<p>Those girls were instate. Yet, today I heard of two kids getting waitlisted, boys, with a 3.7 and 3.8 and 28 and 30 ACT respectively.</p>
<p>If you are the type of person to not research UW's admissions policies and blindly assume that the issue is the school accepting unqualified OOS students over their "better" in state counterparts, then you lack the critical analysis to do well at Madison. I recommend a different school.</p>
<p>The fact of the matter is, someone who is ranked lower, and may have a lower GPA, from a top high school in the suburbs of Chicago (let's not get into comparing ACT/SAT scores, which will frequently prove this) may be admitted while the same GPA/rank from your... I don't know... typical rural HS in northern Wisconsin, may be rejected. Why? The Chicago school is harder. This accounts for the overwhelming majority (I would exclude athletes) of these so called "easier out of state admits"</p>
<p>^From everything I've read in this thread, I have to agree with Transfer.
I go to a competitive, suburban, Chicago high school. To be in the top 10%, you have to have a 4.0 To be in the top 25% even you have to have a 3.6. And to be in the top HALF, you have to have a 3.2. That means if you have a 3.0, you're not even in the top half! Mindblowing! And let me tell you we do NOT have grade inflation, the classes are very difficult...even in PE we friggin take written tests for every unit!</p>
<p>So yeah, my school attaches a school profile listing that kinda info so ad coms at universities have a better idea of how competitive our school is so that they don't automatically reject us if our GPA appears lower than the norm. I'm sure a number of other schools do the same.</p>
<p>And yeh another thing, it is a Big Ten school afterall so they must be admitting OOS athletes with lower scores. They also aren't oozing with diversity so they may let in OOS URMs with lower stats too.</p>
<p>PS Wasn't trying to make it look like I go to the most competitive high school in the Chicago subs, I know for facts there are schools even WORSE and far more competitive (thank god I don't go to them!)...however in comparison to a lot of rural midwest schools I'll bet this would be considered fairly competitive.</p>
<p>I appreciate all the opinions. I'm not looking to start an argument about admission of inferior OOS students as I believe that Madison has a good admissions program that admits the students with the best stats regardless of location. I was simply looking to start a thred about successes/failures for postponed students. For reference, my school is not a rural northern Wisconsin school. I live in De Pere, a large upper-middle class suburb of Green Bay, which is close to, if not more competitive than the Chicago suburb described above. A friend of mine has a 3.3 GPA and is in the lower 50% of my class. Our classes are also difficult and we have gym unit tests etc. as described above. I don't claim to attend the most competitive school in the midwest, but we are in no way a "rural wisconsin school" with inflated GPAs etc. When I talked to my admissions counselor she informed me that De Pere is viewed as a competitive school when applications are considered and that this played into my admissions decisioin. </p>
<p>Anyway, I'm not extreamly surprised that I was waitlisted as Wisconsin is becoming more and more competitive, nor am I mad that OOS students with stats inferior to mine are being admitted, but I do feel that I am highly qualified to be a UW student and stil hope to get in in March. Anyone else get postponed lately?</p>
<p>Oh hey, I hope it didn't look like I was targetting that at you fabalyss, I just notice there's a lot of people with like extremely low test scores and then inflated GPAS and it makes me think their school must be pretty easy. That's not the case for you at all.
Infact, I am quite shocked that you got waitlisted with such great stats...
Did you try calling them to ask why?</p>
<p>Both your test scores and GPA are fairly high, so I really don't see why you got waitlisted. But they say 50% of people get in after being postponed, so I guess your chances still look great! Good luck!</p>
<p>fabalyss, you should ask (very nicely) for feedback on your application and see if that is anything you can do to improve your standing in the "postpone" list. In Wisconsin, "postpone" and "waitlist" are two different things. In the mean time, continue to do well in school and update the adcom on any new stat or progress. Continue to show your interest by having <em>meaningful contact</em> with the university ... and good news shouldn't take long to arrive. </p>
<p>I am not 100% certain. My personal impression is diversity (in all forms) now plays a bigger role in the admission process. This may explain why well-qualified candidates from certain well-represented groups with stats are no longer a clear admit.</p>
<p>Dallas- I did call my admissions counselor a few weeks ago to get more information on what was going on with my application. I found out a lot of good information that might be helpful to anyone else who has been postponed as well.</p>
<p>As I suspected, my counselor confirmed that my class rank was the main reason for the postponement of my application. She stated that my test scores were certainly solid and that my GPA was quite good also but that my class rank fell below their mid 50%. She gave me a very through review of my application, letting me know that she had made note of me being a "possible admit later". She acknoweldged my legacy (dad and grandpa) and also said she would take into consideration the fact that I had had some family hardships (what I wrote my essay about). She made it pretty clear to me that I was VERY close to getting in and advised me to try to keep my GPA the same if not try to raise it a bit. When I asked how all A's with 1 B would look this semester (that's what I expect to get) she said very good. She also said that, though my test scores were very strong, I might consider taking the ACT again if I thought I had any chance of improving because any improvement in my stats would look good. Basically, she seemed to want me to know that she didn't expect to see my class rank rise a ton in one semester, but that she was looking for any improvement at all in my stats. She stressed the importance of completing the supplemental application and said that many postponed students don't complete it. I made very clear to her that Wisconsin is my top choice school and she promised to consider this while evaulating my application for the second time. </p>
