1. UW-Madison
2. Access
3. Our Focus is Wisconsin

Access to UW-Madison

Our Focus is Wisconsin

Thanks to the support of students, parents, alumni and Wisconsin taxpayers, UW-Madison remains a world-class institution. Although our scope is global, our focus is right here at home.

• Thanks to a long-standing reciprocity agreement with Minnesota, Wisconsin residents have abundant educational opportunities and options. Students in either state can attend public institutions for resident tuition rates. The UW System Board of Regents requires that at least 75 percent of UW-Madison undergraduates must be from these two states.
• In the admissions process, we’re evaluating real people, not just numbers. Both Wisconsin and nonresident students are expected to have strong academic qualifications including courses taken, grades earned, rank in class, and test scores. On top of strong academic qualifications, personal characteristics that contribute to the strength and diversity of the university community are also considered. We also consider students with exceptional talents and life experiences, veterans and students who are the first in their families to attend college.
• We know from experience that we have the resources — such as faculty, classrooms, advisers and residence hall spaces — to support about 5,600 freshmen. Although this number has remained constant during the past 10 years, the number of applications has jumped 40 percent, making admission to UW-Madison more competitive than in the past.
• Using the desired overall target of a freshman class of 5,600 students, enrollment targets are determined separately for residents and nonresidents. Once these targets are set, applications are evaluated separately and Wisconsin resident applicants are never in direct competition with nonresident applicants.
• Wisconsin students and nonresidents admitted to UW-Madison are evenly matched academically when ACT scores are compared.

Admissions facts

• For the fall 2006 freshman class, UW-Madison received 22,816 applications and admitted 13,322 students. Of those admitted, 5,643 students enrolled.
• In fall 2006, 77.2 percent of UW-Madison’s undergraduates are Wisconsin or Minnesota residents. More than 70 percent of fall 2006 freshmen are Wisconsin and Minnesota residents. Including transfer students, that number jumps to 80 percent.
• UW-Madison actively recruited 120 students named as Wisconsin All-State Scholars, who are chosen based on academic achievement and demonstrated leadership. All who applied to UW-Madison were admitted, and 40 chose to enroll — the most of any school the scholars selected.