Madison by March 31.
UW Madison Admissions Stats at a Glance
Here is an overiew of some of UW Madison's admissions stats.
Mean Unweighted GPA | 3.9 |
Admitted Students in Top 10% of Graduating Class | 49% |
Admissions Test Policy | Optional |
Applicants Who Submit SATs | 15% |
Applicants Who Submit ACTs | 46% |
Waitlist | Yes |
Continue reading for more information on UW Madison's admissions stats.
Applying Early to UW Madison?
These are the early application deadlines for University of Wisconsin-Madison.
Early Decision I | No | –– | –– |
Early Decision II | No | –– | –– |
Early Action | Yes | November 1 | January 31 |
UW Madison does not offer early decision but does offer early action.
The Early Action deadline is November 1. UW Madison will release EA admissions decisions no later than January 31.
Some students apply to college early because they believe it will help their chances. Early deadlines may increase the chance of being admitted, since applying early shows your are very interested in a school, and your application is being considered before all the regular decision applicants apply.
See a list of some selective colleges that admit significantly more applicants during early decision or early action than during regular admission.
How To Get Into University of Wisconsin-Madison
Getting into UW Madison is very difficult. UW Madison evaluates applicants carefully based on multiple criteria to decide who to admit, and who to deny or waitlist.
In 2021, UW Madison accepted 60% of students, around 32,466 of the 53,829 students who applied.
Schools that are very difficult to get into, like UW Madison, accept fewer than 60% of all applicants. At least 50% of all admitted students have GPAs in the top 10% of their high school class and scored over 1230 on the SAT and over 26 on the ACT.
Transfer student admissions is moderately difficult.
In 2022, UW Madison waitlisted 8,128 students. Of those, 4,335 eventually were offered a spot.
What's Most Important for Getting Into UW Madison?
Colleges consider a range of factors when choosing who to admit for their next incoming class. Each college decides which factors are they consider most important in the admissions process. When creating your list of schools to apply to, you may want to consider your strengths and any possible weaknesses in your application, and apply to colleges that put the most emphasis the areas where you shine.
Admissions Factors at UW Madison
What does UW Madison consider during the admissions process? Listed below are factors commonly taken into consideration during admissions decisions.
Application Essay | Very Important |
Rigor of Secondary School Record | Very Important |
Recommendation[s] | Important |
State Residency | Important |
Academic GPA | Important |
Character/Personal Qualities | Considered |
Class Rank | Considered |
Extracurricular Activities | Considered |
Racial/Ethnic Status | Considered |
Standardized Test Scores | Considered |
Talent/Ability | Considered |
Volunteer Work | Considered |
Work Experience | Considered |
First Generation | Considered |
Make sure to check with UW Madison for more information on admission factors.
UW Madison 2022-2023 Application Requirements
To apply, all applicants to UW Madison must submit the following items. Double check with UW Madison's admissions department to confirm all application materials and requirements.
Interview | ||||
Letter[s] of Recommendation | 2 | |||
Transcript[S] of College Record | ||||
Standardized Test Scores | ||||
Statement of Good Standing From Prior Institution[S] | ||||
Written Essay or Personal Statement | √ | |||
Transcript of High School Record | √ |
What GPA Do I Need To Get Into UW Madison?
Your high school grade point average [GPA] is a number that reflects your high school academic performance. A weighted GPA or an unweighted GPA are the two possible GPA scores considered by colleges.
An unweighted GPA is an average of your scores from each class on a four-point scale. 4.0. Unweighted GPAs range from 4.0 to under 1.0. A weighted GPA considers your average grade and the difficulty of your classes. A weighted GPA boosts your average by adding extra points for honors or Advanced Placement courses.
Students admitted to UW Madison have an average unweighted GPA of 3.9
Out of all students that were admitted, 30% submitted a class rank. At UW Madison 49% of students ranked in the top 10% of their graduating class in high school, 86% were in the top 25% and 99% were in the top 50%.
GPAs of Admitted Students
At University of Wisconsin-Madison, student GPAs fall in the following ranges.
4.0 GPA | 30% |
3.75 and 3.99 | 36% |
3.50 and 3.74 | 14% |
3.25 and 3.49 | 4% |
3.00 and 3.24 | 1% |
2.50 and 2.9 | –– |
2.00 and 2.49 | –– |
This chart depicts the percentage of all enrolled, degree-seeking, first-time, first year [freshmen] students who had high school grade point average within the given ranges.
UW Madison does look at standardized tests scores during the admissions process.
UW Madison is a test optional school. Test optional schools allow students to choose if they want to submit ACT or SAT scores with their applications or not.
In 2022, 15% of UW Madison's first-year students submitted their SAT scores with their application. 46% of admitted applicants sent ACT scores.
What's a Good SAT Score for UW Madison?
To be competitive with other UW Madison applicants, you should strive to earn between 1350 and 1480 [or higher!] on the SAT. At UW Madison 25% of admitted students scored higher than 1480 and 25% of scored lower than 1350, but the majority of students scored somewhere in between these two numbers.
On the SAT Math Section, 25% of UW Madison students scored 780 or higher and 75% of students scored 650 or higher. On the SAT Critical Reading section [formerly called the Verbal section], 25% of UW Madison students scored 730 or higher, and 75% scored a 650 or higher.
Want to increase your SAT Score?
Preparing for the SAT can help raise your score, but it doesn't have to take up a lot of time.
Learn how to increase your SAT score 200 points or more in just 10 minutes a day.
What's a Good ACT Score for UW Madison?
To be most competitive at UW Madison, you should strive to earn between 28 and 32 on the ACT.
An ACT score of 32 means you fall in the 75th percentile for UW Madison's admitted students. One out of every four students scored above a 32, and three out of four students scored lower than 32 on the ACT.
A 28 on the ACT is the 25th percentile for UW Madison students. Only one out of every four students scored below 28.
Want To Bring Up Your ACT Score? Access ACT practice tests and study tips and see upcoming ACT test dates.
Transferring to University of Wisconsin-Madison
For transfer students, it is moderately difficult to get admitted to UW Madison.
For transfer students wishing to start in the Fall, the deadline to apply is March 1. Applicants should hear back by April 30.
Transfer students can enroll in UW Madison during the following terms:
• Fall Term
• Spring Term
• Summer Term
UW Madison Admissions FAQs
Can I defer my acceptance to UW Madison?
✅ Yes, admitted students can defer their admission to UW Madison.
Does UW Madison accept transfer credits?
✅ UW Madison accepts eligible transfer credits from accredited institutions. UW Madison accepts:
- CLEP subject tests
Does UW Madison accept Advanced Placement [AP] or International Baccalaureate [IB] credits?
✅ UW Madison accepts International Baccalaureate credits [IB] credits.
Do I have to submit test scores to UW Madison?
❌ No, UW Madison is test optional, so it's up to you if you want to submit test scores or not. If you have higher than average scores, you should strongly consider submitting them. If you scored lower than a school's average,, you may want not want to include them in your application..
What is UW Madison's acceptance rate?
✅ UW Madison's acceptance rate is 60%.
What is the early decision acceptance rate at UW Madison?
❌ UW Madison does not offer early decision.
What is the early action acceptance rate at UW Madison?
❌ UW Madison does not offer eary action.
Want To Learn More About UW Madison?
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