Year By Year

Direct Admission Next Steps

Admitted to UW colleges through the Direct Admit Wisconsin program? You will receive a letter in the mail in August telling you which universities you were admitted to. Here are your next steps:

1. Decide which of the schools you are interested in and would like more information from.

2. Fill out the Direct Admit Form, found on this website, which lets the colleges know of your interest in their offer. This DOES NOT commit you to going, just lets them communicate with you. Here is a video that walks you through the process.

3. Explore the UW universities to find which one(s) might be the best fit for you.

4. Pay attention to deadlines - the direct admit form does not necessarily connect you to their scholarship process. Go to the Financial Aid and Scholarship sections of their websites to find out the details about scholarships, and pay attention to the information they might send you via email.

5. Complete the FAFSA, which will be available starting Dec 1. Make sure to include the colleges you are interested in so they can put together a financial aid package for you.

6. Make your final decision and let the college know by May 1 via the enrollment process they have given you to follow.

If at any point in the process, if you have questions, go see your school counselor!

The Wisconsin Guarantee

The Wisconsin Guarantee offers guaranteed admission to all Universities of Wisconsin (UW) universities for all who qualify. First-year applicants from Wisconsin high schools who are in the top 10% of their class at the end of 11th grade, or Wisconsin residents who are homeschooled and receive an ACT score in the national 90th percentile ranking or higher, or are a National Merit Scholarship finalist will be guaranteed to all UW universities except UW-Madison.

Additionally, first-year applicants from Wisconsin high schools who are in the top 5% of their class at the end of 11th grade, or Wisconsin residents who are homeschooled and receive an ACT score in the national 98th percentile ranking or higher or are a National Merit Scholarship finalist will be guaranteed admission to UW-Madison provided that they apply on or before the Early Action deadline.

How does the Wisconsin Guarantee differ from Direct Admit WI or traditional applications? View the chart available on this page: https://www.wisconsin.edu/wisconsin-guarantee/. And if you have questions, please contact your counselor.

Direct Admit Wisconsin Admissions Process

Please note: the following information was emailed to junior parents on 1.17.25

The Universities of Wisconsin have a new admissions process called Direct Admit Wisconsin that began with the class of 2025 and will be active again this year for the class of 2026. Participating universities will proactively admit Wisconsin high school students who have opted in. Xavier High School, along with the other high schools in the Green Bay Diocese and over 200 public school districts across Wisconsin, have collaborated with this program to create a more seamless and accessible college admissions process. Students opting into this program will not need to apply to the participating universities through the traditional admissions process. It worked very smoothly for us this year, and the student feedback has been great!

Based on a review of your student’s 11th grade transcript (grade point average, math coursework, progression towards graduation), you and your student will be notified in July regarding which UWs are providing them guaranteed direct admission, and the next steps they are to take to learn more about enrolling within the Universities of Wisconsin. Students will need to ensure that the universities that have offered admission have the programs of study they wish to pursue. Admission is to the university alone, not to specific programs within each admitting institution. Students may need to complete other admissions criteria if wishing to apply to specific programs (ex: programs that need a portfolio or audition). Participating in the Direct Admit Wisconsin program does not commit your student to attending the Universities of Wisconsin.

To facilitate the administration of this program, we have the following data-sharing agreement with the Universities of Wisconsin: Name, WiseID (WI enrollment ID), Local Student District ID, contact information, legal sex, race/ethnicity, GPA, and high school transcripts. With the exception of theWiseID and the local district ID, all of these items are things that the student would have had to enter on their UW system application.

Participating UW Universities

UW-Green Bay
UW-Milwaukee
UW-Oshkosh
UW-Parkside
UW-Platteville
UW-River Falls
UW-Stevens Point
UW-Stout
UW-Superior
UW-Whitewater

For further information on Direct Admit Wisconsin, please see the following FAQ.

The deadline to indicate your choice to participate in this program is May 1st. We are asking that EVERY family with grade 11 students respond by filling out a Google form, letting us know of your decision to participate or decline. We only need one response per family. (Note: The Google form will become active in January of your child's junior year).

Questions? Please contact your school counselor.

Sophomore Parent Conferences

Sophomore parents and guardians will receive a letter in the mail in late January about scheduling the meeting that will occur with you, your child, and your child’s counselor. In this conference, which is tailored to address the needs of students at the midpoint of high school, we will discuss your child’s talents, educational development, and career interests. We will also share information helpful in your planning for the rest of high school, including graduation requirements, standardized testing, course selection, and post-secondary options. The conferences generally last 45 to 60 minutes and occur during the school day. Your involvement is very important and we hope for 100% participation by the parents/guardians of our current sophomores.

We look forward to seeing you!

Year By Year

Junior Parent Night