Regents extend test-optional admissions

The University of Wisconsin–Madison will continue to be test-optional for students applying for admission through the spring 2025 term, extending the previous suspension of the test-score requirement through Spring 2023.

This decision was proposed and approved by the Board of Regents on December 10, 2021.

The test-optional policy allows students to decide whether to include their ACT and/or SAT scores in their applications. Students are not disadvantaged in the review process if they do not include test scores.

“This extension allows us to offer continued flexibility in the admissions process for prospective students,” says Derek Kindle, Vice Provost for Enrollment Management.

Director for the Office of Admissions and Recruitment André Phillips adds that these “thoughtful changes ensure that we successfully and comprehensively review all applications to the university.”

UW-Madison’s admissions review will focus on non-test score components of the application, including the rigor and progression of courses taken, grades earned, positive contributions to the community, involvement and letters of recommendation, all within the context of what is available to the student.

Beginning with the initial suspension of Board of Regents test score policy, UW–Madison’s Student Success Through Applied Research (SSTAR) Lab has partnered with the University of Wisconsin System to evaluate the role test scores play in college access and student success. This collaborative research effort will help inform future decisions regarding requiring of test scores in the admissions review process.

For additional information regarding UW–Madison’s test-optional admissions policy, please visit the FAQs page on the Office of Admissions and Recruitment website.