Waitlist Information

Thank you for applying to the University of Minnesota Twin Cities. The admissions committee has completed a very careful review of your application, including an individualized and overall assessment of your application, including your individual responses to questions, your coursework, grades, and the additional information you provided. The committee has not yet made a final admission decision and has placed your application on the waitlist.

Please know that when we make admission decisions, we are not trying to keep applicants out of the University. Rather, we must ensure that the number of new freshmen is reasonably in line with the resources and services designed to support student success (e.g., course availability, academic advising, and campus housing).

If space becomes available in the freshman class, we will automatically re-review your application and consider you for admission. The number of students who will be offered admission from the waitlist will be based on the number of admitted students who confirm their enrollment. If space becomes available we will admit the overall strongest applicants who remain on the waitlist. Students who are selected for admission will receive an update on the status of their applications by mid-June.

Competitive Admission Rate

Admission to the University of Minnesota Twin Cities is highly competitive. For example, for Fall 2023 admission, we received more than 39,000 applications for a freshman class of approximately 6,700 students. While we were very grateful for the strong interest in the University of Minnesota, the number of applications submitted and the strength of the applicant pool has created a competitive admissions situation.

Please note, for Fall 2023, due to a significant increase in the number of highly competitive applications for the School of Nursing, admission to the nursing program was especially competitive.

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What factors do you consider when making an admission decision?

Each and every application is read very carefully by more than one staff member in the Office of Admissions before a decision is made. This process ensures that each application is given a thorough, fair, and consistent review. Admission decisions are based on a very careful, overall assessment of each student's academic and context factors. Note that no single factor is the deciding factor in the decision.

Holistic Review

Academic Factors

Because the greatest predictor of college success is academic preparation, the strongest consideration in the decision is given to a student's high school record. Our promise to you is that we will look at the overall trend of your high school performance to understand your academic preparation. The following academic factors are considered:

  • Coursework through high school graduation (Admitted students typically exceed the University's high school requirements. See course requirements.)
  • Grades in academic coursework
  • Class rank/Grade point average (if available)
  • Rigor of academic curriculum based on what is available in the high school (including enrollment in honors, AP, IB, A-Level, or college-level courses when available.)
  • ACT or SAT scores (Submitting an ACT/SAT score is not required on applications for the 2023, 2024, and 2025 terms. All students*, whether or not they submit a test score, will receive full consideration for admission, scholarships, and the University Honors Program. For more information, please visit our ACT/SAT FAQ) 
  • English Proficiency test score (when required)
  • Applicant's academic interests (We review a student's academic preparation related to the major/college for which they are seeking admission.)

Context Factors

Individual circumstances are also considered as part of the overall assessment of each application. Enrolling a diverse student body—with students bringing differing experiences, talents, and perspectives to their scholarly community—is essential to achieving the learning and development outcomes of a University of Minnesota education. 

Our holistic review takes into consideration the individual circumstances that make each individual student unique. While we do not consider an applicant's race and ethnicity, we consider the following context factors in our decision review:

  • Evidence of exceptional achievement, aptitude, or personal accomplishment not reflected in the academic record
  • Participation in extracurricular activities related to your intended major
  • Strong commitment to community service, leadership, and educational involvement
  • Evidence of having overcome social, economic, or physical barriers to educational achievement
  • First-generation college student
  • Significant responsibility in a family, community, job, or activity
  • Contribution to the cultural, gender, age, economic, or geographic diversity of the student body
  • Personal or extenuating circumstances
  • Military service
  • Information received in open-ended questions

What is the academic profile of students who are admitted?

Admission decisions are based on an individual, overall assessment of each application, using the academic and context factors listed above. Explore a breakdown of the academic profile of admitted freshman

Am I at a disadvantage because my high school does not provide high school rank information?

No. Students whose high schools do not provide high school ranks receive full consideration for admission, through an individualized and overall assessment of the application. For a complete list of the factors that we consider to make an admission decision, see a list of holistic review factors.

Do you really read every application?

Yes! Each and every application is read very carefully by more than one staff member in the Office of Admissions before a decision is made. This process ensures that each application is given a thorough, fair, and consistent review. Because we are committed to ensuring that each application receives very careful consideration, our review takes time to complete.