Large Regional Universities

REGIONAL LARGE UNIVERSITIES

• Undergraduate Enrollment Numbers
• U of M 35,000 / Madison 38,000 / ISU 30,000 / Univ. of Iowa 22,000
• Benefits
• Many social and academic opportunities
• Majors in all fields and several are top-rated
• Great centers of research
• All accept AP, IB, and PSEO coursework credits
• You can make a big school feel small, but can’t make a small school feel big
• Potential Drawbacks
• Student-faculty ratio in general courses
• Feeling “lost”
• All students should have one regional public institution as a financial, academic, or emergency backup (also consider MNSCU, UW System, ND, and SD)
• No one school is better than another. Find a campus that feels right.

�*All schools have absurdly bright students and students that will leave you wondering how they got in. Sometimes admissions are a mystery!

�GENERAL THINGS TO KNOW�

• All claim “holistic” admissions policy
• Advantage to apply early is to get a decision early & be fully considered for scholarships
• All of the large regional schools are currently test optional
• Self-report scores (and grades); official score later
• You will need to pay to have them officially sent from www.act.org
• Should you submit a score?
• If your score is at or above the college’s average admitted ACT – send.
• Other factors can be considered – ask your counselor.

UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA TC

150 majors, 135 minors

180 Graduate and professional programs

17:1 student to faculty ratio

80% of classes have fewer than 50 students

Land Grant and R1 University

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ONE application for freshman admission, University Honors Program, and Academic Scholarships.

• You will choose two Colleges in your application. If you are unsure which to list as your first-choice, feel free to ask your admissions counselor!

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Apply using The Common Application

Holistic Review: individual, overall assessment of each student’s application materials

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Academic Factors

• Coursework completed throughout high school
• Grades in academic coursework
• Class rank/GPA
• Rigor of academic curriculum
• ACT or SAT (optional)
• Academic interests

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Context Factors

• Outstanding talent, achievement or aptitude
• Strong commitment to community and leadership
• Contribution to the cultural, gender, age, economic, racial or geographic diversity of the student body
• Significant responsibility in a family, community, job, or activity
• Military service
• Evidence of having overcome social, economic or physical barriers to educational achievement
• First-generation college student
• Family employment or attendance at the University of Minnesota
• Information received in open-ended questions

UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA ADMISSIONS

• Standards are different for Duluth, Morris, Crookston, & Rochester
• Use the “Share My App” feature if applying to multiple campuses
• Requirements for U of M TC:
• 4 years of Math (pre-calc or calc is preferred)
• 2 years of a single World Language
• Students applying to College of Biological Sciences:
• should have Biology and Chemistry
• Students applying to the College of Science and Engineering:
• should have Biology, Chemistry, and Physics
• Deciding to submit ACT scores is final; you can’t change your mind
• Admissions office does check senior year courses and verifies grades/score reports
• 40 students of the 6800 admitted last year had admission decisions rescinded because of decline in grades or false reporting of records

Admissions

Minnesota-Based Tuition Support

z.umn.edu/PromisePrograms

UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN MADISON

UW Madison App Review Process

Holistic Review:

• Cumulative GPA
• Academic Course Requirements
• ACT/SAT Test Scores (optional)
• Writing (Essays)
• LOR
• Extracurricular Activities��*FYI: Admission to UW Madison has become highly competitive for Minnesotans.

UW Madison Admissions

• Standards are different for other UW campuses

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• Look at both at the grades you earn and the level of difficulty of the courses you take (rigor)*

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• Look for you to be earning top grades—mostly As—in challenging courses, including honors, IB, and/or AP

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• Suggest 4 plus years of math including pre-Calculus and/or Calculus
• Statistics will not fulfill this “requirement”

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UW Madison Admissions (cont)

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• 3-4 years of a single World Language is required
• 2 years of additional academic/Fine Art credit
• Deciding to submit ACT scores is final; you can’t change your mind
• Do not drop courses Senior year. Recommend

at least 5 classes (not including teacher aide)

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UW Madison Admissions (cont)

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• “Why Madison” essay
• Per Madison Admissions Reps: It’s highly recommend to speak on the Wisconsin Idea in the “Why Madison” essay
• The Wisconsin Idea signifies a general principle: that education should influence people’s lives beyond the boundaries of the classroom
• Try to steer clear of sports injury or sports disappointments, the travel experience that changed my life, etc. Tell something interesting, be authentic, grab the reader, and include deeper themes
• CSS Profile
• Newly required this year
• Due December 1
• Required to be considered for any “merit” aid

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UNIVERSITY OF IOWA

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• Must have 3 years Math except Engineering (4)
• 2 years of a single World Language is required
• ACT Scores required (unless you complete other tasks)
• Above a 26 ACT will garner more �merit scholarship opportunities
• Automatic admission for those �who meet or exceed the �Regent Admission Index (RAI) of �255 in College of Liberal Arts

IOWA STATE ADMISSIONS

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• Requirements:
• Must have 3 years Math except Engineering (4)
• 2 years of a single World Language is required for CLA and Engineering�
• Automatic admission for those who �meet or exceed the Regent’s Admission �Index (RAI) of 245 in College of �Liberal Arts�
• 2-day turn-around on acceptance notification
• ISU offers attractive scholarships to compete for UM students

RAI examples

Anita Bath

• ACT: 23
• GPA: 3.2
• Core classes: 19 (4 years of English, Science, Math, and Social Studies and 3 years of Spanish)

RAI: 3x23 + 30x3.2 + 5x19 = 260 (automatic acceptance to Iowa and Iowa State)

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Al O’Vera

• ACT: 21
• GPA: 3.5
• Core classes: 16 (4 years of English and Social Studies and 3 years of Math and Science and 2 years of Spanish)

RAI: 3x21 + 30x3.5 + 5x16 = 248 (automatic acceptance to Iowa State)

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Thank you for attending!

QUESTIONS?