Washington University in St. Louis Acceptance Rate & Admissions Data (2025-2026)
Every figure on this page comes from the school’s own Common Data Set (2025-2026 edition) and was independently verified against official sources.
#20
2026 US News Best National Universities
11.9%
acceptance rate
33,283
applicants
3,968
admitted
27%
Early Decision rate (2.3x the overall rate)
How Hard Is It to Get Into Washington University in St. Louis?
Washington University in St. Louis admitted 3,968 of 33,283 applicants in its 2025-2026 Common Data Set, an 11.9% acceptance rate, and its binding Early Decision round admitted 27%, about 2.3 times the overall rate and the highest ED admit rate among top-20 privates in this database. Testing is optional.
WashU pairs that ED generosity with an academically loaded filing: most of the file's weight sits in the classroom and the written record around it.
Washington University in St. Louis Common Data Set: What It Values Most
Every college officially reports how much each application factor matters in section C7 of its Common Data Set. These are Washington University in St. Louis’s own published ratings from the 2025-2026 edition, not our opinion.
Academic factors
Rigor of coursework
Class rank
Academic GPA
Standardized test scores
Application essay
Recommendations
Nonacademic factors
Interview
Extracurricular activities
Talent / ability
Character / personal qualities
First generation
Alumni relation
Geographical residence
State residency
Religious affiliation
Racial / ethnic status
Volunteer work
Work experience
Level of applicant interest
Writing the Washington University in St. Louis supplement? See every current Washington University in St. Louis essay prompt, with strategies.
What this means
WashU rates eight factors very important: rigor, class rank, GPA, test scores, the essay, recommendations, talent, and character, with extracurriculars one tier down at important. Two signals to act on. First, like a handful of peers, WashU is test optional while rating scores very important, so strong scores are worth submitting. Second, the activities list matters less than what the essays, letters, and talent evidence say about the same work: WashU reads for quality of mind and person more than volume of involvement.
Testing policy
Test optional: scores are considered if submitted but not required.
How to Get Into Washington University in St. Louis: 3 Ways to Stand Out
- 1
Treat Early Decision as the headline option. Admitting 27% of a binding pool versus 11.9% overall, WashU rewards commitment as clearly as any top school; ED I or II with a finished file is the play for a true first choice.
- 2
Submit the score if it is strong. Test optional plus a very important rating means a good number actively helps, and its absence concentrates weight on rigor, rank, and GPA.
- 3
Convert activities into evidence of talent. With extracurriculars a tier below talent and character, the framing matters: present your work as demonstrated ability with results, in the essay and through recommenders, not as a list of roles.
Studying Business at Washington University in St. Louis
Undergraduates enter WashU's Olin Business School directly as first-years in the BSBA program, declaring one or more of eight business majors (including Finance, Marketing, and Entrepreneurship) by sophomore year while taking about 40% of classes outside Olin.
Olin Business School admits undergraduates directly as first-years into the BSBA, with majors declared by sophomore year across finance, marketing, entrepreneurship, and more. Direct entry means the business case is made at seventeen: applicants who show up with a real internship, a venture, or analytical work have exactly the talent evidence WashU's filing elevates, and Olin's ED-friendly admissions make the combination of commitment plus proof unusually effective.
Building a profile for Washington University in St. Louis?
Washington University in St. Louis rates extracurriculars important in its own filing. Real internship experience is exactly that kind of signal.
Washington University in St. Louis Admissions FAQ
Is WashU test optional?
Yes for submission, but its Common Data Set rates test scores very important. Applicants with competitive scores should submit; those without need the transcript and the written record to carry the full weight.
Does Early Decision help at WashU?
More than almost anywhere. WashU admitted 27% of Early Decision applicants against 11.9% overall in its 2025-2026 Common Data Set, about a 2.3x multiple. ED is binding, and at WashU the commitment is rewarded emphatically.
How do you get into Olin Business School?
Apply directly to Olin as a first-year on the WashU application. Direct entry means demonstrated business interest matters at application time: real experience, an internship, a venture, or quantitative work, gives the file the talent evidence WashU rates very important.
Sources
Data reflects the 2025-2026Common Data Set, the most recent verified edition at the time of publication. Always confirm current requirements on the school’s admissions site.
Campus photo: Baili Min via Wikimedia Commons, Attribution