University of Wisconsin, Madison
University of Wisconsin, Madison
500 Lincoln Drive, Madison, WI 53706-1380
The University of Wisconsin, Madison is a public university in WI, founded in 1848, and offers Bachelor’s degrees for undergraduates and Master’s and Doctoral degrees for graduate students. The undergraduate enrollment is 33,585, and the graduate enrollment is 11,955. The University of Wisconsin-Madison is a highly selective school, accepting 57.2% of applicants. University of Wisconsin-Madison’s athletics teams compete at the club, intramural, and varsity levels. Additionally, the University of Wisconsin-Madison employs 2,614 full-time instructional staff with a 16:1 student-to-faculty ratio.
Empowerly Score®
73
University Score
- School Performance
- Extracurriculars
- Standardized Tests
- Essays
Empowerly Score®
At Empowerly, we prioritize data to customize our approach to student counseling. College admissions is becoming more selective by the year, so it’s never been more important than now to prepare in advance and give yourself the best chance for success.
Take the Empowerly QuizESSAYS
Students applying to the University of Wisconsin, Madison will be applying through the online University of Wisconsin application or the Common Application. Applicants applying through the University of Wisconsin application will be required to submit two essays for admission, while those applying through the Common Application will just submit a supplementary essay along with the Common Application essay required.
Deadlines For Submitting Applications
Early Action Application Deadline
November 1st
Regular Application Deadline
February 1st
ATTENDANCE FACTORS
- Application Essay - Very Important
- Rigor of Secondary School Record - Very Important
- Academic GPA - Important
- Recommendations - Important
- State Residency - Important
Average Acceptance Rate
57.20%
Empowerly Acceptance Rate
100.00%
STUDENT LIFE
The University of Wisconsin – Madison is a public flagship land-grant research university with over 55,000 students in its undergraduate and post-graduate programs. The gender distribution of the student population is almost even, with a ratio of 56.5% male to 43.5% female. The university provides a conducive learning environment for its students, and the student-to-faculty ratio is 17:1, with about only 20 students or fewer in about 47% of the classes. UW Madison is ranked 42nd among national universities and 14th among the top public schools, and it is also among the top 20 best colleges for veterans.
The university’s 57% acceptance rate makes it more selective, and the admitted students often have average scores of between 1260 – 1460 for SAT or 27 – 32 for the ACT. When processing student admissions, the admission board also refers to high school grades and recommendation letters. UW Madison values diversity and creates an excellent academic environment that promotes inclusion and equality.
Housing
- 18% of students live on campus
- Priority housing for freshmen
The University of Wisconsin – Madison provides quality on-campus accommodation for students who wish to live on campus. It also has affiliate accommodations off-campus for those who do not want to stay on campus. The university does not require students of any level or year to live on campus, but the 21 residence halls are exotic and offer top-notch services. Its location also supports quick access to the university facilities, so over 90% of first-year students opt to stay in the university dormitories.
Life as a Student
The University of Wisconsin – Madison offers social, sports, political, and religious inclusion with over 200 registered student organizations. Greek groups include several fraternities and sororities, while religious groups are mostly affiliated with Christian organizations. The university press team has been excellent over the years, establishing two daily student newspapers (The Daily Cardinal and The Badger Herald) and a radio station in the school. The university athletic team is known as the Wisconsin Badgers, and they currently compete in Division I of the NCAA. And they have competed in the Big Ten Conference for all sports since the 1896 – 97 season.
TOP MAJORS
Information Science
Economics
Biology
Psychology
Environmental Science
Mathematics
SERVICES
Health and Safety
- 24-hour trained security on campus
- Late night ride/safe escort service available
Student Services
- Health Center
- Psychological Center
- Women's Center
Athletics
Varsity
Varsity
Basketball
Cheerleading
Crew
Fencing
Football
Golf
Ice Hockey
Lacrosse
Racquetball
Rugby
Sailing
Soccer
Swimming and Diving
Tennis
Track and Field
Ultimate Frisbee
Volleyball
Water Polo
Wrestling
Cross-Country Running
Basketball
Cheerleading
Crew
Fencing
Golf
Ice Hockey
Lacrosse
Racquetball
Rugby
Sailing
Soccer
Softball
Swimming and Diving
Tennis
Track and Field
Ultimate Frisbee
Volleyball
Water Polo
Cross-Country Running
Club
Club
Archery
Badminton
Baseball
Cheerleading
Fencing
Field Hockey
Golf
Gymnastics
Ice Hockey
Lacrosse
Racquetball
Rugby
Soccer
Swimming and Diving
Tennis
Track and Field
Table Tennis
Ultimate Frisbee
Volleyball
Water Polo
Wrestling
Archery
Badminton
Cheerleading
Fencing
Field Hockey
Golf
Gymnastics
Ice Hockey
Lacrosse
Racquetball
Rugby
Soccer
Swimming and Diving
Tennis
Track and Field
Table Tennis
Ultimate Frisbee
Volleyball
Water Polo
Wrestling
Intramural
Intramural
Basketball
Basketball
Softball
FINANCIAL AID INFORMATION
The University of Wisconsin – Madison provides various forms of financial assistance for its students and their families, including Bucky’s Tuition Promise. With this, freshmen and transfer students at the University of Wisconsin, Madison are guaranteed a period of free tuition & segregated fees if their family’s household adjusted gross income is $60,000 or less.
*All costs below are estimates and may differ based on your circumstances.
- Tuition and Fees (Resident) - $10,722, (Out-of-State) - $39,354
- Required Materials and Supplies - $1,150
- Housing and Meals - $12,894
- Personal - $2,290
- Transportation (Resident) - $800, (Out-of-State) - $1,300
- Loan Fees - $64
- Total Estimated Cost of Attendance (Resident) - $27,920, (Out-of-State) - $57,052
HISTORY
The University of Wisconsin – Madison is a public land-grant research institution established in 1848 in Madison, Wisconsin. It was founded in the same year that the Wisconsin state attained statehood. The University of Wisconsin, Madison, is the flagship campus of the University of Wisconsin System and is also the official state university of Wisconsin. UW Madison is the oldest educational institution founded in Wisconsin, and it has maintained its status as the large public university in the state. The university is one of the first research institutes in North America, and it is among the twelve founding members of the Association of American Universities.
The origin of the University of Wisconsin – Madison traces back to 1838, when the Wisconsin Territorial Legislature passed a bill to establish the University of the Territory of Wisconsin. A board of visitors was appointed to take charge of the process and oversee proceedings, but this board couldn’t achieve much before incorporating Wisconsin as an American state. After the land achieved statehood in 1848, the state immediately approved the establishment of the University of Wisconsin as its institution, which was proposed to be governed by a board of regents under the leadership of a chancellor. The University of Wisconsin – Madison was formally signed in and officially created on July 26th, 1848, by Nelson Dewey, the state’s first governor. In 1849, John H. Lathrop was instated as the university’s first chancellor, and the first class of 17 students was held at Madison Female Academy on February 5th of the same year.
The University of Wisconsin – Madison now consists of 20 schools and colleges spread across the university’s 936-acre campus. The institution’s high level of research activities qualifies it as an R1 university and has an endowment fund of $3.18 billion. Twenty UW Madison alumni and affiliates have received Nobel Awards, and the school has also produced 1 Turing Award winner and 2 Fields Medalists. Several university affiliates have also contributed immensely to scientific advancements, making record-breaking discoveries. The university’s motto translates to “Divine light.”