University of Wisconsin–Madison

Essay prompts (2)

1. why us2026-27650 words

   Applies to: All first-year applicants — required on both the Common Application and the Universities of Wisconsin Application

   Tell us why you would like to attend the University of Wisconsin–Madison. In addition, please include why you are interested in studying the major(s) you have selected. If you selected undecided, please describe your areas of possible academic interest.

   This is the 2025-26 wording, carried over: University of Wisconsin–Madison has not republished this prompt for 2026-27 yet. Schools usually post updates around the Common App opening on August 1; we re-check after that and change this text only against an official source.

   source

2. identity2026-27650 words

   Applies to: First-year applicants using the Universities of Wisconsin Application only (Common Application users instead answer one of the Common App first-year personal essay prompts)

   Each student is unique. Please tell us about the particular life experiences, talents, commitments, and/or interests you will bring to our campus.

   This is the 2025-26 wording, carried over: University of Wisconsin–Madison has not republished this prompt for 2026-27 yet. Schools usually post updates around the Common App opening on August 1; we re-check after that and change this text only against an official source.

   source

UW–Madison states it 'will not disqualify an applicant found to have used or suspected of using AI in their admissions essays, nor are we running essays through any system to detect if AI was used.' It nonetheless 'strongly discourage[s] students from simply feeding AI a prompt for their essay, as it denies you the opportunity to help us better understand why you would be a good fit for UW–Madison.'

How reviews use this page

When you request a review for a University of Wisconsin–Madison supplement, the feedback is grounded in exactly what you see here: the prompt itself, its word limit, and what the school publishes about its values and programs. That's the whole claim — calibrated to the prompt and the school's own published guidance, scored against a consistent rubric. Not insider knowledge, and never a rewrite: Second Read is a coach, not a ghostwriter. It flags weaknesses and tells you what to fix and why; it never writes a sentence of your essay.

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