So, you want to be a Badger? Concerned about the cold? Want a Big Ten college experience? Read on and decide if the University of Wisconsin is the right fit for you.
The “Wisconsin Idea” that the university should improve people’s lives beyond the classroom is the university's guiding principle and demonstrates the school’s commitment to public service. Staying true to this mission, the university offers outstanding academics and student life.
Academics
There are eight colleges and 129 majors. General education requirements include:
● 2 quantitative classes
● 2 communication classes
● 1 ethnic studies class
The most popular majors are:
● Agriculture
● Business
● Economics
● Biology
● Political Science
● Psychology
● Communication Arts
Inside Admissions
COVID 19 update - the University will be test optional through December 31, 2020 and is seeking to extend this policy. As of now, any student applying Early Action with a deadline of November 1, 2020 can choose not to submit scores. Regular Decision deadline is February 2, 2021.
The University will be offering 3 new undergraduate majors:
● Data Science, which will be housed in a new building for the School of Data and Information Science.
● Health Promotion and Health Equity through the Department of Kinesiology.
● Supply Chain Management within the School of Business.
Admission to the university is considered somewhat selective with a 53% acceptance rate. Thirty-seven percent of admitted students enroll. Due to popularity and academic demands, the School of Business and the College of Engineering have more selective criteria than the other colleges.
The school does not track demonstrated interest, but admissions likes to see true interest in the university through its two required essays. Research and thought should go into answering the why us essay and what do you want to accomplish as part of the Badger community.
Student Life
There are approximately 30,000 undergraduates on a campus of over 900 acres. Thirty percent of students come from out-of-state. The campus is located in Madison, a city with a population of 260,000, but students agree that it has a college town feel.
Students are not required to live on campus, but 95% of first-year students choose to live in campus housing. Students can choose between traditional dorms or living learning communities.
The Center for the First-Year Experience is dedicated to helping first-year students adapt to life at a large university. It offers several programs to ease the transition:
● SOAR (student orientation)
● Transfer Transitions
● Wisconsin Welcome
● Wisconsin Experience Seminar
Wisconsin is known for its school spirit. As a member of the Big Ten Conference, it fields 25 varsity teams. Similar to other large state universities, Wisconsin offers hundreds of clubs and organizations. There is something for everyone. If the political scene is of interest, the campus is located in the state capital, with significant opportunities for student activism. If journalism is a passion, the school is also proud of its 2 student newspapers! Following the ideals of the “Wisconsin Idea”, student volunteerism is a large part of campus culture.
If the University of Wisconsin seems like a good fit, visit its website, take a virtual tour and follow the Badgers on social media.