Does UW–Madison practice legacy admissions, whereby relatives of alumni receive special/extra consideration during the application process?
Legacy applications are certainly encouraged, as we realize the importance of maintaining a family’s tradition of success and accomplishment at UW–Madison. We consider legacy applicants to be those with significant alumni ties — parents, grandparents, siblings, or spouses who have graduated from or are currently attending UW–Madison. Legacy is considered as one of many factors that comprise our holistic application review process, which includes high school performance (rigor of course work, academic GPA, grade trends, and/or class rank), ACT and/or SAT scores (including writing test), nonacademic qualifications, personal statements, and recommendations. Ultimately, academic preparation is the primary consideration for admission. Legacy applicants must be competitive for admission—significant alumni ties will make a good applicant strong and will be noted and considered, but they will never make an academically weak applicant admissible.
