Welcoming any guidance on Placement Testing and SOAR questions below:
*Placement Testing - is this required for ALL, even with AP classes completed in Math subject areas? When does this generally take place? Assuming there will be a sign up for a day on campus or remote?
*SOAR - Overnight required or one day?
Thank you!
From the admitted student checklist site:
“All freshman students are required to complete placement testing, regardless of previous coursework, AP, or IB credit. You are required to take tests in mathematics and English (or English as a Second Language) and strongly encouraged to test in the foreign language you studied in high school. Your scores will be used by your academic advisor to accurately place you in a variety of courses. For information about testing, refer to the Testing and Evaluation Services website for incoming UW–Madison students. You must register for placement testing before selecting a SOAR date.”
From the SOAR website:
"On-campus housing is not offered during our January programs. The SOAR program has partnered with the Lowell Center to offer a competitive rate, $89 per night, for students and families who need a place to stay in Madison. To reserve a room visit [deleted per TOS].
Lowell Center
Located just steps from Memorial Union, State Street shops and Madison’s vibrant Capitol Square, Lowell Center offers hotel accommodations—including comfortable guest rooms, an updated fitness center, inviting outdoor patios and the area’s largest indoor pool. Guests enjoy standard amenities like Keurig® coffee makers, mini refrigerators, Bath & Body Works® toiletries, flat screen TVs, complimentary wireless access, and the area’s most comfortable beds."
Thank you JBStillFlying…I appreciate your note! I couldn’t find this information, guess I am going into 'Admissions overload. On a side note, we are in-state, so don’t plan to stay overnight, but I agree - Madison is a ton of fun!
Summer SOAR for incoming freshman is over two days, and there is evening programming. There are housing options for students during summer SOAR (to stay in a dorm).
Although your info may say to take a foreign language test only do it if you plan on continuing in that language. Once you have 4 years worth you have met all L&S graduation requirements for a BA (or 3 plus 2 of a second one) and 3 years for a BS. You can get a BA or BS regardless of your major (in L&S at least). The placement exam might not place you in the next class and it is not worth the time spent taking the language (4 credits per class) unless you really want to continue it.
Math and English are required per above. Remember, the math is precalculus. A high score could make you eligible for the honors math sequence. Both ensure UW that you have met competency standards (or take remedial classes) for a UW degree.
Summer SOAR is worth going to for parents, even alumni. Separate programs and a nice way to see the campus plus get questions answered. Things change (and those hills seem bigger…).
Placement exams must be done before SOAR, and there is an online option though my kid was out of state so I’m not sure how different the remote/online options might be for WI residents in WI public high schools, for instance. Each subject exam was 1 hour, I think. As I recall, a student could place out of both Quant A and B requirements but could only place out of Comm A, as all students must actually take a class that fulfills Comm B.
You can place out of QRA but not QRB.
@oboemom65 Thanks for the correction on SOAR – I was wrong. SOAR scores can test you out of Quant A and Comm A, but not Quant B and Comm B.
Another important thing about SOAR is that students register for their classes during SOAR session with an advisor. If you go to a late SOAR session, then your son/daughter might not find a lot of classes that are still open.
Last year, we registered for SOAR towards the end of July and our son had a lot of trouble finding classes. However, by that time he’d already received his AP scores so he was able to register for higher Math & Physics classes. Without those AP scores, the advisor would not have let him register for those classes.
@Tabitha18 Good point about later frosh registration but know you add and drop classes outside of SOAR without advisor approval. Personally, as I recall my SOAR academic advisor was nothing more than a hall monitor.
@UN2016 - Thank you for the clarification. Last year, our son sent his AP scores but UW-Madison never received it. Our fault for not double checking before our SOAR session. Since the UW-Madison did not have his scores in the system, it would not allow my son to register to higher Math class. Fortunately his advisor was able to register him after my son had shown him his AP scores online.
Good to hear the advisors are still looking out for the students. People trump computers- even if it is a suggestion on how to do things later.
When do the SOAR dates come out?
Looks like SOAR dates come out on 4/22. Is anyone aware of how many sessions were offered in July last year or are they primarily in June? Do they generally fall over a weekend or weekdays? Any guidance would be helpful! Thanks.
@WImom2 - SOAR is 2 days during the week beginning mid June-mid Aug. It’s a lottery. You’ll register and they’ll send you your time slot.
https://soar.wisc.edu/overview/
fyi - just b/c you register for classes at SOAR doesn’t mean you can’t later change your schedule if need be.
@WImom2 - I’m not sure what UW2016 meant by lottery. I don’t think it’s the case because last year when my son registered for SOAR he saw a list of available dates that he could select. He registered a little bit late so his SOAR date was towards late July. I remember there’s quite a number of July sessions.
has anyone been sent the housing application yet? i was accepted on wednesday and i’m still waiting
@concernedchem I believe you don’t get sent one, when you accept and follow the steps for accepted students, it shows up. It’s not time to pick housing yet, but you can sign a contract (online) and, of course, give them a deposit.
For Res Halls you can start figuring out your first choices for dorms at any time. Once you signed the contract et al you will rank your choices. You can change choices until a deadline (in May?). There will be a lottery to match students and dorms. It is NOT first come/first served.
Utilize info on the UW Res Halls website to figure out Southeast or Lakeshore and various dorms within the two areas. There are many different types- some old, new, all sorts of styles that suit different personalities. There is no one best dorm, no special honors dorms, your major doesn’t matter since as a freshman you will have classes unrelated to your major. Pros and cons to every dorm, all well maintained.
Btw- there are private dorms but most choose Res Halls. Read the details before signing any contract. If you send in a deposit to Res Halls you need to notify them (not just UW) by May 1st if you will not go to UW and want your deposit back. If you do attend UW and sign a contract you are bound by it. Likewise- housing contracts are binding for private housing.