I will add @wisco28 that if you go back and look at threads from last year on this site regarding Wisconsin admissions, you will see that several people that were postponed, eventually got in. Many had to wait until the end of March to get that acceptance, but they got in.
Do you think anyone will hear today?
Traditionally they have not released decisions on a weekend. I bet a lot of people will hear Monday and Tuesday. Good luck to everyone!
This year has however varied in terms of when decisions were released and with these schools anything is possible! So I guess you never know, though it would likely be at night again.
How does a friend of my daughter get accepted with a lower act (25), a lower GPA and equal EC activities? Is it because she has a sibling already at Madison? And she really doesnt know if she wants to go there. She gets accepted and my daughter with a 27 act, 4.0 GPA, tons of EC and dying to be a badger gets postponed… Can someone explain this??? Way to go Madison. Really crushed my daughter’s confidence and excitment about UW Madison
@dolface47 It sounds like you have a slight bias. I am sorry to hear your daughter did not get accepted, but at first you say they have equal EC activities, and then later you say “tons of EC”. Additionally, both students wrote different essays which may have played a role in the decision. You also must take into consideration course rigor, teacher recommendations, and a variety of other factors. It is all just a part of the college admissions process. It may feel terrible right now, but don’t worry your daughter will be fine regardless of if she attends Wisconsin or not. Not to mention that postponed does not mean denied, and she still has a chance to be admitted come March, especially if she has kept up with grades senior year.
@dolface47 I big chunk of what UW is looking for in the application has to do with the written essays. Of course they look at test scores however those don’t set you apart from others with similar test scores. The essays allow them to see how an individual is different from others with similar credentials. Your daughter definitely has a great ACT score and GPA but if her essay was lacking what the OOA was looking for, that’s most likely why her decision was postponed.
@wisco28 I was postponed last year, no legacy, and was eventually admitted in March.
I completely second everything that has been suggested above. Write a succinct (one page) letter of continued interest, get one or two more recommendations if possible, and don’t give up on your current grades, if they see your senior grades slipping your chances are slim for admission. They postponed you because they think you are a good enough student to succeed here, but they are unsure if they will have enough space for EVERY student like you and those with higher stats. For comparison I had a 3.6/3.7 (it was on the rise) unweighted GPA and 28 ACT, in-state.
Above all don’t give up. If this is your top choice/dream school like it is mine, then please don’t get discouraged. When I received my postponed letter almost a year ago from today I never thought I’d make it, but here I am typing another hopeful badger a message I wish I’d received from my dorm room at UW. If you have any questions regarding postponement don’t hesitate to ask me! Best of luck! 
This is a note from a kid who breaks his mind trying to figure out the college admissions process and how applicants are evaluated. Here is my advice, RELAX work your hardest and if UW is your dream school make them know it. Personally, I got on a plane from NJ and flew out there just for a one day visit, spent a week with my English teacher working on my essays, and reached out to a close family friend who is has strong ties to UW just to compensate for my below average 28 ACT. Everything will workout good luck to everyone! (remaining hopeful my decision comes out before christmas)
Do we think any oos students will be admitted before Christmas??
hoping so
does anyone know how uw does GPA’s? I know they look at unweighted, but do they take out electives, gym, and health? I know Michigan has a weird system where they don’t use any pluses or minuses its just an A is a 4.0 and a B is a 3.0
got accepted yesterday. in state, 3.9 uw gpa and 33 act, numerous EC’s, APs, and wrote my essay in like an hour. Around 7-10 of my in state friends got accepted too.
@hockeyplayer11 I don’t think they would consider classes such as gym and health. I think they are more worried about core classes. Additionally, even if you don’t have an outstanding GPA I am sure they look at course rigor, as well as the type of high school you attended.
congrats flabbypanda, hopefully they will release oos decision before christmas
If we don’t get them by the 22nd, we’ve to wait until atleast January the 4th.
Does anyone know if there is a particular order they are accepting in? By applicants name or school or county?
Has anyone not heard who thinks they have a pretty good chance of getting in with out getting postponed?
@louise423 Me. 2320 SAT, top 5% - Hardest possible courses taken. Ivy-level ECs.