Hey could you please chance me and let me know your stats and if you were accepted?
White female
Top public school in NJ
GPA 3.557 (from end of junior year)
ACT 27
4 Honors classes and 1 AP
4 year Varsity soccer (probably going to be captain)
Yearbook club for 2 years
Worked a job throughout HS
Volunteered for some things
I plan on applying Early Decision and writing a bomb essay about how badly i want to go there.
DISCLAIMER: Take everything you read on CC and other college forums with a grain of salt. Every year is different and so is every applicant. The outcomes of other applicants with similar stats will not give you a clear cut answer/feeling about your chances.
That being said…
No early decision. You simply apply within the first notification period (or second if you’re find a reason to wait), guaranteeing you receive a decision of admit, deny, or postpone by the end of January.
Your stats put you in the middle of the pack. Have you considered retaking the ACT? 27 is good, but a 28 or 29+ would really help you out. Similarly, keep working hard senior year, as you will have to submit your first semester/trimester grades to the admissions office if you are postponed or accepted. If they see you slipping, it will not help your case. Furthermore, with a GPA like yours, admissions likes to see a upward trend. This means your lowest grades should be from either freshman or sophomore year, with increases as you go, especially as you begin taking more rigorous courses. Along the lines of academics, I’d lose the notion of “top public school”. Admissions doesn’t actually care what school you come from, as they understand that every school is different regarding courses and ECs available. The prestige of your school will not land you a spot above an applicant from a “mediocre” school.
Now, to somewhat contradict what I just mentioned, your grades and ACT/SAT scores will not be what gets you accepted. You need to write VERY STRONG essays that have been reviewed by trusted peers. I had my essays critiqued by two teachers whom I trust to give me honest feedback and reliable suggestions on how to improve. Additionally, you will need at least one letter of recommendation. However, I suggest you get two to be safe (from teachers who have known you for multiple years, and know you as more than just another student. Such as your yearbook advisor or soccer teacher). Likewise, ECs are fairly important on an application as well. (Not AS important as the things I listed previously, but they should not be lacking or neglected.) You have some good activities, but try building up your ECs this year too. ONLY JOIN SOMETHING YOU LIKE/WANT TO THOUGH. Personally, there was a new volunteer club started at my school during my senior year and I joined because I like volunteering and saw an opportunity to become involved with a new side of my community and school. I ended up taking a leadership role in the club and adding it to my application, which I’m sure helped my case.
I was accepted after being postponed with a 28 ACT and 3.7 cumulative GPA at the end of my senior year (STRONG UPWARD TREND). I made a mistake prioritizing sports my freshman year and let my grades slip. Fortunately, my academic performance as an upperclassman showed admissions officers I have matured and can handle the rigor of UW.
[TLDR] You came here asking for chances so here are my two cents: I think you are a possible postpone with a good shot at acceptance in March. (Per my note at the beginning of this post, don’t let this discourage you, there is still a chance you can be accepted first round.) My advice as someone who was postponed is to continue working hard. Very cliché, but I cannot speak enough about this. After I found out I was postponed I wrote the admissions office a single page letter (sweet and simple) telling them about my passion for UW, how I plan to use my time on campus/how I will fit in on campus, and how I’ve been growing during my senior year. I suggested this to a friend who was also postponed and we both received acceptance letters in the spring. Fellow postponed classmates who did not send a letter of continued interest or a strong application in the first place are currently moving into dorms at their second or third choice schools…
In sum:
-KEEP WORKING HARD
-Write killer essays that have been reviewed and critiqued (edited a few times, probably)
-Get strong recommendations
-Don’t rush through your application
-Go on a tour if you have not already and do your research about UW so you can be well-versed in your essays
I wish you the best of luck this year. Keep your head held high and HAVE FUN as a high school senior. Where you go to school/get accepted does NOT define who you are as a person. I spent seven months of my senior year stressing out over college admissions (to UW specifically) and I regret letting it get to me that much. I don’t regret the amount of effort and time I put into my connections and communications with UW, though. I’m finally all packed and ready to head off to the UW in six days and haven’t felt happier. If you need any advice or help or have any questions feel free to direct message me. Also, sorry this is so extremely long.
What BaseballBucky said; they’ve pretty much covered all the bases.
However, I noticed that you’re from NJ and thus an out of state student; I’ve heard from others that the admissions office may be tougher on out of state applications, since they have to maintain a student body that is majority WI residents (I believe there’s a set percentage/quota they have to fill). This is something you need to keep in mind. That said, this means you should most definitely follow BaseballBucky’s advice on beefing up your application.
I would start your essays ASAP, so you have plenty of time to revise them and give them to others to read. Make sure to read the prompts carefully so that you address all the points they want you to!
I think you have a decent chance of getting into Madison; it’s hard to say whether they will accept you by the first wave or through postponement. I had a 34 ACT, 2370 SAT and 4.7 W GPA, so I don’t have personal experience as to what might happen, but I know people who had similar ACT scores as you that were accepted without being postponed. Are you considering taking the ACT a second time if you have time? That could help more. Anyways, if you write essays that are well edited and polished, then your chances will improve greatly. Also, keep working hard throughout the school year! They love to see improvement, and they will ask for mid year grades as well.
If your decision is postponed, definitely send in a letter that expresses your enthusiasm for the school and how you think you will fit in with the school itself. This also goes for if you are wait listed to any other colleges that you apply to.
Finally, regardless of whether you are accepted or not, realize that your college admissions do not define you as a person and student. I also had a lot of trouble realizing that, after I was wait listed at my dream school (Harvard), and it just made me miserable for a while. The college application time is a huge learning experience, and the sooner you realize that, the happier you will be. Good luck on your applications!
thanks so much for your replies. If i am postponed would alumni recommendations help a lot too?
@evertona I believe any sort of recommendation would help (if postponed). Employer, teacher, alumnus, etc. What is their connection to you? As long as they aren’t directly related to you - like a sister or grandparent (which would technically make you legacy) a recommendation from them would be fantastic!! It’s a double bonus if one of your teachers is a UW alumnus and can write a letter!
I doubt just knowing someone who went to UW will mean anything to admissions. Your recommendations should come from teachers and employers et al who really know you and how strong a student you are. Your friend X, one of many thousands of alumni, will not have an impact- remember all instate students and many others will know someone who went to UW. More is not better for recommendations. Be sure the person is not just listing facts you have told him/her- this person should ADD to, not just repeat what can be found on your application.