Washington University in St. Louis recently released decisions for its Early Decision II round for the Class of 2024, wrapping up its latest Early Decision process. And as Ted Moskal reports for Student Life in a piece entitled “WU admits new batch of Early Decision II applicants,” Wash U’s Director of Admissions Emily Almas “declined to provide specific numbers regarding the size of this year’s ED/ED II applicant pool and acceptance rate, but indicated that the results would be ‘very similar’ to those from last year. So what were last year’s figures?
Last year, 38% of Early Decision I and II candidates earned admission. Approximately 60% of the incoming class was filled by Early Decision admits. And the overall admit rate stood at 16%. But while Wash U’s Director of Admissions “declined to provide specific numbers,” we’ve got a specific number for our readers: 708 students were admitted via Early Decision I this year to Wash U. The university previously released this figure so come on, Ms. Almas — don’t pretend you’re being too cool for school by not releasing the figures when some of the numbers are already out there for public consumption!
In fact, Ms. Almas offered little in the way of specifics about this year’s admitted students to Wash U. Instead, she offered a generic quote that she can use year in and year out: “‘We are really fortunate at Wash. U. to have a robust and really talented and deep applicant pool throughout the year,’ Almas said. ‘So whether it is our Early Decision I applicant pool, whether it’s students who are applying to us through the QuestBridge match process, students who are applying to us through Early Decision II or students who are applying via Regular Decision, we’re really fortunate.'”
We’re glad Wash U is so fortunate but, going forward, we encourage the school to offer more insight into its admitted students. If the admissions office doesn’t wish to share all the statistics, that’s fine. But then share some stories. Tell us about a blueberry farmer in Vietnam who earned admission or tell us about other students like Zussy Chavira Duron of St. Louis who learned of her admission in person at her high school from Wash U admissions officers, including Ms. Almas. Here’s hoping — like last year — Wash U offers more specifics about their admitted students when the Regular Decision process concludes. We have faith the school will do just that!
Congratulations to all of Ivy Coach’s students who earned admission to Wash U this Early Decision cycle. Every one of you got in!
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If you are thinking about applying to WashU, the deadline for Fall 2023 admissions is January 4 and the application fee costs $75.
Application fees can add up, but some colleges do have free applications and students with financial need may qualify for for an application fee waiver.
Students who submit their applications to WashU for fall should receive an admissions decision no later than April 1.
WashU Admissions Stats at a Glance
Here is an overiew of some of WashU's admissions stats.
| Mean Unweighted GPA | 4.2 |
| Admitted Students in Top 10% of Graduating Class | 89% |
| Mean SAT Score | 1522 |
| Admissions Test Policy | Optional |
| Applicants Who Submit SATs | 25% |
| Applicants Who Submit ACTs | 41% |
| Waitlist | Yes |
Continue scrolling for more information on WashU's admissions stats.
Considering Applying Early to WashU?
These are the early application deadlines for Washington University in St. Louis.
| Early Decision I | Yes | November 1 | December 16 |
| Early Decision II | Yes | January 4 | February 17 |
| Early Action | No | –– | –– |
WashU does offer early decision but not early action. Early decision is binding, meaning you must attend if you are admitted, while early action allows you to apply early without committing.
Early Decision I applications are due by November 1 which is not far away! EDI applicants should receive a decision by December 16.
Early Decision II applications are due January 4. ED II Applicants will recieve their decision before February 17.
The early decision acceptance rate at WashU is 29%, compared to an overall acceptance rate of 13%. In 2022, WashU admitted 1098 of the 3754 students who applied early decision.
Some students apply to college early because they believe it will help their chances. Early deadlines may increase the chance of being admitted, since applying early shows your are very interested in a school, and your application is being considered before all the regular decision applicants apply.
See a list of some selective colleges that admit significantly more applicants during early decision or early action than during regular admission.
Is WashU Hard To Get Into?
It is extremely difficult to get into WashU. WashU evaluates applicants carefully based on multiple criteria to decide who to admit, and who to deny or waitlist.
In 2021, WashU accepted 13% of all applicants, around 4,373 of the 33,634 students who applied.
Schools that are extremely difficult to get into, like WashU, accept fewer than 30% of all applicants. At least 75% of admitted students have GPAs in the top 10% of their high school class and scored over 1310 on the SAT or over 29 on the ACT.
Transfer student admissions is extremely difficult.
WashU has not reported data for waitlisted and admitted students.
What Does WashU Look For in an Applicant?
Colleges consider a range of factors when choosing who to admit for their next incoming class. Each college decides which factors are given the most weight when choose which applicants to admit, and which to deny. When creating your list of schools to apply to, you may want to consider your strengths and any possible weaknesses in your application, and apply to colleges that prioritize the admissions factors where you shine.
