The Wisconsin Guarantee Appeal Process

Applicants  to the University of Wisconsin–Madison who were not admitted through the Fall Early Action review process and believe they satisfied the requirements of the Wisconsin Guarantee (Wisconsin Legislature: 2023 Wisconsin Act 95) are granted limited appeal rights.  

Wisconsin Guarantee Appeal Requirements 

Applicants are eligible to submit a Wisconsin Guarantee Appeal to the Office of Admissions and Recruitment if: 

1. They applied by November 1st and submitted all required materials by the November 8th Fall Early Action review process deadline, and; 
2. They met minimum admission requirements, and; 
3. They received a decision of Deny, Defer, or Wait List, and; 
   1. Applicant was named a National Merit Finalist, or; 
   2. Applicant submitted ACT scores and official score documentation was scheduled to arrive before the November 8th Fall Early Action Materials deadline but official score documentation was not received by the Office of Admissions and Recruitment. 
   3. Applicant met eligibility and all required documentation verifying eligibility was received by November 8th, and the applicant believes an error was made in reviewing their application.  

Any submitted appeals which do not contain required information set forth above will be summarily denied.  

Wisconsin Guarantee Appeal Submission Process 

1. Applicant must email the Office of Admissions and Recruitment to the email address of onwisconsin@admissions.wisc.edu; 
2. The subject line must contain “Wisconsin Guarantee Appeal”;  
3. The email must be sent to the Office of Admissions from the same email address as was used on the application; 
4. Applicant must outline the factors set forth in the Wisconsin Guarantee Appeal Requirements 1-3 and a, b, or c.  
5. Applicant must submit official documentation confirming their eligibility for the Wisconsin Guarantee. 
6. Official documentation must be provided as follows: 

1. 1.  For National Merit Finalists, the proof of being named a finalist must be sent directly from the student’s high school. To be accepted via email, the student’s principal or school counselor must email the needed information to onwisonsin@admissions.wisc.edu with the subject “Wisconsin Guarantee Appeal – [student’s first and last name]” using their official school email address. 
   2.  For homeschooled students whose ACT test scores did not arrive, attach the email confirmation of the student’s test score request that stated those score(s) should have arrived to our office by November 8th, along with an official score report from ACT. 

Deadline to Submit Wisconsin Guarantee Appeal  

1. To ensure a student’s appeal is reviewed and final decision issued and received before the May 1st National Confirmation Deadline, appeals must be submitted by March 1st.  
2. Appeals received after March 1st will still be evaluated but there is no guarantee those decisions will be issued and received before the May 1st National Confirmation Deadline.  

Timing and Delivery of Wisconsin Guarantee Appeal Decision 

1. The Office of Admissions and Recruitment will endeavor to issue its decision within 4–6 weeks of the receipt of official documentation. 
2. The decision will be delivered via email to the same address used to submit the appeal. 
3. The Office of Admissions and Recruitment’s decision is final. 

What facts do not entitle an applicant to submit a Wisconsin Guarantee Appeal?   

• Not submitting an application to UW–Madison by the Fall Early Action Deadline of November 1st. 

• Any or all required application materials and proof of eligibility for the Wisconsin Guarantee not arriving on or before the Fall Early Action Materials Deadline of November 8th. 

• Not meeting minimum course requirements for admission. 

• Receiving a class rank in the top 5% of applicant’s high school class which is calculated during senior year as Wisconsin Guarantee eligibility is based on being in the top 5% at the end of junior year. 

• Receiving an SAT score in the top 98 percentile or equivalent score, as only ACT scores are accepted for eligibility.  

• Receiving an ACT score in the top 98 percentile nationally after the October 26th ACT testing date/deadline. 

• Being named in the top 5% of applicant’s high school class in another state and then moving to Wisconsin during one’s senior year. 

• High school did not provide the applicant’s class rank on the official transcript by the November 8th Fall Early Action Materials Deadline. 

• Test score or official transcript with rank arrived after the November 8th Fall Early Action Materials Deadline.