Quad

Key differences on Getting in

  1. 1

    U. Wisconsin-Madison's SAT midpoint is 85 points higher than Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State's

    SAT midpoint
  2. 2

    U. Wisconsin-Madison's yield is 3 pts higher than Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State's

    Yield rate
  3. 3

    U. Wisconsin-Madison admits 45% vs. 55% at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State

    Acceptance rate

Admissions

Getting in, fall 2024

Acceptance and yield, test score ranges, test policy, and what each college weighs.

The funnel

Acceptance rate
U. Wisconsin-Madison45%
Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State55%
Applicants
U. Wisconsin-Madison79.6K
Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State57.7K
Admitted
U. Wisconsin-Madison29.8K
Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State28.8K
Yield rate
U. Wisconsin-Madison29%
Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State25%

Quad's selectivity

  • U. Wisconsin-MadisonVery selective
  • Virginia Polytechnic Institute and StateVery selective

Men and women

Acceptance rate for men and women who applied, where a college reports admissions by sex.

Women admitted
U. Wisconsin-Madison48%
Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State59%
Men admitted
U. Wisconsin-Madison42%
Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State52%

Test scores

SAT total,

U. Wisconsin-Madison
1380–1520
Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State
1280–1450

Axis runs 1200–1600. The dark tick marks the national median midpoint.

ACT composite,

U. Wisconsin-Madison
29–33
Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State
28–32

Axis runs 24–36. The dark tick marks the national median midpoint.

Submitted SAT
U. Wisconsin-Madison15%
Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State41%
Submitted ACT
U. Wisconsin-Madison29%
Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State9%

Test policy

  • U. Wisconsin-MadisonTest-optional
  • Virginia Polytechnic Institute and StateTest-optional

How they read a record

  • U. Wisconsin-Madison

    GPA, the high school record, and a college-prep program are required; class rank is considered.

  • Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State

    GPA and the high school record are required; a college-prep program is considered.

What they look at

FactorU. Wisconsin-MadisonVirginia Polytechnic Institute and State
High school GPA RequiredRequired
High school record RequiredRequired
Class rank ConsideredNot considered
College-prep program RequiredConsidered
Recommendations RequiredNot considered
Essay RequiredRequired
Legacy status Not consideredNot considered
Work experience ConsideredNot considered
Demonstration of competencies Not consideredNot considered
English proficiency test RequiredRequired
Other tests Not consideredNot considered
All admissions numbers in the table

Sources:IPEDS Admissions survey, Fall 2024;University of Wisconsin-Madison (Fall 2026), Fall 2026;College Scorecard, Entered fall 2023;College Scorecard, most recent release;Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (Fall 2025), Fall 2025About the data(retrieved 2026-10-12)

Figures are the newest each college has published; years can differ between colleges. Each value's ⓘ shows its source and year. Why