Admissions Factors at WashU
Wondering what factors are considered by WashU during the admissions process? Listed below are factors commonly taken into consideration during admissions decisions.
| Character/Personal Qualities | Very Important |
| Class Rank | Very Important |
| Application Essay | Very Important |
| Recommendation(s) | Very Important |
| Standardized Test Scores | Very Important |
| Talent/Ability | Very Important |
| Academic GPA | Very Important |
| Rigor of Secondary School Record | Very Important |
| Extracurricular Activities | Important |
| Volunteer Work | Important |
| Work Experience | Important |
| First Generation | Important |
| Alumni/ae Relations | Considered |
| Geographical Residence | Considered |
| Interview | Considered |
| Racial/Ethnic Status | Considered |
Make sure to check with WashU for more information on admission factors.
WashU Application Requirements
To apply, all applicants to WashU must submit the following items. Double check with WashU's admissions department to confirm all application materials and requirements.
| Minimum High School GPA (On 4.0 Scale) | 3.5 | |||
| Other Requirements | √ | Portfolio for the College of Art and the College of Architecture | ||
| Transcript(S) of College Record | ||||
| Statement of Good Standing From Prior Institution(S) | ||||
| Letter(s) of Recommendation | 2 | |||
| Written Essay or Personal Statement | √ | |||
| Transcript of High School Record | √ |
What GPA Do I Need To Get Into WashU?
Your high school grade point average (GPA) is a number that reflects your high school academic performance. A weighted GPA or an unweighted GPA are the two possible GPA scores considered by colleges.
An unweighted GPA is an average of your scores from each class on a four-point scale. 4.0. Unweighted GPAs range from 4.0 to under 1.0. A weighted GPA considers your average grade and the difficulty of your classes. A weighted GPA boosts your average by adding extra points for honors or Advanced Placement courses.
Students admitted to WashU have an average unweighted GPA of 4.2WashU considers weighted GPA scores from incomging students.
Out of all students that were admitted, 27% submitted a class rank. At WashU 89% of students ranked in the top 10% of their graduating class in high school, 98% were in the top 25% and 100% were in the top 50%.
GPAs of Admitted Students
At Washington University in St. Louis, student GPAs fall in the following ranges.
| 4.0 GPA | 27% |
| 3.75 and 3.99 | 24% |
| 3.50 and 3.74 | 8% |
| 3.25 and 3.49 | 3% |
| 3.00 and 3.24 | 1% |
| 2.50 and 2.9 | –– |
| 2.00 and 2.49 | –– |
This chart depicts the percentage of all enrolled, degree-seeking, first-time, first year (freshmen) students who had high school grade point average within the given ranges.
WashU does consider ACT or SAT scores as part of the admissions process.
WashU has a test optional admissions policy. Test optional schools allow students to choose if they want to submit ACT or SAT scores with their applications or not.
In 2022, 25% of WashU's first-year students submitted their SAT scores with their application. 41% of admitted applicants sent ACT scores.
What's a Good SAT Score for WashU?
To be competitive with other WashU applicants, you should strive to earn between 1490 and 1570 (or higher!) on the SAT. At WashU 25% of admitted students scored higher than 1570 and 25% of scored lower than 1490, but the majority of students scored somewhere in between these two numbers.The mean composite SAT score for a WashU student is 1522.
On the SAT Math Section, 25% of WashU students scored 800 or higher and 75% of students scored 730 or higher. On the SAT Critical Reading section (formerly called the Verbal section), 25% of WashU students scored 770 or higher, and 75% scored a 730 or higher.
Want to increase your SAT Score?
Preparing for the SAT can help raise your score, but it doesn't have to take up a lot of time.
Learn how to increase your SAT score 200 points or more in just 10 minutes a day.
What's a Good ACT Score for WashU?
To be most competitive at WashU, you should strive to earn between 33 and 35 on the ACT.
An ACT score of 35 means you fall in the 75th percentile for WashU's admitted students. One out of every four students scored above a 35, and three out of four students scored lower than 35 on the ACT.
A 33 on the ACT is the 25th percentile for WashU students. Only one out of every four students scored below 33.
Want To Bring Up Your ACT Score? Access ACT practice tests and study tips and see upcoming ACT test dates.
Transferring to Washington University in St. Louis
For transfer students, it is extremely difficult to get admitted to WashU.
For transfer students wishing to start in the Fall, the deadline to apply is March 1. Applicants should hear back by May 1.
Transfer students can enroll in WashU during the following terms:
• Fall Term
WashU Admissions FAQs
Can I defer my acceptance to WashU?
✅ Yes, admitted students can defer their admission to WashU.
Does WashU accept transfer credits?
✅ WashU accepts eligible transfer credits from accredited institutions.
Does WashU accept Advanced Placement (AP) or International Baccalaureate (IB) credits?
✅ WashU accepts International Baccalaureate credits (IB) credits.
Do I have to submit test scores to WashU?
❌ No, WashU is test optional, so you can make the call whether to send your standardized test scores. If your scores are higher than the school's average, you should strongly consider submitting them. If your scores are average or below average, you may want not want to include them in your application..
What is WashU's acceptance rate?
✅ WashU's acceptance rate is 13%.
What is the early decision acceptance rate at WashU?
✅ WashU's early decision acceptance rate was 29% in 2021.
What is the early action acceptance rate at WashU?
❌ WashU does not offer eary action.
Want To Learn More About WashU?
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Student Life
Academics
Tuition & Aid
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