So I was postponed from wisco and someone told me that it is very hard for people on the postponed list to get accepted. Now I’m pretty scared because Wisco is my number one and I really want to get in. My act was a 29 and my GPA is a 3.6
I have great extracurriculars, volunteer service, and letters of recommendation. Also, my mid-year grades is a 4.2 weighted which shows a lot of improvement. Is it true that it’s hard to get into wisco from the postponed list? And what do you think my chances are?
It’s hard to get in off the waitlist. Some years, zero people are accepted off the waitlist. Maybe the person you talked to was thinking of that.
You are postponed, not waitlisted. 50-50 chances now.
@wis75, are you saying that 50% of students that are postponed are admitted? If so, can I ask where you are getting these numbers from?
Also, in regards to the wait list. Last year around May 9th (if you go back and look at threads from that time) there were people that were wait listed (not postponted, some had been postponed originally and then got waitlisted) that received phone calls from UW Madison stating that they were accepted. Here is the link to the thread:
I would be very surprised if you didn’t get it. The kids who had these types of numbers/grades got in between March-May. Wait list is harder and kids who were on wait list in WI with lower scores than you did get in eventually but it was closer to May. I think you’ll be ok- it’s hard waiting, be patient and keep up the great work and make sure UW has your updated grades, another letter of rec and any more things or accomplishments you can show them you’ve done since you applied. Good luck!!!
If you would like to talk live i’d be happy to phone you and let you know what i’ve learned through the same process last year. I think you’ll be ok and it’s so hard not knowing and the waiting!!
is it possible that postponed students will hear back earlier than the end of March? the wait is killing me
yes, anything is possible - it just depends on their numbers and how many have already accepted/declined or haven’t told Madison if they are for sure coming yet. Your chances are very good if you are delayed/postponed (same thing) vs wait listed- the wait listed kids we knew who got in heard in Mayish- delayed kids heard in March but maybe this year is different and you’ll hear earlier bc last year there were tons of applicants bc the basketball and football seasons were so awesome so numbers were higher.
Here are some threads from last year. Seems like March 20th and 25th were big dates for decisions for postponed applicants
In this thread March 20th begin at response 156, March 25th at response 194. Also looks like some decisions on March 27th.
http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/university-wisconsin-madison/1722328-acceptances-p11.html
response 17, 19, and 21 in this thread. Notice 21 got postponed after originally being wait listed (ugghhh!)
Yes, it was during those two dates we found out. Some kids found out after that date too- you might be lucky and maybe they’ll get back to people earlier- just know you’re not alone and a LOT of people are on the same list you are so don’t worry!
I suspect offering to phone teenagers you don’t know violates the CC terms of service. I hope no teen on CC gives personally identifying information to other posters.
50-50 means could get in may not. Anytime you ask for chances it is meaningless, btw. On CC I have seen past years quoted as around half of postponed students getting in. Whatever happens it will be 100% in/out for you.
Is that 3.6 GPA unweighted? If so, I think your chances are fairly good. What is your unweighted 7th semester GPA? Did you take challenging classes? Last year many of my S’s friends were postponed and ultimately all of them with stats like yours got in, though there was a lot of suffering during the wait to hear. The couple who didn’t get in at all had unweighted GPA below 3.5 and/or low test scores. UW is in the habit of postponing large numbers of applicants who are then later admitted. Unlike some other schools where postponed is tantamount to denial.
The Ivies and similar reach schools won’t release until mid March. Likewise most scholarship information also comes out in March. Wisconsin probably won’t see too many declines until the majority of kids have all their choices in front of them. I expect my daughter will decide in mid March . It makes sense that a lot of spots will open up later March.
FYI - My son, who was postponed, received a notification last night in his student portal regarding how to report student grades. I’m assuming that all postponed students received this yesterday. So, if you were waiting for that, you may want to go check out your student portal.
Madison was my son’s first choice for Engineering but now that he has been postponed, he has the impression that Madison is so selective that he won’t do well there, even if he is ultimately accepted. Any thoughts on how to counter this argument? He was accepted into Cvil Engineering at UIUC and UMN-TC.
@msd228 If your son was accepted into engineering at both UIUC and UMN-TC, he will very likely still be admitted to Madison (and will likely be successful if he chooses to attend). I have the impression that Madison tends to be most picky about unweighted gpa, fwiw.
My son applied to these three schools as well, and on their respective CC forums I’ve seen various combos of acceptances and rejections for different applicants. They definitely all have their own formulas for making decisions!
Remember that huge numbers were postponed. It just means that UW is waiting to see what happens with other applicants before accepting many who can do well. There simply isn’t enough room for all students who can be successful at UW. Several years ago UW did not promise any answers by the end of January so would be students did not get the mindset I’m seeing now. I wonder if would be kinder for them to go back to no promised notifications and eliminate the postponement of decisions be known to applicants. Those clear admits and denials would still have had word.
wis75: How do you know huge number were postponed? Only a handful of posters here have admitted to it.
First- keep in mind the few applicants who are on the CC thread, lack of significant data for real numbers. Secondly- broad generalizations. Third- if you think these are sacred truths are posted on CC to the nth degree of accuracy get real. Observations show there are many who need to wait - could be far more or less than we think. But- if you are asked a question a 50-50 response is about as neutral as you can get. If you’re in you don’t care, likewise if you’re rejected. It seems as though from other years there is still a good chance of getting /not getting in- call it 50-50. Belabored the point just now. NOT the same as being waitlisted.
All you can do is wait and be thankful that by applying early in the season you know you are somewhere in that vast middle pool instead of needing to wait when there was no chance. So many students for other schools get no clues- their decision was made from the first glance at he application but they won’t find out until all others do in March.