Starting in 2008, incoming University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee freshmen may not have to worry about ranking 51th in their class rather than 50th or scoring a 16 on the ACT test rather than a 17.

A draft of a new freshman admission policy, which will concentrate more on the overall picture of students rather than grades and scores, was approved by UWM’s Admission and Records Policy Committee on Sept. 18. It will likely go before the Faculty Senate at its October meeting.

Currently, most UWM academic programs have a minimum admission criteria that includes ranking in the top half of the class with an ACT of at least 17 (or equivalent SAT) or an ACT of 21 (SAT equivalent) with rank in the upper 75 percent of the class.

The admission policy is referred to as being “more holistic,” which Beth Weckmueller, the director of the Department of Enrollment Services, defined as “looking at the whole applicant rather than mechanics.”

It would still consider grades and test scores but would also look at other factors. According to the enrollment service’s freshmen admission policy draft, “These might include, but are not limited to: evidence of leadership, creativity, special talents or abilities; membership in an underrepresented racial or ethnic group; veteran status; involvement in community service; education or economic disadvantage; evidence of motivation and maturity; etc.”

“I don’t think most of us think of this as an enormous change,” Weckmueller said. “We always considered additional factors, but never said that we did. The goal is to put published policy in line with what we actually do.”

Weckmueller said she thinks most students would favor the change. Freshman Bara Omari was among these students because of friends who were affected by the requirements.

“I knew people whose class rank wasn’t high enough even though their academic achievement was above average,” Omari said.

However, not all students agree. Junior Brigette Doby said she was concerned that the new policy would make acceptance at UWM too easy. “It makes the school look better if it’s harder to get in,” Doby said. “Then people are going to do better.”

UWM is one of many schools in the UW System looking to change their policy. Similar to UWM, many other schools consider underrepresented racial or ethnic groups as an additional admissions factor, but Weckmueller said she doesn’t foresee the policy change leading to great amount of increased diversity. According to the Department of Enrollment Services’ preliminary fall update, 15.92 percent of freshmen and 16.41 percent of undergraduates are minority students.

At this time no changes are final and the Faculty Senate has not approved the proposal for the agenda. If the proposal does make it though the Senate, it must go to the UW System for approval and would not be formally implemented until 2008.

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