About Washington University in St Louis

Founded in 1853, Washington University in St Louis. is a Private college. Located in Missouri, which is a city setting in Missouri, the campus itself is Suburban. The campus is home to 7,555 full time undergraduate students, and 7,492 full time graduate students. The Washington University in St Louis Academic calendar runs on a Semester basis. In the school year the student to faculty ratio was 8:1. There are 937 full time instructional teachers. Degrees awarded at Washington University in St Louis include: Bachelor's Degree, Masters Degree, Post-master's certificate, Doctor's degree.

Quick Facts

Acceptance Rate16%
Application Deadline15-Nov
Application Fee75
SAT Range1400-1570
ACT Range32-34
Admissions at WUSTL are considered Most Selective, with ,78% of all applicants being admitted. In the school year, of the students who applied to the school, only 6 of those who were admitted eventually ended up enrolling. 100% of incoming freshmen are in the top half of their high school class. 100% were in the top quarter, and 96% were in the top tenth. You can apply online.

STUDENT LIFE

We asked, and students answered these important questions about student life at Washington University in St Louis.

5%
“We”re apathetic”
21%
“We know about current events and vote”
61%
“We participate and encourage others to get involved”
13%
“There”s nothing we won”t protest”
5%
“We save it for the classroom”
9%
“Sometimes, but not often”
51%
“There”s usually intelligent conversation to be found”
35%
“All the time, including weekends”
4%
“I”m always terrified”
11%
“I only go out in groups”
36%
“I usually let someone know where I”m going”
49%
“I feel extremely safe”
78%
“We don”t play sports”
0%
“We play recreationally”
22%
“We bought the gear”
0%
“We live for the big game”
4%
“It”s not really our thing”
27%
“Occasinally we gallery crawl”
60%
“There are a variety of opportunities”
9%
“We”re a very artistic group”
3%
“Haven”t met them”
9%
“Available in class”
64%
“They keep regular office hours”
25%
“They”re always available”
4%
“No greek life, but other groups to join”
45%
“There is some involvement, but not a lot”
50%
“Plenty of people join a sorority or fraternity”
1%
“It”s everything. If you”re not greek, you”re a geek”
1%
“We”re not into drinking at all”
6%
“Maybe a little, but it”s not a big thing”
67%
“We only party on weekends”
25%
“There”s some drinking happening every night”
9%
“Never, we”re here to learn”
67%
“There might be people who do”
20%
“People are known to partake on weekends”
4%
“There”s a huge drug scene”
5%
“We”re apathetic”
21%
“We know about current events and vote”
61%
“We participate and encourage others to get involved”
13%
“There”s nothing we won”t protest”
5%
“We save it for the classroom”
9%
“Sometimes, but not often”
51%
“There”s usually intelligent conversation to be found”
35%
“All the time, including weekends”
4%
“I”m always terrified”
11%
“I only go out in groups”
36%
“I usually let someone know where I”m going”
49%
“I feel extremely safe”
78%
“We don”t play sports”
0%
“We play recreationally”
22%
“We bought the gear”
0%
“We live for the big game”
4%
“It”s not really our thing”
27%
“Occasinally we gallery crawl”
60%
“There are a variety of opportunities”
9%
“We”re a very artistic group”
3%
“Haven”t met them”
9%
“Available in class”
64%
“They keep regular office hours”
25%
“They”re always available”
4%
“No greek life, but other groups to join”
45%
“There is some involvement, but not a lot”
50%
“Plenty of people join a sorority or fraternity”
1%
“It”s everything. If you”re not greek, you”re a geek”
1%
“We”re not into drinking at all”
6%
“Maybe a little, but it”s not a big thing”
67%
“We only party on weekends”
25%
“There”s some drinking happening every night”
9%
“Never, we”re here to learn”
67%
“There might be people who do”
20%
“People are known to partake on weekends”
4%
“There”s a huge drug scene”

Washington University in St Louis REVIEWS

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  • How would you rate on-campus housing?

    140 Students rated on-campus housing 4.3 stars. 41 % gave the school a 5.0.

  • How would you rate off-campus housing?

    94 Students rated off-campus housing 3.8 stars. 0 % gave the school a 5.0.

  • How would you rate campus food?

    144 Students rated campus food 4.4 stars. 59 % gave the school a 5.0.

  • How would you rate campus facilities?

    142 Students rated campus facilities 4.6 stars. 60 % gave the school a 5.0.

  • How would you rate class size?

    142 Students rated class size 4.1 stars. 42 % gave the school a 5.0.

  • How would you rate school activities?

    142 Students rated school activities 4.4 stars. 55 % gave the school a 5.0.

  • How would you rate local services?

