university of wisconsin admissions essay

Prepare Your Essay

You are more than facts and figures.

It doesn’t get said enough, but your UWs are literally looking for reasons to admit you. That’s why they ask for an essay. They simply want to hear about you. Take your time. Give it some thought, share it with a few people you trust, and revise.

In the end, it’ll be worth it.

The Universities of Wisconsin Application asks the following question of freshmen and transfer applicants: Please note: Essay requirements will vary by university. Some universities may require an essay as part of the application process, while others do not or consider the essay optional. If you are ever in doubt, please check with your UW.

All UWs Each student is unique. Please tell us about the particular life experiences, talents, commitments, and/or interests you will bring to our campus.

If you apply to UW-La Crosse or UW-Madison, you will be required to answer a second question as well:

UW-Madison Tell us why you would like to attend the University of Wisconsin–Madison. In addition, please include why you are interested in studying the major(s) you have selected. If you selected undecided, please describe your areas of possible academic interest.

UW-La Crosse Please respond to ONE of the following: (1) Tell us about any circumstances that may have had an impact on your academic performance. OR (2) Tell us why you are interested in attending UW-La Crosse and what aspects of the campus are especially important to you.

Tips & Recommendations

We’ve collected some of the best tips and recommendations for writing a great essay.

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Your chancing factors

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UW-Madison Essay Example from an Accepted Student

With over 30,000 undergraduates, the flagship university of the Wisconsin public system is known for its top-tier academics, high-achieving sports teams, party life. The University of Wisconsin Madison is considered one of the best 50 schools in the nation, thus making gaining admission a difficult task. You’ll need more than good grades to get into this school—your essays will have to shine as well. 

In this post, we will share a real essay an accepted UW Madison student submitted. We will also go over what this essay did well, and where there is room for improvement.

Please note: Looking at examples of real essays students have submitted to colleges can be very beneficial to get inspiration for your essays. You should never copy or plagiarize from these examples when writing your own essays. Colleges can tell when an essay isn’t genuine and will not view students favorably if they plagiarized. 

Read our UW Madison essay breakdown to get a comprehensive overview of this year’s supplemental prompts.

Essay Example – Why UW Madison, and Why This Major? 

As a student from Wisconsin, I have grown up with a high degree of exposure to discussions surrounding the University of Wisconsin-Madison. As a result of the assortment of compliments I frequently heard describing its academics, I have always held the university in high regard.

Additionally, I have heard of the stellar location and value that comes along with the university being in the state capital. Through the combination of the two previous factors, the University of Wisconsin-Madison has become the center of my search for my ideal college experience. While exploring further, however, I have found that there is more about the university that causes my desire to attend. From the array of libraries and study spaces, a large student body in which I can find like-minded people, to the excellent campus I saw during a visit, there are countless aspects about the university that I find alluring. However, one element of the university stands out from the rest— the Wisconsin Idea.

I would describe myself as curious due to my constant attempts to learn new information; the more knowledge about current or former events I can achieve, the better. When a person has consistent access to accurate, unbiased information, I believe they can grow as a person, academically or socially. As new information is gathered and shared, new ideas can develop.

These novel ideas can lead to innovation and problem-solving. Unbiased and unpersuasive reports allow for thinking for oneself, forcing originality. I am interested in entering the field of journalism because of its capacity to prompt these thoughts. Beyond any encouragement of self- reliance, journalism can be an agent of change. Through reporting on issues afflicting society, widespread awareness is created. A society’s recognition of its problems enables attempts to fix them through methods such as civic engagement. Through these characteristics of journalism, better people and communities develop, showing its connection to the Wisconsin Idea. A bettering of society is something meaningful to me, and I believe journalism is the pathway to do so. The University of Wisconsin-Madison will allow me to explore all my interests involving journalism.

Growing up, I appreciated the coverage of sportswriters, from national writers such as ESPN’s Jeff Passan to local writers such as University of Wisconsin-Madison alumnus Curt Hogg with the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. The work of these sportswriters is also valuable to society, helping provide moments of respite from the stresses of life. Through the sports communication certificate program, I will be able to discover if this branch of journalism is the niche meant for me.

