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#1 Best Private Colleges in Virginia

Washington and Lee Admission Requirements

Lexington, Virginia

 3 Reviews

Chances of getting into Washington and Lee University

Acceptance Rate

Admitted 
19%
Admission Difficulty for Washington and Lee University
Measure Difficulty
Admission Standards Elite 
Applicant Competition Very High 
How hard is it to get into Washington and Lee and can I get accepted?

The acceptance rate at Washington and Lee is 19%.  It ranks #1 in Virginia and #65 in the nation for lowest rate of acceptance. Washington and Lee is a very highly competitive school to get into with a low chance of acceptance for typical applicants. Last year, 1,248 out of 6,621 applicants were admitted.

The school has exceptionally high admission requirements, generally admitting students who can score in the top 4 percent on standardized admission tests. Washington and Lee University typically accepts and attracts "A-" average high school students with an average GPA around 3.87. Most incoming freshmen graduate in the top ten percent of their high school class. 39% of those admitted chose to enroll in the school.

Test Optional

Submission of SAT or ACT scores is not required for admission to Washington and Lee University. If you submit test scores, they will be considered with your application, but they are not mandatory. 26% of students submitted SAT scores and 32% submitted ACT scores for admission for the 2021/2022 academic year..

Washington and Lee SAT Scores

SAT Requirements & Average SAT Score

SAT Range 
1410-1530
Applicants Submitting SAT 
26%
SAT Scores for Washington and Lee University
SAT Test 25th Percentile Score
SAT Reading 25th 700
SAT Math 25th 710
SAT Composite 25th 1410
SAT Scores for Washington and Lee University
SAT Test 25th Percentile Score
SAT Reading 75th 750
SAT Math 75th 780
SAT Composite 75th 1530
Average SAT Score 1470

SAT Scores you need to get in

What are the SAT requirements for students to be admitted to Washington and Lee University?

Washington and Lee University is a test optional school meaning applicants are not required to submit SAT scores with their application. The position on SAT scores from the school is "considered but not required".

Students who get into Washington and Lee University score in the top 4 percent of all SAT test takers.. The SAT composite score range for the middle 50% of students is 1410-1530.

Find other colleges with similar SAT score requirements

Data Sources, IPEDS for Fall 2021 starting class

Estimated Chance of Acceptance by SAT Score

Washington and Lee University admission chances by SAT score
SAT Score (1600 scale) Competitiveness  Admission Chances 
1530 and Above Good >31%
1470 to 1530 Avg + 19%-31%
1410 to 1470 Avg - 11%-19%
1350 to 1410 Reach 6%-11%
Less than 1350 Low <6%
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Washington and Lee ACT Scores

ACT Requirements & Average ACT Score

ACT Range 
32-35 
Applicants Submitting ACT 
32%
ACT Scores for Washington and Lee University
ACT Test 25th Percentile Score
ACT Reading 25th 33
ACT Math 25th 29
ACT Composite 25th 32
ACT Scores for Washington and Lee University
ACT Test 75th Percentile Score
ACT Reading 75th 35
ACT Math 75th 34
ACT Composite 75th 35
Average ACT Score 33

ACT Scores needed to get accepted

What are the ACT requirements for prospective students to get into Washington and Lee?

Washington and Lee University is test optional. Students are not required to submit ACT scores with their application. The policy on ACT scores is "considered but not required".

Washington and Lee regularly accepts students who score 32 and above on the ACT. These students typically score in the top 3 percent nationally. The ACT composite score range for the middle 50% of students is 32-35.

Find other colleges with similar ACT score requirements

Data Sources, IPEDS for Fall 2021 starting class

Estimated Chance of Acceptance by ACT Score

Washington and Lee University admission chances by ACT score
ACT Score Competitiveness  Admission Chances 
35 and Above Good >36%
33 to 35 Avg + 19%-36%
32 to 33 Avg - 13%-19%
31 to 32 Reach 9%-13%
Less than 31 Low <9%
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Washington and Lee GPA

Estimated GPA Requirements & Average GPA

Avg. High School GPA 
3.87*
Typical High School Grades 
A-

What GPA do you need to get into Washington and Lee University?

Applicants require exceptionally good grades to get into Washington and Lee. The average high school GPA of the admitted freshman class at Washington and Lee University was 3.87 on the 4.0 scale indicating that primarily A- students are accepted and ultimately attend. The school ranks #2 in Virginia for highest average GPA. Meeting these GPA requirements alone is not enough to gain admission as Washington and Lee is a very selective school.

 What do these ratings mean?

Explore more colleges with similar GPA requirements

*This school has not released high school GPA data for its incoming freshmen. In these cases, CollegeSimply employs an artificial intelligence (AI) process to predict GPA based on this school's test scores and a large sample of other colleges' data. 3.87 is an estimate of the school's average incoming freshman GPA.

High School Class Rank

78% of Washington and Lee University freshman were in the top ten percent of their high school graduating class.

High School Class Rank for admitted Washington and Lee University students
High School Class Rank Freshmen Within Range
Top 10% of class 78%
Top 25% of class 97%
Top 50% of class 99%
Data Source, Peterson's Data

Applying

Admission Statistics

Washington and Lee University admission statistics
Women Men Total
Applied 3,485 3,136 6,621
Accepted 678 570 1,248
Acceptance Rate 19% 18% 19%
Enrolled 236 248 484
Percent of Admitted Who Enrolled (Admission Yield) 35% 44% 39%
Data Sources, IPEDS for Fall 2021 starting class

Application Fee

The cost for prospective students to apply to Washington and Lee University is $60.

Application Requirements

What are the requirements for admission to Washington and Lee University and what student information is used for admission decisions?

Washington and Lee University Application Requirements
Test Scores Considered but not required
High School GPA Recommended
High School Class Rank Recommended
Completion of College Preparatory Program Required
Recommendations Required
Demonstration of Competencies Recommended

Credits Accepted

High School Credits Accepted at Washington and Lee University
AP Credit Yes
Dual Credit Yes
Credit for Life Experiences No
Other Colleges to Consider 

Primary data source, U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov/collegenavigator/?id=234207 IPEDS survey data for Washington and Lee University.

FAQs

Does Washington and Lee University prefer SAT or ACT?

26% of students submit their SAT scores to Washington and Lee. 32% of applicants send their ACT scores when applying.

What is my chance of getting into Washington and Lee University?

19% of those who apply are granted admission to Washington and Lee. Admission competition is very high and the college has elite admission standards. See if your grades and scores are good enough for admission.

What SAT score is required for Washington and Lee University?

The middle 50% of addmitted applicants have SAT scores between 1410 and 1530. 26% of students submit SAT scores when applying. See if your SAT score is good enough for admission.

What ACT score is required for Washington and Lee University?

The middle 50% of addmitted applicants have ACT scores between 32 and 35. 32% of students submit ACT scores when applying. See if your ACT score is good enough for admission.