    143 Students rated local services 4.1 stars. 42 % gave the school a 5.0.

  • How would you rate academics?

    142 Students rated academics 4.1 stars. 44 % gave the school a 5.0.

What's your overall opinion of Washington University in St Louis?

35 Students rated Washington University in St Louis

David - 03/14/2023

Easily five stars. I left my previous college during the pandemic and transferred to WashU. This was one of the only schools in the Top 100 and the only school in the Top 20 to accept academically displaced students, which should tell you a bit about the culture. Some schools have antisocial cultures: people generally don't talk to each other. At WashU, people will stop to talk if they run into you outside of class. Interactions tend to be much more genuine and people tend to be much friendlier. If you're willing to suffer through a challenging academic workload, you'll enjoy the community and high quality of life. Plus, grad schools will love you if you can make it here.

Fadi - 12/23/2022

it is a great university. It is my top choice. I look forward to studying at Samfox School and majoring in the visual and performance arts, general. dasdsadsadsadsadsadasdasdasdasdsadsadddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddadsdsdsdsdsdsdsdsdsdsdsdsdsdsdsdsds

Celine - 07/27/2022

A school that values academics but also shows students the value of service. Insists on exposing all students to St Louis' culture, issues, concerns, and hospitality. Promotes double majoring. Lots of freshman opportunities, like first-year seminars and Ampersand full-year courses that sometimes consist of studying abroad. A lack of sports but lots of attention on film and media; students' creativity never fail to impress me. Lots of people from out-of-state, but not as diverse as I'd like.

Nicholas

Washington University in St. Louis is a top-level university. The students are on par with the level at Ivy League schools. The students are extremely intelligent, motivated, and passionate about a broad range of topics. They are very open to others. The student body is extremely diverse, with students coming from all over the world and the U.S. As a result of that, there is never a dull moment at WashU. What really drew me to WashU was that the students are very cooperative and supportive of one another. The academic culture is collaborative, not cutthroat, which means the world in such a tough academic environment. That factor alone differentiates WashU from other top-tier universities. In addition to an amazing student population, WashU has the best dorms and food, by far, compared to other universities. Each student gets a Tempurpedic memory foam mattress! The food is world-class, and never gets old. In terms of entertainment, WashU is bursting with opportunities for fun and enjoyment. From presentations to dance shows to Presidential debates, WashU has it all. WashU sits just next to Forest Park in an upper-class neighborhood, making it very safe. Forest Park hosts a zoo and multiple museums, all of which are free! Saint Louis itself has a huge amount of history and tradition, ranging from barbecue to the Gateway Arch. With the free public transportation offered to all WashU students, you can access it all, at any time. WashU truly is another home, full of bright, ambitious people who grow together to become the best of the next generation.

Washington University in St Louis FAQS

  1. What is the Acceptance Rate at Washington University in St Louis?

    The fall 2020 acceptance rate for Washington University in St Louis is 16%. That means, out of _____ applications received in 2020 , _____ students were offered admission. The number of males who applied was _____ vs the number of females which was _____.

  2. What should every freshman at your school know before they start?

    You'll recieve a lot of good advice in college, but you'll find that its hard to stay focused on all the things you're supposed to be doing when you don't have an end goal in sight. But this is not for lack of motivation. It's because you'll want everything, and in college you'll have more resources to aid you in your pursuit of success and fulfillment than you can wrap your head around. And you'll worry that while you stand frozen with indecision, your peers are running fast into the future. But know that most of them feel just like you, and that the billions of people in this world who are not in your position would give up so much to be you: a college student in America. So, above all else, don't worry as much. Spend as much time as possible outside of your comfort zone. You may be told that it is most important to be yourself, but don't forget that "yourself" is hardly more than the specter of something that doesn't exist yet. You're evolving. It's hard to mess that up, so relax.

    Read all  209 answers
  3. Describe the students at your school.

    My classmates are intriguing, intelligent, compassionate, multi-talented, driven, goal-oriented young men and women who recognize their priorities, know how to work hard and play hard, and who are absolutely determined to change the world for the better in their own unique ways.

    Read all  91 answers
  4. Here's your chance: Say anything about your college!

    WashU does not care who you are as long as you embrace yourself completely; our culture goes beyond all are welcome, it is more all are celebrated.

    Read all  60 answers
  5. What is your overall opinion of this school?

    I really wasn't sure I wanted to go to the mid-west when I first started looking at Washington University. However, once I went to visit the campus, I knew I was hooked. You immediately feel a collegiate atmosphere, and the entire student body seemed actively involved around campus. One of the things I now love about campus, is that I find it the perfect size. It is great because you are constantly able to meet new people, yet you're always going to see a familiar face walking to class.

