How to get into University of Wisconsin-Madison
What 460 admitted applicants actually had: their grades, test scores, activities, awards and intended majors, counted from 602 University of Wisconsin-Madison results that students posted for the 2016 to 2027 cycles. Every number below is counted, not estimated.
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University of Wisconsin-Madison admits by the numbers
Median unweighted GPA
3.96
Middle half 3.86 to 4.00
Median SAT
1,530
Middle half 1,483 to 1,560
Median ACT
34
Middle half 33 to 35
Median weighted GPA
4.47
Middle half 4.20 to 4.60
Results posted: 460 admitted, 75 rejected, 67 waitlisted. People who post results are a self-selected group, so this is not the University of Wisconsin-Madison acceptance rate; the official rate is in University of Wisconsin-Madison’s Common Data Set.
Admitted vs. rejected: grades are not the difference
| Median | Admitted | Rejected |
|---|---|---|
| Unweighted GPA | 3.96 | 3.66 |
| SAT | 1,530 | 1,485 |
| ACT | 34 | 33 |
When the rejected applicants’ numbers sit this close to the admitted ones, the decision was made somewhere else in the file: the activities, the essays and the letters. That is where the rest of this page looks.
What University of Wisconsin-Madison admits did outside class
Share of admitted applicants listing at least one activity of each type.
- Nonprofit/Service68%
- Athletics55%
- Tutoring/Teaching44%
- STEM club/competition40%
- Work/Job37%
- Internship35%
- Research35%
- Music33%
Held a leadership role
86%
Founded something
39%
National or intl. award
65%
Did research
35%
Early vs. regular decision at University of Wisconsin-Madison
- Early (276 results)84%
- Regular (76 results)80%
Share of posters in each round who were admitted. Early applicants are a different group (often stronger and more certain), so read this as a description of these posts, not as odds.
Intended majors of University of Wisconsin-Madison admits
- Computer Science32%
- Engineering16%
- Economics6%
- Political Science5%
- Physics4%
- Business4%
Who got in
Of the admitted posters, 8% first-generation, 7% low income, 9% underrepresented minority, 9% legacy, 1% recruited athlete and 16% international. Of those who said where they enrolled, 12% chose University of Wisconsin-Madison.
Three recent University of Wisconsin-Madison admits
2026 cycle · RD · Public Policy
Health-policy-minded DECA leader and club-sports captain who worked through housing and utility instability.
GPA 3.87 UW · SAT 1510 · Original post
2026 cycle · EA · Biology
Microbiology researcher who discovered a new virus, with debate captaincy and political canvassing experience.
GPA 4.00 UW · ACT 36 · Original post
2026 cycle · Computer Science
CS researcher with ISEF-placing ML work, robotics, cybersecurity research at UCLA, and suicide-prevention volunteering.
GPA 4.00 UW · ACT 36 · Original post
Where else University of Wisconsin-Madison admits got in
University of Wisconsin-Madison admissions questions
- What GPA do you need to get into University of Wisconsin-Madison?
- Among 460 applicants who posted a University of Wisconsin-Madison admission on r/collegeresults, the median unweighted GPA was 3.96 and the middle half reported 3.86 to 4.00 (345 reported a GPA). University of Wisconsin-Madison sets no minimum GPA; these are what admitted posters reported.
- What SAT score do you need for University of Wisconsin-Madison?
- Among 460 applicants who posted a University of Wisconsin-Madison admission on r/collegeresults, the median SAT was 1,530 and the middle half scored 1,483 to 1,560 (326 reported an SAT). The median ACT was 34.
- Does applying early help at University of Wisconsin-Madison?
- In these posts, 84% of early applicants who reported a result were admitted (233 of 276), against 80% in regular decision (61 of 76). Early pools differ in who applies, so this is a description, not a promise.
- What extracurriculars do University of Wisconsin-Madison admits have?
- The most common activity types among admitted posters were nonprofit/service (68%), athletics (55%), tutoring/teaching (44%), stem club/competition (40%). 86% held at least one leadership role and 65% listed a national or international award.
- What is the University of Wisconsin-Madison acceptance rate?
- The official rate is published by University of Wisconsin-Madison in its Common Data Set. These pages do not compute one: people who post results are a self-selected group, so the share of admits among them is far higher than the real rate.
Applying to University of Wisconsin-Madison?
A Specialist who got into a school like University of Wisconsin-Madison can read your student’s file against these numbers and say where it stands out and where it doesn’t.
Source: self-reported results posts on r/collegeresults, each linked from our Database, counted across the 2016 to 2027 cycles with transfer applicants excluded. Aristo Scholars is not affiliated with University of Wisconsin-Madison. All colleges