Getting To Know: University of Wisconsin-Madison (UW-Madison)-Again
I have visited the University of Wisconsin-Madison (UW-Madison) more than all but three Big ten schools, Rutgers and Illinois, where I earned degrees and Penn State -University Park, a “must visit” when you’re a college admissions advisor from New Jersey. But now I invite you to check out my Wisconsin Pinterest page and read on.
UW-Madison has been a member of the Association of American Universities (AAU) since 1900. It was one of the founding schools along with the University of Chicago, Harvard, Yale, Princeton, Michigan, Cornell and the University of California-Berkeley.
UW-Madison has just over 37,000 undergrads, about the same as Rutgers-New Brunswick. However, the campus has less than 1,000 acres, less than half the size of Rutgers. While both schools “encourage” students to ride buses, UW-Madison is far more walkable and accessible by bike and skateboard.
Wisconsin is one of my favorite flagship state universities for these reasons:
- It’s one of the few flagships that can be considered an “academic” school, a “party” school and a “sports” school in a college town with a beautiful setting
- As someone who has been interested in politics, this is one of only eight flagships that’s also located in a state capital
- Wisconsin has historically been more welcoming to out-of-state students than most state schools. More than a quarter of the university’s enrollment comes from states other than Wisconsin or Minnesota.
It might be no surprise that Minnesota and Illinois are the two leading states outside Wisconsin where alumni reside .
However, the remaining top states where students come from are, in rank order: California, New York, Colorado and Texas. Yet the university’s most recent First Destinations survey showed that 45 percent of 2024 graduates who were employed were working in Wisconsin.
UW-Madison is more appreciated than ever
This school has a fairly rich data library that showed:
- Applications rose from just under 46,000 in 2020 to over 73,000 in 2025
- The size of the freshman class grew from 7,300 to 8,500
- Acceptance rates have been below 50 percent for the previous four cycles
- While the yield rate, the percentage of acceptance students who enrolled had been over 40 percent as late as 12 years ago, the has hovered around 29 percent for the past four cycles
- Freshman retention has been above 95 percent since 2015
- Four-year graduation rates cracked 70 percent in 2016 and have improved to 78 percent for the class that entered in 2021
UW-Madison stands out by measuring student participation in “high impact” ;learning activities outside of the classroom
These activities are under the umbrella Wisconsin Experience. These are not required of all students. However, 91 percent of 2025 graduates participated in at least one such activity. The university also measures this by school. Participation rates ranged from 81 percent for the business school to 100 percent for Education, Engineering, Nursing and Pharmacy.
Admissions have remained test optional-for now
UW-Madison will remain test optional through the 2026-27 academic year. Test scores were reported to be Considered on the university’s most recent posted Common Data Set. Only 14 percent of students admitted in 2024 submitted SAT scores, but over a third submitted the ACT. The SAT middle 50 percent ranged from 1370 to 1490 while the range was 29 to 33 for the ACT Composite.
Housing is a weak point
UW Madison currently houses only a quarter of the undergraduate student body, low for a university with over 37,000 undergraduates. For comparison, Rutgers can house 40 percent of its undergrads. Greek life attracts less than 10 percent of the men as well as the woman, about the same as Rutgers. UW-Madison’s Off-Campus Housing Marketplace publishes a nice online directory, including information about walk times from campus. The rents published are pricy for a college town.
UW-Madison is a good value-for Wisconsin and Minnesota residents
The estimated cost of attendance for in-state students in less than $31,000. The university has made financial aid commitments to in-state students that few other states can match. Yet just over half if the Class of 2028 was non-residents. For Minnesota residents it’s just above $36,000. Residents of other states and countries have an estimated cost just north of $63,000.
The average need-based scholarship was fairly high, averaging nearly $31,000. Less than five percent of the class received merit awards that averaged approximately $9,300. Two-thirds of 2024 graduates borrowed to core educational costs. Their loans averaged just under $28,000. The maximum amount that they could have borrowed from the Federal Student Loan Program was $27,000.
The message that I get from this data is that students who come from outside Wisconsin or Minnesota will be expected to be full pay unless they qualify for federal need-based aid.
UW-Madison takes interesting approaches to academics
UW-Madison offers approximately 150 majors and more than 100 certificates, the university’s term in place of a minor. The nice thing about certificates is that students enrolled in one undergraduate school or college have the opportunity to add a skill set that is available in another. This definitely helps students who want to seek employment in internships or jobs. The university also offers seven honors programs as well as two scholars programs. There are also 12 Learning Communities and three Theme Communities.
Incoming students should expect big classes. Twenty-four percent of classes taught in 2023-24 had over 50 students. However 42 percent had fewer than 20.
The campus is beautiful and lively.
You might freeze during the winter, but you can canoe, paddle boat or sail on Lake Mendota during the early fall, late spring and summer. The university’s lakefront Memorial Union, is the second-oldest student union in the country, after Harvard’s.
UW-Madison has had its share of athletic successes
Wisconsin has won 33 NCAA titles in nine sports. The greatest successes since 2000 have come in Men’s and Women’s Hockey as well as Cross Country and Volleyball. The football Badgers last won the Big Ten title in 2011 although they claimed division titles in 2014, 2016, 2017 and 2019. They’re more famous for the ‘Fifth Quarter’ a 45 minute post-game performance by the Badger Band and for their renown mascot Buckingham U. ‘Bucky’ Badger.
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UW-Madison stands out by having a well-developed parent program
Started in 2007 as an initiative from the Chancellor’s office, the highest level of the university, the parent’s program provides a well-designed, high content Web site as well as a color calendar for parents that provides key dates and tips for them to assist their student during their freshman year. Parents also receive a print newsletter as well as e-newsletters.
Conclusions
Few flagship state universities have the combination of academics, aesthetics, college town atmosphere, athletic success and location that can be found at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. But if you’re from any state other than Wisconsin or Minnesota the costs have to work out.
Report Card: IUniversity of Wisconsin-Madison
- Four-Year/Six-Year Graduation Rates: B+/A
- Freshman Retention:A
- Costs: B
- Comforts: B
- Community: A
- Curriculum: A
- Connections: A
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