Additionally, the University of Wisconsin-Madison has the resources that will allow me to succeed in journalism. Being in the journalism program with a focus on reporting and multimedia journalism, I will be able to strengthen my ability to inform the public in conjunction with the Wisconsin Idea. Education on how to vet sources and how to properly engage with audiences will allow for the merging of reporting with the mentioned principles and values. Through the university, I am confident that I will be able to leave a positive mark on the world.

I know that the University of Wisconsin-Madison will be able to cultivate my interests and help me grow as a person. Through the totality of its resources and classes, I will be well-prepared for my career as a journalist and ready to contribute positively to society.

What the Essay Did Well

Since this essay combines the “ Why School? ” and “ Why Major? ” supplements, it’s important to answer both questions while still ensuring the essay feels like one cohesive unit. This student has done exactly that, by highlighting the Wisconsin Idea and using that thread to tie his ideas together throughout the essay. That anchor also allows for a smooth transition between the student’s interest in the school and their interest in the major.

In addition to doing an excellent job crafting a unified essay, the student gives a lot of background on their decision to major in journalism, which shows that they are a thoughtful, dedicated student who is prepared to get the most out of a Wisconsin education. They start off by telling us why they see journalism as important in the big picture: “ Through these characteristics of journalism, better people and communities develop, showing its connection to the Wisconsin Idea. ” 

But in the next paragraph, they zoom in from the abstract ideals of journalism, to their personal interest in sports journalism specifically. By mentioning particular sportswriters they find inspiring, plus the “ focus on reporting and multimedia journalism ” they aspire towards, we get a more detailed picture of how they will contribute to the world of journalism, which is further evidence that this is a motivated student who is prepared to hit the ground running in college.

Although this essay is more detailed when answering the “Why Major?” question than the “Why School?” one, that isn’t a huge issue because they bring in school-specific programs while discussing their major. That, in effect, answers the “Why School?” question, because this student would not be able to get the same education in journalism at a different school. As highlighted at the beginning of this section, this essay’s biggest strength is that seamless blend of school opportunities and the student’s interest in journalism as a major.

What Could Be Improved

There are two weaknesses to this essay: the response to the “Why School?” half of the prompt, and the lack of personal details.

As noted above, the student does a good job of addressing “Why School?” in the part of their essay that focuses on “Why Major?” but the essay would be even stronger if they took some time to answer “Why School?” directly.

The first two paragraphs are in theory doing that, but they are wildly vague and provide few substantive examples of why UW Madison is a good fit for this student. As a rule of thumb, the school’s reputation and location, generic resources like libraries, and general campus aesthetic are not valid answers for why you want to attend, because lots of other schools have strong reputations, good locations, beautiful libraries, etc.

Instead, when answering this prompt you want to hone in on opportunities that can only be found at that school and explain how they connect to your current interests or will help you accomplish your goals. That shows admissions officers that you want to attend their school specifically, rather than that you’d be happy at any college in a state capital.

A better response would have looked something like this: “I look forward to sitting in on panel discussions hosted by UW’s Center for Journalism Ethics and working under Professor Culver to broaden my perspectives when I report on difficult topics like racial injustice, a topic which has particularly contentious in Wisconsin since the shooting of Jacob Blake in Kenosha. ”

This version shows that the student already has a clear, concrete vision of how they would fit into UW Madison’s campus community, which in turn gives admissions officers a more detailed sense of what this student would bring to their school. 

This version also shows how the student being from Wisconsin makes them a stronger applicant than someone from another state, as they have a personal understanding of the same issues that have affected UW Madison. The original essay, in contrast, only showed that being from Wisconsin has helped the student know the school better, not how them being from Wisconsin would benefit UW Madison.

