^ On the CDS, the essay is listed as “important” for admission decisions, along with test score and rec letter. Rigor of high school courses, GPA and class rank are “very important”. So while having a great explanation for your choice of major won’t make up for poor grades or deficiencies in your college prep, it is, nonetheless, a notable factor for admission.
Thank you that’s helpful but I was actually more wondering if the chosen major plays any role. I don’t think history is a very ‘popular’ major so was hoping that would help. I have very high SAT and AP test scores, varsity sports and a medium GPA.
Thanks!!
@ImASoccerPlayer - interesting question - it might help a bit at the margin. The history major resides in CLS and technically you would be free to declare any major within that college for which you have satisfied pre-reqs, even the more popular psych, poly sci, or econ (assuming no restrictions on entry for any). So your academic qualifications, at least, will be reviewed for ability to complete a major in CLS, not ability to complete a History major specifically. On the other hand, they probably do have fewer applicants professing a desire to do history than economics, business, engineering, etc. and universities are concerned with all their departments doing well and attracting students. So if your personal statement tells a convincing story, and they have to choose between you and another candidate who is equivalent in all but choice of major - Economics - you would probably have the edge.
Thank you - yes I have a convincing and articulate essay and a true love for both history and current events. I just hope they take that into consideration…
L&S (not known as CLS, JB- get your UW jargon down) is the default college/school for most UW students. Now they expect incoming students to have a proposed major but that can easily be changed once at UW. Therefore I doubt any specific major will, or should, make a difference in admissions. No student should try to game the system with a major. I think the current listing of a major is to force students to think about the future instead of just thinking college.
There are a few majors with limits- teaching, engineering, business for example- that could be difficult to get into because of competition but otherwise you have a lot of choices. You get admitted to the university as a whole, you may also get a direct admit to some fields but being accepted to UW gives you the freedom to change your mind.
OP- your proposed major will not change your chances of acceptance to UW.
@wis75 - LOL one day I’ll hopefully get it right. Currently my biggest challenge is not to type in CALS for L&S :))
@4highkers All I said was that it’s unheard of for someone with a 31 or 32 to get denied at UW-Madison in-state. Is that wrong? I never said it was a walk in the park, but what I did say was that I want to instill some hope in poor students and parents who think that they need at least a 31 to get in here. While reading the forums is good and fun, I know dozens of people who go to UW from my high school and I know hundreds of students at UW-Madison. Yeah, obviously it sucks to get waitlisted (I had friends who did) but I’m talking to prospective students here, because I’m guessing people who didn’t get in aren’t still lurking these pages.
I’m in-state. Yeah, there’s a difference, but what I said still applies whether you’re in-state or out-of-state: You should be alright with a 31 and a 3.9 and competent essays. The reason I commented is to instill hope in some parents and students who seemed to think that’s the bare minimum, and it’s just not. And also, the narrative on the budget cuts is total bogus. I’m not some right winger running around saying defund education, but honestly you should see what this University spends on totally useless programs, unnecessarily lavish facilities, etc. I used to think the UW system could use more funding, and then I got to campus. If you don’t believe me, just google SoHE bathrooms or Dejope/Smith/Ogg residence halls, or the new rec center.
There is a huge difference in being waitlisted and having your decision postponed or other terminology. It is NOT waitlisted to have to wait until March for the final decision. That comes after the May deadlines.
I disagree with the above poster’s take on facilities. No need to have cruddy facilities. Times change and dorm expectations don’t need to stay as they were eons ago. The remodels I saw over a decade ago were an improvement over my day and what I saw online of new halls are not luxury but better design.
Whoever said it seems unheard of to get declined instate with a 30 or 31 is clearly not looking at current data or thinking getting into madison today is like it was 5-10 years ago. Maybe for the education or L&S majors but…
If you want in the Engineering or Business school that is a BARE minimum and even with great everything else - it is just that, a minimum. Also, transferring out of L&S into the Business school or engineering program is nearly impossible.
@ImASoccerPlayer Yes - that major is a HUGE help as L&S is easier to get into than engineering or business school. @wis75 the transfer rate now for business school is minimal since they do a direct admit - they were pretty clear on that when we did the tour this year for that school specifically. While it says you need a 3.0 and activities to be eligible to transfer - to actually get accepted on transfer you need a 3.85 or 4.0 your freshman year.
As has been stated earlier on the UW-Madison threads, if your heart is set on business or engineering and you are not admitted direct entry, you probably should consider another school unless you know you would be happy with your Plan B. Within-university transfers are competing against those outside the flagship as well as the university system as a whole who are also attempting to enter those programs (although the within group might be advantaged over those other groups - not sure). In addition, the freshman retention rates for Bus. and Eng. are going to be higher than for the university overall, meaning that spots are relatively few.
Switching majors or adding a major within L&S itself shouldn’t be difficult at all. Furthermore, Business or Engineering undergrads are allowed to add a major from L&S without having to transfer to that college. However, L&S undergrads wishing to add any major outside L&S will need to transfer to that college first. They may then keep the L&S major as a second major.
OOS from competitive HS with 3.85 UW and 4.25 weighted. 29 ACT (30 super score even tho they say they don’t do that). No class rank at our school. President of DECA and state winner, international DECA competitor, 2 sports, philanthropist for the smile train as a student embassador working on their marketing campaign in NYC meeting. Hopeful admission as it’s her top choice. Chances??? Seems we should hear soon.
^Gradmom1 at this point your D will have an answer before posters are finished hashing out her chances on CC. Good luck to her!
As others above have mentioned a lot of it depends on major. Also OOS will likely make it more difficult. I know a lot of kids look at UW from Illinois because it is closer than U of I. My daughter is looking into UW though she is the class of 20. I’m just an interested snooper.
She applied to business which i know is super competitive. Would they offer general admission if she didn’t make the cut for business or just defer/reject?
@Gradmom1 they might offer her a potential track through L&S but getting into business from that is a significantly smaller probability. If she has her heart set on bus. and doesn’t get in, she’s better off looking at Kelly or Carlson or one of the other direct-entry programs.
addendum - that’s assuming she doesn’t get in, of course. If she does - worries are over!
Somsje coukd potentially get in to UW first (L&S), then the business school is a separate decision that follows?
Bus. is direct admit. Other posters have chimed with the information that the chances of transferring in from L&S are very slim.That’s what was heard during an admissions tour of WSB.
Right. I know business is direct admit. But, do you first get admitted to the university, then to the business school? For example, for IU and OSU she got accepted to the school and the first admit decision came later. Point being, is it possible if she doesn’t have what they’re looking for for business, could she be admitted in general studies to UW?