I received my acceptance letter from the U of M a couple of months ago, and today I was waitlisted by UW-Madison, where I want to go. I’m confused because they are very similar in competitiveness, as far as I know, and I think I meet both schools’ typical student profile.
ACT: 30
GPA: 4.0, 4.0, 3.9, 3.9
AP Classes: Spanish, Chemistry, English Literature
Extracurricular: I have volunteered weekly junior and senior year, have been in concert and marching band since sophomore year, and I am a member of NEHS and Athena (a high achieving all-women’s club for community service). I don’t play any sports.
I also have four years of rigorous math courses, four years of English, social studies, and science, and five years of Spanish.
I am genuinely confused about this decision because I was optimistic about getting into my first choice, Madison. I’ve looked up what wait lists really are about, but can someone please explain if there’s something specific that decided I’d end up here?
If you’re a Minnesota applicant, you get tuition reciprocity at Madison. While this is great once you’re in, it makes it much tougher for Minnesota kids to be accepted. My sister currently attends Madison, and recently received a letter further congratulating her on her acceptance, which stated that the acceptance rate for MN kids is 8%. I’m not sure if this is relevant, but hope it helps!
Disappointing! Yet you have a great alternative. Hope you get accepted by UW before you have to accept MN. Also, you have a clear choice in environment.
There are far more equally qualified applicants at both schools than can be admitted. It’s not automatic admission if you have a specific GPA, SAT score, etc.
Of that pool of equally qualified applicants, the admissions staff will choose different applicants for different reasons. Some are impressed differently by letters of recommendation. Some may be drawn to an applicant by their essays. Some may select based on EC’s.
Being accepted at one has no impact or correlation to being accepted at the other.
Congratulations on your acceptance to UMN! For now, if you haven’t already, deposit for housing and choose a living learning community as those spots go fast.
Then, update UWisconsin with anything you’ve done since last fall - mid year report, awards, etc.