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Paths to UW Schools

New Paths to the Universities of Wisconsin

As of August 1, 2024, beginning with the Class of 2025, the Universities of Wisconsin will offer three paths to first-year student/freshman undergraduate admission:

  1. Traditional first-year student/freshman admission application process (all UW universities)
  2. Direct Admit Wisconsin (all UW universities, except UW-Eau Claire, UW-LaCrosse and UW-Madison)
  3. The Wisconsin Guarantee (all UW universities)

All three paths to admission require students to meet the minimum admission criteria. Neither Direct Admit Wisconsin nor The Wisconsin Guarantee provide guaranteed admission into a specific major, program, school, or college (such as engineering, business, dance or music). Rather, they provide admission to Universities of Wisconsin universities.

1. Traditional Application Process

Students who choose the traditional application process for the Universities of Wisconsin must submit applications to individual universities and pay application fees (if applicable). Application decisions will be based on a holistic review of multiple factors, as determined by each university, and students will receive admission decisions beginning August 1 depending on their application date and the university’s decision date. Students can opt to share their ACT/SAT scores as part of the application process and may have to write an essay (depending on the university they are applying to). All Universities of Wisconsin participate in the traditional application process.

2. Direct Admit Wisconsin

The Direct Admit Wisconsin process offers early and proactive admission to participating Universities of Wisconsin (all except UW-Madison, Eau Claire and LaCrosse) for rising seniors (current juniors). The UWs collaborate with D.C. Everest Senior High to review student academic records (high school courses and GPA) at the end of a student’s junior year and make offers of admission to participating UW universities without the need to submit a traditional admission application. Students will receive offers of admission from universities near the end of July, prior to their senior year, via Infinite Campus. Students do not need to complete college applications, pay application fees or submit ACT scores.

It is important to note that students must meet the minimum admission criteria of the university and that this program does not provide guaranteed admission into a specific major, program, school, or college (such as engineering, business, dance or music).

For more information about DCE’s participation in the Direct Admit Wisconsin program visit our DCE Direct Admit webpage. 

3. The Wisconsin Guarantee

The Wisconsin Guarantee offers guaranteed admission to all Universities of Wisconsin universities for all students who qualify. First-year applicants from Wisconsin high schools who are in the top 10% of their class at the end of 11th grade, or Wisconsin residents who are homeschooled and receive an ACT score in the national 90th percentile ranking or higher, or are a National Merit Scholarship finalist will be guaranteed admission to all UW universities except UW-Madison.

First-year applicants from Wisconsin high schools who are in the top 5% of their class at the end of 11th grade, or Wisconsin residents who are homeschooled and receive an ACT score in the national 98th percentile ranking or higher or are a National Merit Scholarship finalist will be guaranteed admission to UW-Madison provided they apply on or before the Early Action deadline.
It is important to note that students must meet the minimum admission criteria of the university and that this program does not provide guaranteed admission into a specific major, program, school, or college (such as engineering, business, dance or music). 

As part of Act 95, which established The Wisconsin Guarantee, school boards are obligated to determine the top 10% and 5% of their 11th grade classes — using only a students’ GPA — upon completion of the school year. Students must be notified by the DCE Senior High if they have earned a spot in the top 5% or 10%, and the percentage ranking (5% or 10%) at the end of the student’s junior year must be included on their transcript. 

To qualify for The Wisconsin Guarantee, you must attend high school in Wisconsin, meet at least one of the eligibility requirements listed and apply by the appropriate deadline.

  UW-Madison Eligibility All Other UWs Eligibility
  Top 5% Top 10%
WI high school class rank (listed on 11th grade transcript) ACT score placing student in 98th national percentile or higher ACT scores placing student in 90th percentile or higher
National Merit Finalist National Merit Finalist National Merit Finalist
  UW-Madison Additional Criteria All Other UW's Additional Criteria
High school courses Complete required courses for admission as determined by Board of Regents Completed required courses for admission as determined by Board of Regents
Application submission deadline Early action deadline Regular admission deadline

 

Required courses for admission to UW-Madison

Camparing the Three Paths to the University of Wisconsin

  Traditional Admissions Direct Admit Wisconsin The Wisconsin Guarantee
Which Universities of Wisconsin are participating? All All except UW-Eau Claire, La Crosse and Madison All
How is eligibility determined? Holistic review of multiple factors High school courses and GPA

Class rank determined by GPA on Grade 11 transcript

Top 5% admitted to all UWs

Top 10% admitted to all UWs except UW-Madison
When are admission decisions made? August 1 of senior year based on application and UW decision date July before senior year August 1 of senior year based on application and UW decision date
Are applications required? Yes No Yes; students applying to UW-Madison must do so by the Early Action Deadline
Are application fees required? Yes, if charged by the university No Yes, if charged by the university
Admission guaranteed to a UW university? No Yes Yes
Admission guaranteed to specific programs/majors? No No No

 

FAQs


Courtesy of The Wisconsin Guarantee website where you will find more FAQs.