Parents, Families, and Supporters
Our office is here for your student, but we are also here for you. If you have questions, let us know.
The role parents, family members, and supporters play in the college admissions process varies widely, but some level of involvement is important, as students will benefit from your support, encouragement, and input. College admissions can, at times, seem confusing or even overwhelming.
Supporters can assist by working to take away some of the pressure. Accompany your student on campus visits, help with reminders about deadlines, and provide some perspective and a dose of reality throughout the process.
We’ve compiled this page to help you understand our admissions process and what it means to be the parent, family member, or supporter of a future Badger.
Ask your student what is most important to them in a school. What is make or break? Is it an academic major or program? Distance from home? Cost?
In addition to your student’s preferences, what is important for you as a family? This may include discussions about paying for college — who will be paying, what’s realistic?
Developing a list of the most important things in a college can help narrow down the choices and help your student decide where to apply and, ultimately, where they’ll attend college.
Learning about schools your student is considering is key to making the best decision about where they will go to college.
One way to do so is by visiting schools. This may include a formal campus tour or event or visiting a friend who is a current student.
However, that is not the only way to explore a university and its campus and get a feel for how it fits your student.
Websites are great places to learn more. Following social media channels is another great way to get an in-the-moment feel for what is happening at a school and what it’s like to attend there.
If you and your student wish to visit our campus — in person or virtually — they can register for an event via Visit Bucky, including admissions information sessions and campus tours; school, college, and major-specific events; Experience Wisconsin Open Houses; self-guided tours; financial aid sessions; and more!
It’s never too early to start the college search process. Starting early give you time to research and visit schools before your student has to decide where they want to apply to. The college admissions process is full of required materials and deadlines that vary from school to school.
The required materials needed to complete an application and the deadlines those materials need to arrive by are important to understand and make note of. Some materials, such as their letter of recommendation, can take time to be sent and received by our office, so starting early means your student won’t miss a deadline.
Applying early for scholarships and financial aid is also important.
To be eligible for financial aid, students must complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) every year. Completing the FAFSA early is important, as aid money can run out. The FAFSA will be available beginning October 1. We strongly recommend submitting that to us by our December 1 priority deadline to be eligible for as much aid as possible.
Scholarships have varying deadlines and requirements as well. At UW–Madison, students must submit their application for admission and activate their NetID to be eligible for scholarships, so applying early allows more time to explore their scholarship options and apply via the Wisconsin Scholarship Hub (WiSH).
For many, college will be the first time students are fully independent. It can be a big jump, both for them and for their families. Encouraging your student to take the lead in these efforts can help them prepare for how different college can be while building their confidence and independence.
The university will communicate with your student directly, which can be very different from their experience in high school. Many offices cannot share information with anyone other than the student, so we strongly suggest having your student reach out directly to get what they need.
We highly recommend that you encourage your student to check the email address they used on their application regularly. This is where UW–Madison will communicate with your student about their interests, deadlines, campus visits and events, and all things #FutureBadger. This is also where they’ll receive notifications about missing materials and their admissions decision being available. We strongly suggest they use an email that is not their school email, as those can block important emails and turn off after graduation, causing important messages to be missed.
Having an open conversation about your student’s application process and school communications helps you stay in the loop while still keeping your student in the driver’s seat.
Frequently Asked Questions
UW–Madison’s application review process is holistic. Students who have continually challenged themselves in the curriculum available in their schools would be considered competitive applicants and may be a good fit for the university. That could include: taking honors, advanced placement (AP), and International Baccalaureate (IB) classes (especially in core areas of math, English, science, social studies, and world language), when available, and receiving A/B grades in those classes; and sustaining commitments outside the classroom (extracurricular activities, work, family responsibilities, leadership).
As a public, state flagship institution, we have a commitment to the Board of Regents for in-state students that compels us to make 3,600 of our incoming student population Wisconsin state residents. The remaining seats in our incoming first-year class are made up of students from across the country and around the world.
“First generation” is defined by the University of Wisconsin System as neither parent having graduated with a bachelor’s degree (i.e., four-year undergraduate degree from a higher education institution).
Students are not required to live on campus at UW–Madison, but over 90 percent of our first-year students do. There are over 20 residence halls on campus and a variety of off-campus housing options throughout the area.
We offer over 1,000 student organizations along with Big 10 Badger sports, intramurals and sport clubs, arts and cultural opportunities (like concerts, comedians, and movie nights), and tons of other opportunities to meet new people and try new things!
The FAFSA, or Free Application for Federal Student Aid, is available each year. Students may apply online at fafsa.gov before or after they submit an application for admission. Note that the family income information (i.e., federal income tax) is used from the prior tax year.
Students should explore scholarship opportunities through the Wisconsin Scholarship Hub (WiSH) to find all scholarships that applicants may be eligible for. Students do not need to be accepted to apply for scholarships. The deadline for most scholarships is February 1.
Students who are undocumented or international cannot submit a FAFSA but may be eligible for partial tuition scholarships. For questions or more information, contact 608-262-3060 or email finaid@finaid.wisc.edu.
Yes, and so are we. The Office of Student Financial Aid is open for financial aid questions, even for students who do not necessarily plan to attend UW–Madison. Students and families may visit their website at financialaid.wisc.edu to learn about events and drop-in hours and locations for students and families seeking additional information.
Helpful Links
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What We Look for in Our Applicants
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Applying to UW–Madison
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Deadlines and Decisions
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Finding Community and Support
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Financing Your Education
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Visit Campus
Parent and Family Program
The University of Wisconsin–Madison recognizes that you are a very important partner in your student’s success. The Parent and Family Program helps you stay connected to campus and serves as your ongoing resource throughout your student’s college career.