    Read all  56 answers
  6. What are the academics like at your school?

    WashU is separated into 5 different schools (Engineering, Arts and Sciences, Business, Art, and Architecture). This allows all students to have a microcosm within the school where they are all surrounded by people that have similar interests. With a student to faculty ratio of 8:1, students are committed to knowing every student by face, name, and story. Interactive conversations in classes are common, and often extend outside of the classroom. WashU also allows you to easily double major. As a Finance and Spanish double major, I know that it is feasible to not only double major, but also pursue two majors in two different schools within the university.

    Read all  52 answers
  7. What do you consider the worst thing about your school? Why?

    The difficulty of the classes is what I consider the worst thing about my school. All challenging classes are fun, some classes at Washington University in St. Louis seem impossible.

    Read all  49 answers
  8. Is the stereotype of students at your school accurate?

    for the most part no

    Read all  45 answers
  9. What is the stereotype of students at your school?

    You have to be rich to go here. Everyone is Pre-Med Everyone is Jewish Everyone is Asian Everyone is brilliant

    Read all  44 answers
  10. What are the most popular student activities/groups?

    Greek life is big, but not too big. It provides most of the social life and parties on campus, although off-campus activities can be found downtown, and in other areas, that are unrelated to greek life. I'm in a sorority, which I joined the second semester of my freshman year. It made a HUGE difference on my social life, I went from being rather unhappy at WashU to being very happy with so many new friends and social activities. Now, all my best friends are in my sorority. However, I still have girlfriends that are in other sororities, or aren't in greek life at all. Most of my guy friends, similarly, are in fraternities. Greek life at WashU is far different from what I hear about at state schools. It isn't very time consuming for girls, but is very time consuming for boys. There is no hazing for sororities, but I think there is some hazing for boys (as I think there are at all colleges, unfortunately). WashU tries very hard to eliminate hazing, but actually tries a lot harder for the girls. Sororities are kind of a side activity, but you can be as involved or as uninvolved as you want, which I love. It's a very easy way to get involved on campus! Two of my best friends aren't in Greek life, and belong to another extracurricular called EST, which is a completely student run emergency service that's on duty 24/7 on campus. That too, is a great organization, which I really recommend if you're interested in anything medical related. Students live in dorms until their second year (usually) on an area called the South 40, until their junior year when they typically move across campus to "the Village" to live in on-campus apartments. I lived in two very nice, new dorms my freshman and sophomore year, and lived in a less-nice on campus apartment my junior year. Housing at WashU is difficult, although I've personally had a very positive experience with them. I've gotten my first choice for housing all three years, which is extremely lucky, because most of my friends often get their second or third choice. Housing is rather unaccommodating if students don't get their first pick, which as a huge complaint among the student body. Some traditions that happen on campus include WILD, a biannual concert, which is so much fun. WILD, or walk in lay down, is a concert, that happens all day. It's the one day when WashU parties like a state school, which is about all we can handle. Past performers have included Shwayze, The Cold War Kids, Passion Pit, Method Man and Red Man, and even the Black Eyed Peas way back when. It's a lot of fun. Guest speakers are big at WashU. We held the last VP debate in 2008, which I really wish I had seen! A big comedian comes once a semester, including Seth Meyers, and Donald Glover. Shows are free...but have INCREDIBLY long lines, so come early and be prepared to wait! It's really cool having famous people perform for free at our school (for students, at least), and I really recommend going to some of the shows. It's a big drawing factor, since WashU is highly respected among many people. Next semester, Sofia Vergara from Modern Family is coming. Unfortunately, I'll be abroad, so I won't be able to see her! There are also many clubs and other activities, as well as volunteering opportunities and political activism opportunities, that are presented in a fair in the beginning of the Fall semester. I recommend attending the fair if you're interested in becoming more involved, which I also really recommend!

    Read all  43 answers
  11. What kind of person should attend this school?

    Liberal, intellectual but not boring. Passionate about something (anything!).

    Read all  40 answers
  12. Describe how your school looks to someone who's never seen it.

    This University is staffed by experts who have a gift for relaying advanced material to their students; this staff places high expectations on students' involvment and dedication in and outside the classroom.

    Read all  39 answers
  13. What's unique about your campus?

    I would say the strong sense of community. It is a very academically rigorous school, but that does not come with the competition that is commonly found among other schools of this caliber. Everyone is friendly and very eager to help their classmates and friends do well. The staff and faculty are extremely supportive and willing to do anything to help you reach your goals. This is not just in academics, but extra carricular activities as well. It is just a nice, welcoming, and fun place to be.

    Read all  33 answers
  14. What kind of person should not attend this school?

