Admissions Factors

What UW-Madison Looks For

UW-Madison rates 2 factors as very important: rigor of high school courses and academic GPA.

How UW-Madison rates each factor

Each college sorts 18 factors into four levels on its Common Data Set.

Very important

Important

Considered

Not considered

The numbers behind the class

Overall admit rate

40.8%

30,167 of 73,912 applicants

Early decision admit rate

No early decision

Admitted from the waitlist

25.2%

1,088 of 4,317 who stayed on it

Enrolled first-years had an average high school GPA of 3.91. 58.4% of those who reported a class rank were in the top tenth of their class.

Email me what UW-Madison looks for

A link to this page, plus the comparison table for every college we track.

I consent to receive transactional text messages (Conversational/Alerts, Appointments, and Booking Confirmations) from Dewey Smart at the number provided. Consent is not a condition of purchase. Msg & data rates may apply. Msg frequency varies. Reply STOP to opt out, HELP for help. See our Privacy Policy, Terms, and SMS Terms.

I agree to receive recurring automated marketing & promotional text messages from Dewey Smart at the number provided. Consent is not a condition of purchase. Msg & data rates may apply. Msg frequency varies. Reply STOP to opt out, HELP for help. See our Privacy Policy, Terms, and SMS Terms.

We respect your privacy. Unsubscribe anytime.

Frequently asked questions

What does UW-Madison look for in applicants?

UW-Madison rates 2 factors as very important: rigor of high school courses and academic GPA.

Does UW-Madison consider legacy status?

UW-Madison rates alumni relation as "not considered" in its 2025-26 Common Data Set.

Does UW-Madison track demonstrated interest?

UW-Madison rates the level of an applicant's interest as "not considered".

What is UW-Madison's waitlist acceptance rate?

4,317 students stayed on the waitlist and 1,088 were admitted, a rate of 25.2%. The number changes a lot from year to year because it depends on how many admitted students enroll.

Source: UW-Madison’s own Common Data Set 2025-26, Section C. Last checked 2026-10-08. The ratings are the college’s own description of its process. Counts are for one entering class.