<p>My GPA is a lowly 3.3 UW, class rank is around 17% and my SAT/ACT is 1350/31. I am retaking both tests in the fall so hopefully I'll get at least a 1400/33. </p>
<p>I scored well on my PSAT and will be a National Hispanic Scholar. This should help, right? I am also OOS and half Asian, but I don't know how/if that affects my chances. </p>
<p>And should I apply before the first cutoff, or should I wait until the first semester of my senior year? I know I can raise my GPA but don't know if that will help. Any feedback is welcome!</p>
<p>Being hispanic should help some but you don’t need a whole lot of help. How rigorous have the courses for that 3.3 GPA been(honors/ap?) While the GPA and rank are a little low, the test scores are very good even without retaking. Has your GPA been on an upward trend? ECs? Nearby OOS or faraway OOS?</p>
<p>If it were my kid, I’d have them apply before the 1st deadline. I think the worst that would happen is getting postponed pending 1st semester grades and you may get accepted right away.</p>
<p>Also- what is your junior year gpa- lower or higher than the cumulative? Increasing grades is good, a poor freshman year followed by better grades shows you are now doing more work. Poor grades with high test scores may indicate aptitude/ability not followed up with doing the work. The concern may be that you won’t have the work/study skills to do UW college work. If you have been putting forth your best time and effort but still get a B+ average you may have difficulty with the faster pace at UW. Once admitted you want to succeed; discuss ways to improve your senior grades with your guidance counselor (GC) this fall. The course level of difficulty also matters- if the grades are in the regular courses or if you took a heavy load of the most difficult courses available. If study skills are an issue have your GC find ways for you to improve them and do so. This will benefit you no matter where you go to college.</p>
<p>My freshman GPA was my worst but I’d say my sophomore and junior years were very similar, although I took more difficult courses junior year. My weighted GPA is 3.7. I just didn’t take school seriously enough until late in my junior year when I realized I wouldn’t be getting into Texas and needed to find some other options LOL. </p>
<p>Now to answer the other questions…
I’ve been on the varsity tennis team and in French Club (no leaderhip positions though) for 4 years and have a few volunteer hours from NHS/Key Club. Taht’s about it as far as ECs go. I live in Texas. Are there many applicants from Texas?</p>
<p>UW only uses unweighted grades. You can always apply, but have other schools as a backup. Plus- do your best next semester. Good luck. Work with your guidance counselor to optimize your study habits and have him/her get to know you so s/he can write a good recommendation.</p>
<p>Thanks for the advice wis75, but at my school our counselor’s only purpose is to change our classes and ship off transcripts haha.</p>
<p>Have you tried to make an appointment with your GC? Most students don’t and “common knowledge” is that which you stated is their only role. Most of their time is spent with students in need- ak for help and you are likely to get it, don’t ask and they will assume there is nothing to do. Good students are not on the radar- no red flags are generated by B’s instead of A’s. The phrase "the squeaky wheel gets the grease’ came to mind, make noise, ie ask for help. Public schools don’t have the budgets to hire enough GC’s to handhold every student- the ones who make an appointment and ask for services will get them, the rest don’t. Your choice- optimize your options or take the path of least resistance. How much is a possible UW admission worth to you? Enough to change your habits?</p>
<p>You should get in- likely through regular admission though UW does have other avenues for admission like their AAP program- [University</a> of Wisconsin Madison - Academic Advancement Program](<a href=“http://www.lssaa.wisc.edu/aap/]University”>http://www.lssaa.wisc.edu/aap/)</p>
<p>Not sure what wis75 is making such a fuss about. According to this very recent study that barrons has attached to another thread (<a href=“http://apa.wisc.edu/Admissions/2010FreshmanEnrollmentPatterns.pdf[/url]”>http://apa.wisc.edu/Admissions/2010FreshmanEnrollmentPatterns.pdf</a>) UW admits more than 92 percent of applicants with a 30 or more on the ACT. The poster here has a 31, is in the top fifth of his high school class, and will be applying as a National Hispanic Scholar. Expect the fat envelope.</p>
<p>Actually it was 92% of high scoring instate students were admitted. For OOS it was 80%. Still the point is well taken. I think the bigger question is how much money might there to attract him/her to UW.</p>
<p>You’re right, barrons – thanks for clarifying.</p>
<p>No matter what the chances for admission are it will help the student to optimize his study habits and do his/her best. Going into college with the best foundation possible will benefit any student. The goal isn’t just getting into a school, it is doing well/succeeding once there. Take advantage of any help you can from your HS to get the best study skills and knowledge you can. This will help you when you face those first college classes. Getting to know your GC will help him/her write the best recommendation. It won’t hurt to get in regardless of your ethnic status- once you are there you face the same classes as the most prepared, you may as well try to be as best prepared as you can. This applys to any college you end up attending- UW or somewhere else.</p>
<p>I’m an incoming freshman to UW-Madison. I was accepted with a 28 ACT and 3.26 GPA. I am out of state and Hispanic.</p>
<p>Wis75 are you this obstinant with your patients? The op didn’t ask for advice on how to succeed in college or how to improve his or her study habits. The question was can he or she get IN!</p>
<p>Getting in is only the beginning, students. Think beyond that to succeeding once in college. Do what you can with your remaining year in HS to best prepare for it- senior slacking wastes your time…</p>
<p>I’ll be sure to remember this next time you say I’m going off topic! :)</p>
<p>Use chances to HELP students by answering questions they don’t articulate or don’t think of but will BENEFIT from your response. Offer advice they can use but didn’t have a clue about…</p>
<p>HS students- it is easy to focus on getting IN to college but remember there is your senior year to max out on, both to enjoy and to make college life easier. It is easy to forget about life past admissions in this stage of the game and how this coming school year is still important in preparing for college life after that acceptance arrives.</p>
<p>Yeah, it’ll help. I got in as an asian student with basically same stats, except i had a 33 on my act, so you’ll get in. Good luck :)</p>