    The only sort of person who should not attend Washington University in St. Louis is someone who has a lazy work ethic. If they are not willing to dive into their life at the university one-hundred percent, then they do not belong here. Furthermore, someone who is not passionate should not attend because the university is full of opportunities for those passionate about their futures.

    Read all  33 answers
  15. What do you brag about most when you tell your friends about your school?

    The people are great, there are so many opportunities to get involved you just have to be aware of them and make time for them. You really have to get adjusted to the fast paced academic environment and take responsiblity for yourself when doing homework or else you will fall behind and it's super stressful to catch up. Of course, I'm speaking from a pre-medicine track, which is one of the most taxing academic interests you can take at this school. However it is very rewarding and I am learning so much and I love it!

    Read all  32 answers
  16. What's the one thing you wish someone had told you about freshman year?

    I wish I had known about all the courses and academic departments available to us as freshmen and had come in looking to explore and find my interests instead of going in with a one-track pre-medical mind.

    Read all  32 answers
  17. Describe your favorite campus traditions.

    My school may be known for having a confusing title (yes, we are in St. Louis!) for hosting the VP or Presidential Debates every four years, for cutting edge research, for a ridiculously difficult entry level chemistry course and resulting high MCAT average scores and for being a leader amoungst colleges towards greener facilities and lifestyles.

    Read all  31 answers
  18. What's the most frustrating thing about your school?

    I go to the continuing education University College portion of Washington University, and the most frustrating thing about this school is the class length. Each class meets once a week and after a hard day at work it can be fairly hard to concentrate on a 2+ hour class.

    Read all  31 answers
  19. What is the stereotype of students at your school? Is this stereotype accurate?

    People think most Wash U students are nerds and they work very hard. They think we don't party much or have fun since we are very academic and we are in St. Louis, a place of nowhere. I think the stereotypes are partly true. Wash U students do work hard. Most of us treat academics seriously. Workloads are typically heavy. However, one distinct feature of Wash U students is that we value cooperation much. Instead of doing cut-throat competitions, I feel more like learning by cooperation. It has a very cooperative environment here. And the notion that we don't have fun is not true. There are many restaurants, theaters, pubs near Wash U. And also, we have Forest Park, which is even bigger than Central Park in NYC. Moreover, we do have lots of activities going on on campus every day. For the party thing, it is actually quite popular on the weekends. And also, just give a fact, that more than 30{4a082faed443b016e84c6ea63012b481c58f64867aa2dc62fff66e22ad7dff6c} Wash U students go Greek.

    Read all  15 answers
  20. Tell us about the food and dining options.

    Cafe in the library

    Read all  4 answers
  21. Why did you decide to go to this school?

    It's my dream school. It has everything I'm interested in as a major and minor as has several opportunities for freshmen to be active in the community. The school is located in a suburb, but the hustle and bustle of the city is just a few minutes away! Wash U really lets my interests shine through. they encourage you to explore...A LOT! They define liberal arts education.

    Read all  4 answers

Student Body

Students

53%

female

47%

male

7,555

Total Undergrad Enrollment

7,492

Total Grad Students

83%

Out-Of-State

10%

In-State

7%

International

Organizations

300

Student Organizations

12

Fraternities

7

Sororities

Housing

Yes

On-Campus Housing

49%

of students living on campus

Student Diversity

% American Indian/Alaskan Native
N/A
% Asian/Pacific Islander
17%
% Black or African-American
7%
% Hispanic/Latino
7%
% White or Caucasian
53%

TUITION & AID

All students must apply yearly for financial aid. This process starts with the FAFSA. Though financial aid deadlines vary by school, it is a good idea to apply as soon as possible. For the upcoming school year, you can apply as early as October 1 for the FAFSA. Additional school aid will be dependent on the FAFSA results.

53% of students attending Washington University in St Louis receive some sort of financial aid. 12% were awarded federal grants. While 20% received federal loans. Many students do also need to apply for additional private student loans.

Cost Out of State

$49,770

Tuition and fees(Out of state)

$980

Books and Supplies

$15,596

Room and Board

66,346

Total On Campus

Actual Cost By Income Level(W/Financial Aid)

Family Income
Cost
$0 - $30K
$10,518
$30 - $48K
$9,025
$48 - $75K
$13,208
$75 - $110K
$23,158
$110K & UP
$44,102

We use student reviews and the most current publicly available data on our school pages. As such, we don't typically remove or edit college information. Sources for school statistics and data include the U.S. Department of Education's National Center for Education Statistics and the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System. Portions of college data include copyrighted material, which is reproduced on this website by permission of Wintergreen Orchard House, a division of Carnegie Communications. © 2009-2016 by Wintergreen Orchard House. All rights reserved.

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