<p>She also answered some questions about the admissions process in general saying that when regular application deadlines close February 1st, all postponed applications will be pulled and re-reviewed with new stats and that a decision would be made any time between February 1st and March 15th. She urged me to call around ths time express my continued interest.</p>
<p>I wanted to make sure that I could keep communication open with her, so I asked for her email address and she gave it to me. I plan on updating her as I have new stats/accomplishments.</p>
<p>I plan to retake the ACT, shoot for all A's this semester, and try to add a bit to my extracurriculars in addition to keeping in contact with my counselor and completing the supplemental application, and hopefully I will get in.</p>
<p>One question: do the admissions counselors at Madison view GPAs/class ranks in term of the high school that the student attends. I mentioned to her that I go to a very competitive school and she didn't react much to this. How can I stress this in my emails?</p>
<p>WHEW, that was long but hopefully it was helpful to anyone else who has been postponed.</p>
<p>You don't need to stress it. The admissions officers at Madison are very familiar with the Wisconsin high schools. She probably doesnt't want to hear your biased opinion because she knows already whether or not your school is competitive.</p>
<p>
[quote]
One question: do the admissions counselors at Madison view GPAs/class ranks in term of the high school that the student attends. I mentioned to her that I go to a very competitive school and she didn't react much to this. How can I stress this in my emails?
[/quote]
</p>
<p>As andrw has said, adcom knows most schools very well. They probably have read many applications from your school and could easily tell where you stand. </p>
<p>I am very pleased to read that you took the proactive step to call the admission office! There is little you can do about your class rank. So, keep showing interest and "effort" by posting some upward trend in stats. That should get you in come Feb 15. Best wishes.</p>
<p>I disagree with you banker. I don't have stats and figures, but I'm out of state and my stats are higher than alot of my friends here. Same goes with other out of state people from my old high school. Quite a few of them got postponed with 3.9 and great ACTs. Instead of pointing fingers, maybe we should realize that Wisconsin is getting more competitive...</p>
<p>S was postponed this week. OOS, 3.8 weighted GPA, top 15%, 1250 SAT, 27 ACT. Pretty avg. for Wisconsin as far as I can tell. Still waiting for a number of other schools.</p>
<p>My daughter was postponed too. (3.5 unweighted GPA, unbalanced 28 ACT -- close to perfect verbal, writing scores with abysmal science, great recs, ecs). She almost wishes she were rejected because it would be easier to make decisions about ED at other schools.</p>
<p>I know what you mean, it's so frustrating to have a "maybe response". My position is similar to your daughter's; My GPA is a bit higher but I had a 28 ACT and near perfect reading and english scores as well (35 and 34). I certinally feel I should make it in come March 15th, so she should too. Good luck!</p>
<p>Learned yest my app has been postponed. I'm OOS.
uw GPA = 3.27
w GPA = 3.33
ACT comp = 33
1st sem grades will boost GPA slightly.</p>
<p>I was postponed too:
3.25 unweighted GPA, 3.97 weighted
97 of 459 class rank, top 21%
32 on ACT, 1960 on SAT
NHS member, student council, eagle scout
Minnesota resident</p>
<p>My essay wasn't the best and I didn't send in a recommendation, I will now though.</p>
<p>Postponed:
OOS - NJ
3.75 weighted 3.4 unweighted
High School was recently ranked 2nd best in country
640 V 730 M 630 W
Great Extracurriculars, essay was "ok"</p>
<p>I dont get how this happens, Im an international student from Hong Kong and go to an international school (like an expensive private school for you guys) and study under the British system. </p>
<p>I have a 1720 sat score, W 670, R 620 and M 430. I was admitted into UW-Madison for my choice major. What I dont understand is that how you guys are getting rejcted with SAT scores around 200 points above mine? My GPA is good, we dont have a GPA and rank but if I was to approximate it, it would be a 3.9-4.0 GPA. (mostly all A's and 1B) My essay is definately not the greatest but my EC's are really great. I have three great letters of recommendation but thats pretty standard for international schools here. </p>
<p>So my question is this, how is it that I got in and you instate students are getting "postponed"? </p>
<p>I hope all of you make it! GOOD LUCK!</p>
<p>UW likes to have a mix of students from other countries. Grades>>>test scores.</p>
<p>Ditto on the grades- have had the admissions people give talks in our city and they state that test scores above your grades can show that you didn't do the work you were capable of, the logic is that you won't succeed in college regardless of your test scores if you don't do the work. Be warned- don't be a slacker, show you are willing to do the work by handing in all those "useless" assignments (people who have never had to study to learn the material sometimes "hit the wall" in college because of poor study habits, they don't know how to). The good news for people with better grades than their test scores is that they show the willingness to work hard for those grades and are prepared to work in college.</p>
<p>postponed today :(
WGPA - 3.9
act - 29, sat 1310
OOS (MD)</p>