<p>ok so im junor in hs my gpa is like 3.65 i dont know what unweighted is but non of my classes until this year have had weighted grading so im assuming that 3.65 is my unweighted gpa. my gpa prolly wont change much from now until when i apply because it look like im gonna get like a 3.7 this year. my act composite is a 27 with a 10 on the writing. im in the top 15 percent of my class. i have been on the varsity swim team for 2 years and varsity football and will probably be the captain of the swim team for my senior year. I am a resident in wisconsin. i also do community service like 2 times a month for a few hours. i know madison is really competitive so does this look like it would get me in?</p>
<p>decent shot...retake the ACT just to be sure</p>
<p>I would strongly recommend taking an ACT prep course and retaking the ACT. I'd also suggest that you work really hard during second semester of this year. If the admissions counselors see an upward trend in your GPA, you're more likely to get in. Aim for a 4.0 instead of a 3.7 for second semester... you can do it! Try to take an AP class or two next year, too. Admissions wants to see a full, demanding senior course load.</p>
<p>Improve your ACT and grades to improve your chances. You lose nothing by doing better in classes and gain a lot of knowledge.</p>
<p>instead of a prep course, buy Barrons Act Prep book. I had a 28 my first time, studied with the book and I now have a 32.</p>
<p>you in-state or OOS? You gotta take the SAT and shoot for 2000 or above or
29/30 on the ACT. Never to early to start thinking about essays. This year's was pretty straight-forward "what can you bring to Wisco" essay with some creative lee-way on the second essay. You gotta really be creative on that standard prompt. It's a boring one with lots of redundant answers from the thousands of applicants, so it really comes down to creativity and writing ability.</p>
<p>Stay away from the standard boring pitfalls many appliacants don't realize:</p>
<p>1) Don't use vital essay space to rehash something you already mentioned in your EC descriptions. "Editor of Schhol Newspaper" packs a lot of punch...an entire essay on "what I learned as editor of the school newspaper" is redundant.</p>
<p>2) DOn't write a bout "How you lost the big game and learned a big lesson"</p>
<p>3) No "How Catcher in the Rye changed my life"</p>
<p>Good Luck, get those test score up a bit...lots of TIME FOR YOU!!!!</p>