Waiting list update and FAQ

Updated June 16, 2008

The University of Wisconsin–Madison will be admitting select students from the extended waiting list this year. The process of admitting wait-listed students began on May 19 when an initial group of 375 Wisconsin resident students were admitted. A second group of students, including approximately 200 out-of-state students, will be admitted on/by June 18. If space remains available after these students make their final admission decisions, additional wait-listed students will be admitted by mid-July.

Students who are admitted from the extended waiting list will be mailed an
official letter of admission and all applicable admission materials on the
day after the admission decision is made. Only those students to whom we are
able to offer admission will be notified. (We will not notify students who
are not admitted from the waiting list. If you are on the waiting list and
do not receive further correspondence, that means we are unable to offer you
admission.)

We will not notify wait-listed students of their admission status
over the phone or via e-mail communication. Students may continue to monitor
their admission status online. To do so, visit www.admissions.wisc.edu and
click on Check Application Status.

We realize the extended waiting list can
be a frustrating situation and hope the following information will be helpful
in relieving some of the anxiety and uncertainty therein:

What is the extended waiting list?
The University of Wisconsin–Madison received more than 25,000 applications
for freshman admission this year. It was one of the most competitive applicant
pools in the university’s history. With a freshman class target of 5,700
students, we were simply unable to admit all the students who would like
to attend UW–Madison. Some denied students were offered the option to add
their name to our extended waiting list. The waiting list form was included
at the bottom of the decision letter for eligible students.

How many students are typically offered admission from the extended
waiting list?
We admit students from the extended waiting list very rarely and at very small
numbers when we do. While we are admitting select students from the waiting
list this year, we were unable to admit any students from the waiting list
last year. Prior to 2006, we had not taken waiting list action for more than
five years.

Is the waiting list ranked?
As stated in the decision letter, the waiting list is maintained in an unranked
order. All students on the waiting list will be equally considered for admission
as long as space remains available.

What are my chances?
At this time, we cannot estimate how many students will be admitted from
the waiting list. We will admit wait-listed students on a rolling basis until
the freshman class target of 5,700 students is reached.

What more can I do?
There is nothing a wait-listed student can do to improve his or her likelihood
of admission. We will give every student every possible consideration. We
will reevaluate each applicant’s previously submitted materials, but only the
application materials we have already received will be used in waiting-list
actions. Additional essays, recommendations, interviews, etc., will not influence
the decision

What if I didn’t return the waiting list form before and want
to now?
Students who were eligible to add their name to the extended waiting list were
sent the waiting list from with their decision letter. The form very clearly
indicated it should be returned “immediately.” If you would like to return
the waiting list form at this time, you may do so, however it is important
to note the process is underway and no guarantees as to the status of your
request can be made. We will offer admission to as many wait-listed students
as we can as long as space remains available.

What should I do while I wait?
All students on the waiting list should focus on their current college options
and make an informed, rational decision. As noted in the decision letter,
wait-listed students were encouraged to accept one offer of admission by
May 1. If you are admitted to UW–Madison from the waiting list and choose
to attend, you may forfeit the deposit you made to the other institution.
Please check with the other institution regarding their policy for refunds.

When will I know if I’ve been admitted from the waiting
list?
Our goal is to take appropriate wait-list action to fill the freshman class by the middle of July. Between now and mid-July, wait-listed students may receive a letter of admission from the university. As stated in the decision letter and on the extended waiting list form, only those students to whom we are able to offer admission will be notified. We will
not notify students who are not admitted from the waiting list. If you are on the waiting list and do not receive further correspondence, that means we were unable to offer you admission.

Will housing, summer orientation options, and financial
aid be available for students admitted from the waiting list?
Students admitted from the waiting
list enter the same processes and communications streams as other enrolling
first-year students, but obviously later in the calendar year than those students
admitted upon first review. Space is guaranteed in our mandatory summer Student
Orientation, Advising, and Registration (SOAR) program, though fewer date options
may be available. As of early June, the University
Residence Halls were full.
University Housing will send an e-mail to students admitted from the waiting
list offering them the opportunity to join the housing waiting list. In the
meantime, students are encouraged to make housing arrangements for the fall
utilizing the university’s Campus-Area
Housing Listing Service. The availability
of financial aid dollars varies from year to year.