FRESHMAN: To apply for admission to UW-Whitewater, applicants can obtain an admissions application from their high school counselor or from the UW-Whitewater Admissions Office. Also, the UW System electronic application is available through the Internet at this address: apply.wisconsin.edu. An application may be considered as early as September 15 of the senior year. It must include a high school record, class rank, or grade point average, the courses to be completed in the senior year, and the application fee.

Eligibility for admission to UW-Whitewater will be based on the following criteria:

1. Graduation from a recognized high school. (Applicants who completed a high school equivalency diploma (GED) may still be considered if at least 21 years of age and out of school for two years or more.)
2. Applicants must complete 17 units of high school work with a minimum of 13 core college preparatory units from the academic areas of English (including speech), social studies, mathematics, and science. Within the 17 units, the applicant must have the following academic pattern:
   • Four required units in English which may include one unit of speech.
   • Three required units in social studies.
   • Three required units in mathematics, (including beginning algebra, geometry, and advanced algebra, or an algebra/trigonometry combination).
   • Three required units in science.
   • Four additional units from any of the required areas or from the arts, computer science, foreign language, accounting or other academic areas as approved by the University.
   Applicants who have completed the required academic unit pattern will be eligible for admission if they (1) rank in the upper 50 percent of their high school class, or (2) rank in the lower 50 percent of their high school class and have combined high school class and ACT/SAT percentile ranks of 100 or above.
3. Due to an enrollment limitation program, a discretionary admissions category (applications will be held for possible acceptance at a later date) has been established for freshman applicants. UW-Whitewater has defined this category to include applicants who meet the minimum admission standards, but rank in the bottom half of their class, and have a combined class rank percentile and test score percentile between 70 and 99. During recent years, approximately 33% of the students in the discretionary category have been offered admission.
4. Special consideration may be given for admission for applicants who are 21 years of age, have been home-schooled, have served in the armed forces, come from a disadvantaged background, or have other unique circumstances.
5. OUTSTANDING students may be considered for part-time or full-time admission to UW-W before completing high school. Early admission is granted on an individual basis and only to those highly qualified applicants who can demonstrate that they can benefit from entrance into college prior to high school graduation. For further information contact the Admissions Office.

FRESHMAN ORIENTATION, REGISTRATION, AND ACADEMIC ADVISING: Incoming freshmen attend one of several summer registration/orientation programs. At that time students meet with an adviser (usually the major department chair) for assistance in selecting courses to be taken in the freshman year. Parents are invited and encouraged to attend, as there will be a special program scheduled for parents while students are receiving advising and are registering.

Also, there will be additional orientation/registration activities during the first few days of the fall semester. These programs are designed to make the freshman transition to college life as smooth as possible.