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Overview of the Application Process
Eligibility
To be eligible to apply for the School, you must meet the following requirements:
- Completion of Journalism 201: Introduction to Mass Communication by the end of the current semester
- Completion of at least 40 credits by the end of the current semester EXCLUDING advanced placement (AP) or retroactive language credits.
- For transfer students: Completion of at least one academic semester at UW-Madison by the end of the current semester
- A minimum UW GPA of 2.0
NOTE: If you are currently an undergraduate student at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, you must have a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.0, complete 40 credits (excluding retroactive language and advanced placement credit) and Journalism 201 by the end of the current semester before you may apply into the program. If you are a transfer student, you are eligible to apply into the program at the conclusion of your first semester at the UW, as long as you have the other requirements met. These requirements allow students to explore the opportunities presented by the UW-Madison before committing to a single program, and gives the School a chance to see how you perform academically in a broad selection of courses.
Assembling the Portfolio
The application process relies on a portfolio that is evaluated by a six-member committee of J-School faculty and staff. This assembled document should reflect each student's interests, experience and writing ability. The portfolio will contain:
- An application form
- A UW-Madison transcript. (NOT a DARS report. Transcripts are available at 21 N. Park St. or can be ordered online. Campus copies are acceptable.)
- If you are a transfer student, transcript(s) from your previous college(s) in addition to your UW transcript
- A résumé
- A one-page, single-spaced personal statement
- Two pieces of supporting materials – letters of reference or writing samples. Together they may add up to no more than 10 pages.
- Applicants who would like the School of Journalism to be aware that they have or had a documented medical condition (such as Attention Deficit Disorder) may submit documentation from their physicians or the McBurney Center. These documents will not count toward the page limits listed above.
Admissions decisions are based on all of these materials together, and students have been admitted into the program with as low as a 2.2 GPA and as high as a 4.0. Conversely, students with GPAs as high as 3.8 have been rejected from admission because of weak elements in other areas.
Students who present an application with some academic success, strong writing skills, evidence of commitment to the field of communication (through student activities or internships) and a compelling personal statement stand the best chances for admission.
Application Review Criteria
The Undergraduate Admissions Committee reviews each application carefully and bases its decisions on the following factors:
- Academics: While professional in nature, the School is still an academic program and needs to see evidence of academic success before admitting a student. Overall grades as well as work done in courses specifically relevant to journalism are considered.
- Communications Experience: This experience can be gained through campus outlets, volunteer efforts or internships. It does not have to be through a communications organization in order to be relevant –previous applicants have served on special events committees for their sororities, written newsletters for community organizations or helped market a friend’s baseball lessons.
- Writing Ability: While there is no expectation of Pulitzer-worthy prose, the School does expect to see evidence of strong basic writing skills such as spelling, grammar and sentence structure.
- Personal Intent: Through a one-page personal statement, students may express their career goals, attitudes about the industry and general desire to pursue a journalism education.