The other issue with this essay is that the reader learns very little about the student’s background and personality. Broad statements like “ A bettering of society is something meaningful to me, ” and “ Growing up, I appreciated the coverage of sportswriters, ” don’t have enough detail for the reader to understand this student, as these two statements could be true of thousands of other applicants. Remember, the whole point of the essay is to distinguish yourself from students whose more objective metrics, like grades and extracurriculars, are similar to yours.

A stronger essay would accomplish that by providing insight into the emotional connection this student has to journalism. Rather than vaguely stating that sports journalism “help[s] provide moments of respite from the stresses of life,” it would describe how the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel’s riveting coverage of the Milwaukee Bucks’ championship season gave the student something joyful to think about even as their grandfather’s dementia was worsening. 

Without that personal connection, even if admissions officers know what the student is interested in and even some of their beliefs about the world, they won’t know who the student truly is at their core. That deeper layer of understanding is what would take this essay from good to great.

Where to Get Feedback on Your Essay

Do you want feedback on your University of Wisconsin essays? After rereading your essays countless times, it can be difficult to evaluate your writing objectively. That’s why we created our free Peer Essay Review tool , where you can get a free review of your essay from another student. You can also improve your own writing skills by reviewing other students’ essays. 

If you want a college admissions expert to review your essay, advisors on CollegeVine have helped students refine their writing and submit successful applications to top schools. Find the right advisor for you to improve your chances of getting into your dream school!

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What We Look For in Our Applicants

At UW–Madison, our holistic application process is designed to help us find remarkable students—students who will add to the legacy of UW–Madison. We don’t use formulas or charts. We read each application thoroughly, one by one.

First, we focus on academic excellence and preparation. Beyond academics, we look for qualities such as leadership, contributions to your community, and achievement in the arts, athletics, and other areas. We’re also seeking diversity in personal background and experience and your potential for positive contribution to the Wisconsin community.

We truly believe in this model, and because of that, we are not able to tell a student whether they will be admitted until their admission decision is made. Instead, we can give you some insight into what makes students competitive for admission.

• Academics More
• What We Look For More
• How to Apply More
• Finance Your Education More
• Student Life More
• Plan Your Visit More

What We Consider

Grades and coursework.

First-Year Students:   When we consider your grades, we are looking both at the grades you earn and the level of difficulty of the courses you take (rigor) throughout your high school career. We look for you to be earning top grades—mostly As—in challenging courses, including honors, IB, and/or AP, when available. While we don’t specifically base a decision on your GPA or your class rank, we do consider your academic performance in the context of the available offerings at your school.

Your high school record should demonstrate both rigor and breadth in the types of coursework you pursue. Applicants must meet the minimum course requirements listed below to be eligible for admission to UW–Madison. Competitive applicants often take additional credits in the core subject areas, including the most challenging advanced-level work offered at or through your school in as many areas as possible, while maintaining a strong GPA.

Note: For trimester schools, two trimesters is considered one year/credit. One trimester is considered 0.5 years/credits.

*Math requirement includes at least one year each of algebra, geometry, and advanced math with algebra or geometry prerequisites. If you take any of these courses in middle school, that will count toward the requirement. Courses that will not fulfill this requirement include statistics, business math, and computer classes.

** Taking two years of the same world language in high school is highly recommended, as this can fulfill the world language requirement as a student at UW–Madison.

Students who do not fulfill the university world language requirement with high school work will be required to do so as a student at UW–Madison.

To meet the requirement in high school, world language credit must be on your high school transcript as credit earned at an accredited institution. Online language programs or applications such as Rosetta Stone will not be accepted.

American Sign Language (ASL) may be accepted if it is taken through your school and is reflected on an official transcript.

Students who are not native English language speakers can satisfy  world language with an official transcript verifying their education in that language. If you were educated in your native language through grade seven, you will receive two units of world language. Non-native English language speakers who were educated in their native language through grade eight will be awarded four units.

