<p>I have a 3.3 GPA, 29 composite score on ACT, have taken 4 years of every single subject with several AP and Honors courses, played sports all 4 years. If i right 2 amazing essays and get 2 good letters of recommendation is there any possibility of me getting in as an economics major?</p>
<p>I assume it’s uw 3.3 GPA. Go for it. If you are interested, you should apply. I would recommend you be very strong and clear about why a 3.3 GPA. If you are determined to attend and show the interest…and are willing to wait until May for a final answer, it could happen. Hopefully, this semester’s grades will be up and you can highlight the trend.</p>
<p>To be safe, have backup plans. Wisconsin won’t be a slam dunk you’re in.</p>
<p>My son was the luckiest kid on the planet, got in with 29 (lopsided, 35 Reading, 25 Math) and a 3.49 unweighted, highest level classes etc, great recs and strong upward grade trend.</p>
<p>From what we saw last year in watching admissions decisions obsessively, a 3.3 unweighted is going to be a tough sell, either instate or out of state. </p>
<p>If there is a “why UW” essay, it probably needs to be specific to particular academic strength, program etc – not just a "I’ve always dreamed of being a Badger’ kind of essay. </p>
<p>Likely decision will be deferral (if you can avoid rejection), so keep workong on those fall classes so you can show continued improvement with updated grades.</p>
<p>Oops, forgot – unlike Illinois, Minnesota and some other flagships – at UW, you do not apply to and are not admitted to a particular college as a freshman.</p>
<p>Thanks for the feedback and yes there is an upward grade trend definately and especially this year. My GPA is just kinda low cuz I messed up bad sophomore year.</p>
<p>Don’t give up – sophomore year was my son’s worst (a C and a C+, for what it is worth) and then mostly As with a sprinkling of Bs in Math, his weakness, for the rest of high school. Some kids --especially boys – are late bloomers, and schools recognize that. </p>
<p>Work on your essays – be specific about what you want to do at UW, which is unique to UW. If your recs haven’t gone in, perhaps talk to them to remind them about your upward trend, how you have matured etc.</p>
<p>But be smart, have a good Plan B. Perhaps Univ Minnesota, which was my son’s safety-ish school. I rave about Iowa on CC as well – pretty college town, with the Mississippi River running through the middle of campus, plus, you can do an on-line calculator if your school ranks to see if you will be admitted (it has a formula based on gpa, class rank, test scores and core curriculum). If you are in-state at UW, there is also the option of attending another campus and transferring in after sophomore year, though I understand that is not ideal.</p>
<p>Yeah Iowa is my other choice and i’ve already been accepted there with and $18,000 scholarship so if this doesn’t work out for me then i’m definitely going there.</p>
<p>And when you say if my recs haven’t gone in yet, do you mean remind the teachers or whoever is writing the letter of recommendation for me?</p>
<p>Sorry, I meant – if your application is not already complete, then perhaps check in with your recommenders to emphasize your growth etc. If your application is complete, then just stay focused on your classes this semester because if you get deferred, they will look at your fall semester grades. </p>
<p>Congrats on Iowa. You might consider petitioning for admission to Honors at Iowa – my son did that because his gpa did not get him automatic admission into Honors, and he was accepted.</p>
<p>Okay thanks ill make sure that they make note of that!</p>
<p>One other thing: did your son end up choosing Iowa over UW-Madison? If he did, how come?</p>
<p>Nope, he is a freshman at UW, loving everything about it. </p>
<p>Another neat thing about UW is that every admitted student is invited to apply for Honors program, not just those with the highest gpas and test scores. Students have to write 3 essays as part of their Honors app. After holding his breath to get in, he was admitted to Honors and now has 3 As and an AB in his first semester courses (of course, he still has to make it through the last round of papers and finals). </p>
<p>Good luck, and hang in there!</p>
<p>Okay haha thanks for all the help!</p>