Washington University in St. Louis Admissions Guide

Overview

Washington University in St. Louis's first-year admissions process is evaluated separately from its transfer process, with its own applicant pool, review committee, and timeline. Most highly selective schools admit first-year applicants at a meaningfully different rate than transfers, so the numbers above should not be assumed to mirror the transfer figures below.

Applicants generally apply through Early Decision, Early Action, or Regular Decision depending on the school's specific offerings, and should weigh the tradeoffs of each round carefully, since binding Early Decision plans and non-binding Early Action or Restrictive Early Action plans have different implications for financial aid and other applications.

What WashU Looks For

• A rigorous high school course load, including the most advanced classes available (AP, IB, honors, or dual enrollment)
• Strong, consistent grades throughout high school, particularly in junior and senior year
• Meaningful extracurricular involvement, leadership, or personal responsibilities that show depth rather than a long list of shallow activities
• Thoughtful, authentic essays that reveal genuine voice and self-reflection
• Strong letters of recommendation from teachers and counselors who know the applicant well

Requirements & Deadlines

• Common Application, Coalition Application, or the school's own first-year application, submitted by the relevant deadline above
• Official high school transcript and school profile
• Letters of recommendation from a counselor and one or more teachers
• Standardized testing policy varies by school and by year — confirm current SAT/ACT requirements before applying
• Decisions released according to the applicant's chosen round (Early Decision/Action vs. Regular Decision)

First-year acceptance rates and deadlines shift from cycle to cycle and can differ meaningfully from the transfer figures below. Confirm current numbers, deadlines, and testing policy on Washington University in St. Louis's official admissions website before applying.

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Overview

WashU has historically run one of the more accessible transfer processes among highly ranked private research universities, with acceptance rates that have landed in the 12–20% range in recent cycles, depending on the specific undergraduate school applied to.

Transfer applicants apply to one of four schools — Arts & Sciences, the McKelvey School of Engineering, Olin Business School, or the Sam Fox School of Design & Visual Arts — each with distinct prerequisite expectations. WashU primarily admits transfers for the fall semester, though Arts & Sciences has piloted a limited spring start option in recent years.

What WashU Looks For

• Solid academic performance mirroring WashU's own first- and second-year curriculum, including specific prerequisite coursework by school
• For McKelvey Engineering and Olin Business applicants, completion of Calculus II (and, for Olin, exposure to microeconomics) at the college level
• For Sam Fox School applicants, a portfolio demonstrating creative or design potential
• A recommended GPA of 3.2 or higher, with most admitted transfers well above that mark
• Completion of at least one year of college coursework, or a Mid-Term Report for first-year applicants with less

Requirements & Deadlines

• Common Application for Transfer, due April 1 for fall entry
• Official transcripts from every college attended, plus a final high school transcript
• One academic instructor evaluation and a College Report from the applicant's current institution
• Portfolio required for Sam Fox School of Design & Visual Arts applicants
• Test-optional policy; decisions released on a rolling basis

WashU's transfer acceptance rate and school-specific requirements can shift from year to year. Applicants should confirm current figures and prerequisites on WashU's official admissions site before applying.