How to Get Into Washington and Lee: Admissions Stats + Tips

What’s Covered:

• How Hard Is It to Get Into Washington and Lee
• Average Academic Profile of Accepted Washington and Lee Students
• What is Washington and Lee Looking For
• How to Improve Your Chances of Getting Into Washington and Lee
• How to Apply to Washington and Lee

Located in Virginia’s Shenandoah Valley, Washington and Lee University includes a traditional liberal arts college, the Williams School of Commerce, Economics, and Politics, and a School of Law. The Williams School offers degrees in business and politics. Undergraduates benefit from the close-knit, engaging experience of a small liberal arts college while also accessing resources like the Connolly Center for Entrepreneurship and the IQ Center.

Keep reading to learn about W&L’s selectivity level, the average profile of its admitted students, how to optimize your application, and other tips and deadlines.

How Hard Is It to Get Into Washington and Lee?

In the 2024-2025 admissions cycle, Washington and Lee University received 8,213 applicants, of which 1,147 were accepted. This means that in 2024-2025, Washington and Lee’s acceptance rate was 14%, making it highly selective. 

That same year, Washington and Lee received 844 Early Decision (ED) applicants, of which 286 were accepted, resulting in a 34% ED acceptance rate. Washington and Lee doesn’t have early action.  

Want to get a sense of how your application may stack up against other potential applicants? Try using our free admissions calculator. By taking into account multiple elements of your profile, including your grades, test scores, extracurriculars, and more, we’ll estimate your odds of acceptance and give you tips on improving your profile! 

Average Academic Profile of Accepted Washington and Lee Students

Class Rank

Of students enrolling during the 2024-2025 admissions cycle at Washington and Lee, 77% graduated in the top 10% of their high school class, and 97% graduated in the top 25%. A full 100% graduated in the top half.  

SAT/ACT

From Washington and Lee’s 2024-2025 freshman class, 44% submitted SAT scores and 20% submitted ACT scores. The middle 50% SAT range was 1430-1540, and the middle 50% ACT range was 33-34.

W&L practices test-optional admissions, meaning students may choose whether to submit SAT or ACT scores, and applications are fully considered without them.

GPA

Washington and Lee does not release the GPAs of accepted students, but given that more than three-quarters of admitted students graduated in the top 10% of their class, you should aim for all A’s.

What is Washington and Lee Looking For?

In addition to academically-talented students, Washington and Lee seeks individuals who are curious and engaged—often leaders in their schools and communities—with an ambition to impact those around them after graduation. 

How Washington and Lee Evaluates Applications

According to their 2024-2025 Common Data Set, Washington and Lee considers the following factors “very important”:

• Course rigor
• Recomendations
• Extracurricular activities
• Character/personal qualities

These are “considered”:

• Class rank 
• Academic GPA
• Standardized test scores 
• Application essay 
• Interview
• Talent/ability
• First generation
• Alumni/ae relation
• Geographical residence
• State residency
• Volunteer work
• Work experience
• Level of applicant’s interest 

And these are “not considered”:

• Religious affiliation

How to Improve Your Chances of Getting into Washington and Lee 

1. Take the most challenging classes available and aim to graduate at the top of your class. 

It’s important to note that Washington and Lee considers GPA less important than course rigor and class rank. While the school doesn’t offer information on students’ high school GPAs, remember that 97% of accepted applicants graduated in the top quarter of their class. 

A competitive candidate for Washington and Lee will be challenging themselves in their course rigor, so you should try to take advanced honors, AP, or IB classes. In addition, aim for all A’s. Graduating as valedictorian of your high school will give you a great boost to your chances of acceptance to Washington and Lee. 

Selective schools like Washington and Lee receive a massive number of applications and use a tool known as the Academic Index to sort through them. Academic Index consolidates your entire academic performance into a single number, which is used to see if you meet a school’s academic standards. If you fail to meet a college’s Academic Index threshold, you risk not having your application read. 

If your GPA is lower, and you’re earlier on in your high school career, you still have time to raise your GPA. If you’re a junior or senior, it will be harder to increase your GPA, so the easiest way to increase your Academic Index is to get a higher test score.