Transfer: When reviewing applications, we pay particular attention to the college-level coursework you have completed, and specifically:

• Rigor of coursework: Appropriate for continued study at UW–Madison and increasing in difficulty.
• Course breadth: Showing a combination of English, math, science, literature, social science, and world language.
• Grade trends and patterns: Steady or improving trends and patterns that show consistency across all academic areas.
• High school performance: Your academic performance in high school will be more or less important to us depending on how many college credits you have earned. Generally speaking, students who are in their first two years of college-level coursework will have their high school records more carefully analyzed. The more college-level work you have completed, the less we will rely on high school performance criteria, such as rigor of coursework, academic GPA, grade trends, and class rank.
• Algebra: One year in high school
• Plane Geometry: One year in high school (cannot be modified, basic, or informal)
• College-Preparatory Math: One year in high school, or 1 college course at the level of Algebra 2 or beyond
• Single World Language: Two years of the same language in high school or two semesters of the same language in college*

* Students who are not native English language speakers can satisfy the world language application requirement with an official transcript verifying their education in that language. If they were educated in their native language through grade seven, they will receive two units of world language. Those who were educated in their native language through grade eight, will be awarded four units.

Students who have studied a world language using only Rosetta Stone have not fulfilled the world language requirement.

American Sign Language (ASL) may be accepted to meet the world language requirement for admission if it is taken through the student’s school and is reflected on an official transcript.

In rare circumstances, students may be admitted without two units of a single world language. These students will be required to complete two sequential units of the same world language as a UW–Madison student. 

ACT/SAT Test Scores

The University of Wisconsin–Madison received authorization from the University of Wisconsin System Board of Regents to waive the requirement for first-year applicants to submit an ACT or SAT test score as a part of their application to the university through the spring 2027 term. During this time, including scores from either the ACT or the SAT with your application is optional, and you will not be disadvantaged in our evaluation process if you choose to not include these scores for consideration in your application. You can indicate your choice regarding including test scores at the time of application.

ACT/SAT scores are optional for transfer students.

More information can be found by viewing the news release  and our ACT/SAT Score FAQs .

Extracurriculars

We also review your extracurriculars and the positive impact they have had on you as a student. If they matter to you, they matter to us. On your application, you can list your extracurriculars, including activities and involvement, leadership, service, employment, talents, and interests.

Essays and Writing

As part of our holistic review, we refer to the essays you submit to understand more about you. What you choose to share gives us an idea of who you are and what you want to accomplish as part of our community. Tell us about you and your unique story to help us know you beyond your GPA and test scores. Your essays might also be used for campus program and scholarship review.

If you apply using the Common Application, you will be asked to respond to one of the  first-year Common Application essays . If you apply with the Universities of Wisconsin Application, you will need to answer the following prompt:

• Each student is unique. Please tell us about the particular life experiences, talents, commitments, and/or interests you will bring to our campus.

All applicants will also need to respond to this prompt:

• Tell us why you would like to attend the University of Wisconsin–Madison. In addition, please include why you are interested in studying the major(s) you have selected. If you selected undecided, please describe your areas of possible academic interest.

Keep these tips in mind as you work on your writing:

• Develop your thoughts before you begin the writing process, and create an outline.
• The maximum word count for each essay is 650, but we recommend planning for 300–500 words.
• Do not type directly into the web form. Instead, work on your draft in word processing software.
• Allow time to develop and revisit your writing.
• Check for spelling mistakes and ask someone to proofread your final version.
• Be genuine and honest in your writing.

Admissions FAQs

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What does direct entry mean?

While most majors at UW–Madison you apply to as a current student, direct entry majors officially accept students into the program at the time of the application. These are majors in the Wisconsin School of Business , the College of Engineering , and music and dance majors.

How do I apply for a direct entry program?

If you are interested in being considered for a direct entry program, you must indicate that program as your first choice major on your application. Your application will be reviewed for direct entry along with admission to the university as a whole. It is possible to be admitted to the University of Wisconsin–Madison but not be directly admitted to a direct entry program.

Music and dance majors are required to complete an audition with the program for direct entry.

Apply as a First-Year Student

Apply as a Transfer Student

Apply as a Reentry Student

Apply as a Second Degree Student