THIS INTERIM POLICY ACTION EXPIRED ON DECEMBER 31, 2020.
Original Issuance Date: July 27, 2020
Expiration Date: December 31, 2020
1. Interim Policy Purpose
This policy addresses immediate needs arising from COVID-19 because ACT and SAT testing has not been available for many applicants.
This interim policy action temporarily suspends Sections I.C. and II.B. of Regent Policy Document (RPD) 7-3, University of Wisconsin System Freshman Admissions Policy, that require applicants who seek to be entering freshman at UW institutions to submit ACT or SAT scores to the UW institutions.
The suspension of this requirement applies to all freshman applications to UW-Madison, through December 31, 2020. (UW-Madison intends to seek Board of Regent approval for a formal waiver of RPD 7-3 beyond December 31, 2020.)
The interim policy permits UW-Madison to process freshman applications and to make admissions decisions without requiring these previously required test scores.
2. Related Policies
This policy temporarily suspends portions of Regent Policy Document 7-3, University of Wisconsin System Freshman Admissions Policy.
3. Scope
This interim policy action affects applicants who seek to be entering freshman at UW-Madison who would have been required to submit ACT or SAT scores under Regent Policy Document 7-3.
This interim policy will apply to all freshman applications received by UW-Madison, beginning on July 23, 2020.
For the period outlined in this policy, at UW-Madison, ACT or SAT scores will not be required.
4. Definitions
ACT: An entrance exam used by most colleges and universities to make admissions decisions. It is a multiple-choice, pencil-and-paper test administered by ACT, Inc. The purpose of the ACT test is to measure a high school student’s readiness for college and provide colleges with one common data point that can be used to compare all applicants.
SAT: A standardized test that colleges and universities use for admission to determine a student’s academic skills. The test is intended to assess students’ readiness for college.
5. Interim Policy Statement
This interim policy action suspends Sections I.C. and II. B. in Regent Policy Document 7-3 related to the required submission of ACT or SAT scores and the required use of these scores as a part of the admission decision processes at UW-Madison for freshman applicants through December 31, 2020.
This interim policy action permits the admissions office at UW-Madison to process these applications without requiring the submission of ACT or SAT test scores.
Implementation of Policy Waiver:
The implementation of this policy will be carried out by the Office of Admissions and Recruitment at UW-Madison.
6. Supplemental Documents
None.
[1] Provisions of this Interim Regent Policy Document were amended and extended by UW System Board of Regents Resolution 11489, approved on August 20, 2020. This resolution “temporarily suspends the requirement in Regent Policy Document 7-3, Sections I.C and II.B that all freshman applicants provide an ACT or SAT score as part of their application. The suspension of this requirement applies to all applicants to UW-Madison for the 2021-22 and 2022-23 academic years and conforms with Resolution 11430.”
[2] The UW System Board of Regents also approved Resolution 11430 on May 7, 2020, which applies to all UW System institutions except for UW-Madison. This resolution “temporarily suspends the requirement in Regent Policy Document 7-3, Sections I.C and II.B that all freshman applicants provide an ACT or SAT score as part of their application” for the 2020-21 and 2021-22 academic years for all freshman applications to UW System campuses, except applications to UW-Madison.