Admissions Factors
What WashU Looks For
WashU rates 8 factors as very important: rigor of high school courses, academic GPA, class rank, standardized test scores, application essay, recommendations, talent or ability and character and personal qualities.
How WashU rates each factor
Each college sorts 18 factors into four levels on its Common Data Set.
Very important
Considered
Not considered
The numbers behind the class
Overall admit rate
11.9%
3,968 of 33,283 applicants
Early decision admit rate
27%
Early decision admits equal 68% of the class
Admitted from the waitlist
8.5%
327 of 3,865 who stayed on it
86% of those who reported a class rank were in the top tenth of their class.
Frequently asked questions
What does WashU look for in applicants?
WashU rates 8 factors as very important: rigor of high school courses, academic GPA, class rank, standardized test scores, application essay, recommendations, talent or ability and character and personal qualities.
Does WashU consider legacy status?
WashU rates alumni relation as "considered" in its 2025-26 Common Data Set.
Does WashU track demonstrated interest?
WashU rates the level of an applicant's interest as "considered".
What is WashU's waitlist acceptance rate?
3,865 students stayed on the waitlist and 327 were admitted, a rate of 8.5%. The number changes a lot from year to year because it depends on how many admitted students enroll.
What is WashU's early decision acceptance rate?
Early decision: 1,333 of 4,934 applicants were admitted (27%), against 11.9% overall. Early pools include recruited athletes and other students with a strong tie to the college, so the gap overstates the boost for an ordinary applicant.
Source: WashU’s own Common Data Set 2025-26, Section C. Last checked 2026-10-08. The ratings are the college’s own description of its process. Counts are for one entering class.