2. Cultivate at least one or two Tier 1-2 extracurriculars (find your “spike”).

Washington and Lee highly values explorative and hands-on learning. Students will find a range of opportunities like Field Programs or Washington and Lee’s famous Mock Convention—a 116-year-old tradition in which students replicate the presidential nominating convention—at their fingertips.

Predictably, Washington and Lee wants to see how students’ high school extracurricular activities show their engagement with the real world and non-academic passions, whether that be through service work, debate clubs, or music competition awards.  

In general, any activity that you do regularly outside the classroom counts as an extracurricular, as long as you can demonstrate that the activity has contributed to your growth as an individual. However, not all extracurriculars are created equal. Extracurricular activities can generally be divided into four “tiers.” To increase your chances at W&L, you should have one to two “Tier 1” or “Tier 2” extracurriculars. 

• Tier 1 activities demonstrate exceptional talent, achievement, leadership, or merit. Activities and roles on the national level that garner field-wide recognition count as Tier 1 activities. This may include winning a national award, qualifying for an international competition, and therefore gaining prestigious recognition, or starting a nonprofit that gains national traction. Having a Tier 1 activity marks you as a distinguished youth in the field of your activity, so having Tier 1 activities is rare. 

• Tier 2 activities are more common than Tier 1, but still show high levels of achievement and potential. Holding school-wide leadership positions like student government president, winning regional competitions or awards, and local recognition as a student athlete or musician are all considered Tier 2. 

• Tier 3 activities demonstrate sustained participation rather than exceptional achievement. They’re frequently seen in applications, both across the board and on any given individual student’s application, as some students may have more than one Tier 3 activity. These activities can include holding minor positions in school clubs or being on a Varsity team.

• Tier 4 activities are the most common and have the lowest entry bar; they demonstrate interest without particular dedication. However, they are still important to include, especially if you have higher-tier activities, because they can help show the diversity of your interests. Tier 4 activities can include regular volunteering, general membership in clubs or organizations, or taking any kind of music or art lesson over several years. 
  

3. Write engaging essays.

Like most liberal arts colleges, Washington and Lee values a student’s ability to form arguments and articulate themselves through writing. Additionally, with the school’s focus on a student’s character and personal qualities, as well as real-world applications of skills, the essay is the perfect place for applicants to show their strengths, character, authentic voice, and written eloquence. 

Take a look at our guide on How to Write the Washington and Lee University Essays 2025–2026. 

4. Apply Early Decision.

Washington and Lee’s early decision acceptance rate is 34%, while the regular decision acceptance rate is 14%. Early Decision is binding—meaning if accepted, you’re obligated to enroll—but you considerably increase your chances of acceptance to Washington and Lee when you apply as an early decision applicant, even after accounting for profile strength. 

If you have your heart set on W&L, applying during one of its two early decision timelines—ED I or ED II—is a great way to show your commitment. However, there are some drawbacks to keep in mind about applying early, including less time to refine your application, fewer financial aid package options, and the obvious inability to try your hand at other colleges if you do get in.

How to Apply to Washington and Lee

Deadlines

Planning on applying to Washington and Lee? Here are some dates to keep in mind for the 2025–2026 cycle. 

Application Requirements

Washington and Lee accepts applications through the Common Application, Coalition Application, and the QuestBridge National College Match application. To apply, you will need the following materials: 

• Common, Coalition, or Questbridge Application 
• Official high school transcript 
• Two teacher recommendations
• One recommendation letter from your guidance or college counselor

The following materials are optional: 

• Self-reported SAT or ACT scores 
• A signed Early Decision agreement  

Learn more about Washington and Lee

• Washington and Lee University Essay Example by an Accepted Student
• What Does it Cost to Attend Washington and Lee University?

Curious about your chances of acceptance to Washington and Lee? Our free chancing engine takes into account your GPA, test scores, extracurriculars, and other data to predict your odds of acceptance at over 1,600 colleges across the U.S. We’ll also let you know how you stack up against other applicants and how you can improve your profile. Calculate your chances for free!