The average ACT score for incoming freshmen at UW-Whitewater is about 22.8, lower than several other UW system schools.

UW-W ACT standard below average

By: Andrew Whitman

Posted: 5/7/08

Low admission standards may deter prospective freshman from choosing UW-Whitewater next school year, said professor Ronald Berger.

At the Chancellor Search and Screen forum last week, Berger said other UW institutions are perceived to be academically superior because they have higher admission standards.

"Talking to a number of guidance counselors over the years, our comparable institutions at Eau Claire and at La Crosse tend to have better reputations outside of the business school, among guidance counselors and parents of college-bound students because of their more rigorous admission standards," he said.

Berger said the university must find a way to balance high academic standards and still keep the university accessible to perspective students.

"I don't think so," Pamela Sonmor-Wintz, guidance counselor at the Whitewater High School said. "Many students choose to go to UW-Whitewater because of the programs they offer, students choose to go to other schools to experience college in another city."

Local students choose to go to other institutions because they have been living in the area all their lives and want to move away to some-place else, Sonmor-Wintz said.

She does not believe lower admission requirements deter perspective students from coming to UW-Whitewater.

"I think the kids are looking at the programs that each school offers, they're looking at the location, how many scholarships they win, but I wouldn't say [admission standards] turn them off," Sonmor-Wintz said.

UW-Whitewater does a good job of recruiting and advertising the programs offered on campus she said.

"I think UW-Whitewater has a very good reputation and it's nice they have the standards that they do," Sonmor-Wintz said.

While Interim Chancellor Telfer disagreed about low academic standards during a similar question from a different faculty member, he also said the average ACT score of incoming freshman is lower than at some institutions.

The average ACT score for incoming freshmen at UW-Whitewater is about 22.8, according to the admissions office. The average score at UW-Eau Claire is over 24 and over 23 at UW-La Crosse, according to their admissions offices.

"The average ACT scores of students that come to UW-Whitewater are lower than the ACT scores of students at other institutions," Telfer said. "Understand, it is simply an average."

Showing people how successful UW-Whitewater students are during and after their time at the university and pointing out their awards, will help address any negative perceptions, Telfer said.

"Why are we focused on the numbers of our entering students as opposed to the nationally recognized programs that we have," Telfer said. "We're not a worse institution, we are a better institution. We have to communicate to people the kind of things we are doing."

UW-Whitewater is comparable to some other UW schools, UW-Oshkosh's average ACT score for incoming freshmen is about 22.5, while UW-Platteville and UW-Stout only require an ACT score of 22 for incoming freshmen. UW-Whitewater is in the midst of increasing enrollment through a projected growth agenda and academic perception could play a factor.