Test-optionalEA

University of Wisconsin - Madison

WI · Public · Midwest · National university · Top 50 tier · 37,198 undergraduates (large)

Admission rates

Latest admit rates

Overall admit rate40.8%
Early roundNot reported by roundEarly-round counts not in the CDS
Regular round†Not reported by roundEarly-round counts not in the CDS

† Not reported by round: this school publishes an overall admit rate but not applicant and admit counts for each round, so early and regular rates can’t be shown.

Trends, Fall 2019–Fall 2025

Admission rates

Overall
0%35%70%'19'20'21'22'23'24'2553.0%57.2%60.3%49.0%45.2%40.8%no data

Early plans

Fall 2027 applicants

Early Action, non-binding · School admissions page ↗What this means:

Testing

Testing policy

Fall 2027
Test-optionalSchool testing page ↗ · checked Nov 2026
Fall 2028
Fall 2028 policy not yet announced.School testing page ↗ · checked Nov 2026

Superscoring

What this means:

SAT
Does not superscore (highest single sitting)
ACT
Does not superscore (highest single sitting)

Source ↗ · checked Nov 3, 2026

Test-optional. "Only your top composite score is considered ... regardless of if multiple scores are sent."

How to send scores

Official scores required when you apply

Have the College Board or ACT send official scores when you apply.

School’s words: “If choosing to include ACT or SAT test scores with your application, submit your official scores directly from the testing site. ... Only your top composite score is considered in the admissions review, regardless of if multiple scores are sent.”

Source ↗ · checked Nov 3, 2026

Students submitting scores

Est. % submitting scores‡40.5%SAT 11.8% + ACT 28.7%

‡ Est. % submitting scores adds the share of enrolled first-years who submitted the SAT to the share who submitted the ACT.

Submitted SAT11.8%
Submitted ACT28.7%

Score ranges (middle 50%)

Enrolled first-years who submitted scores, Fall 2025. A quarter scored below the range and a quarter above.

SAT composite
1400–1490 median 1450
10001600
SAT Reading & Writing
680–740 median 710
500800
SAT Math
700–780 median 740
500800
ACT composite
29–33 median 31
2036

Trends, Fall 2019–Fall 2025

Share of enrolled students submitting scores

SAT + ACT (est.)SATACT
0%50%100%'19'20'21'22'23'24'25100%100%61.0%56.0%54.0%49.8%40.5%27.5%27.0%15.0%18.0%16.0%14.7%11.8%79.0%78.0%46.0%38.0%38.0%35.1%28.7%

SAT composite, middle 50%

25th–75th percentile, enrolled students (labels show both values)
1600150014001300'19'20'21'22'23'24'251330–1450145013301300–1440144013001350–1480148013501370–1500150013701370–1490149013701370–1490149013701400–149014901400

ACT composite, middle 50%

25th–75th percentile, enrolled students (labels show both values)
363228'19'20'21'22'23'24'2527–32322727–32322728–32322828–33332828–32322829–33332929–333329

Waitlist admit rate

Share of students who stayed on the waitlist and were later admitted, by entering class.

  • 2025: 25%
  • 2024: 6%
  • 2023: 61%
  • 2022: 0.3%
  • 2021: 0.3%

What is a waitlist? How is it different from a deferral?

Test policy in each Common Data Set

History only. The current policy is under Testing above.

  1. Fall 2027 Test-optional2025-26 CDS
  2. Fall 2026 Test-optional2024-25 CDS
  3. Fall 2025 Not reported2023-24 CDS
  4. Fall 2024 Test-optional2022-23 CDS
  5. Fall 2023 Test-optional2021-22 CDS
  6. Fall 2022 Test-optional2020-21 CDS
  7. Fall 2021 Not reported2019-20 CDS

Sources