Washington and Lee University
Lexington, Virginia · Private · 1,881 undergraduates · wlu.edu
Test policy (fall 2027)
Test optional
Sending scores is your choice
Admit rate
14%
of 8,963 applicants
SAT (middle 50%)
1430 to 1530
of enrolled freshmen
Annual cost (2027-28)
$103,890Est.Estimate
before aid
Your chances and merit aid at Washington and Lee University
See where you stand for admission, how much merit aid you could get, and what you'd pay after it.
We started you at a typical enrolled freshman here. Move the sliders to match you.
Your admission chances
14% of applicants admitted
Reach
It admits only 14% of applicants, so it's a reach for everyone.
Estimated merit aid
a year
Your cost after merit aid
$103,890
a year in 2027-28, from a $103,890 sticker price
What to do with your 1480
Send your score
About 53% of freshmen here didn't send a score. We estimate their typical SAT at about 1390, and yours is above it.
Reach, target and likely are a rough guide from your test score and how selective the college is. Admissions also weigh your courses, grades, essays and activities. Merit aid figures are estimates, before any need-based aid.
Admissions
Test policy for fall 2027
Test optional
You choose whether to send an SAT or ACT score. If you send one, it's considered.
- Superscores: it combines your best section scores from different test dates.
- You can type your scores into the application; official reports come later.
Source: Test-Optional Admissions Policy · Checked October 16, 2026
Application deadlines
- Nov1Early Decision · November 1, 2026Binding: if admitted, you commit to enroll.
- Jan5Early Decision II · January 5, 2027A second binding round, after Early Decision.
- Jan5Regular Decision · January 5, 2027The standard deadline.
Source: Apply to W&L
Who gets in
14%
of applicants were admitted: 1,214 of 8,963 for fall 2025.
Early Decision
Binding. 28% of early applicants were admitted.
Wait list
1,274 students were offered a spot; 2 were later admitted.
Test scores of enrolled freshmen (fall 2025)
The shaded part shows the middle half of enrolled freshmen who sent scores: a quarter scored below it and a quarter above. 30% of them sent SAT scores and 22% sent ACT scores.
SAT total 1430 to 1530
Reading and Writing 710 to 750
Math 720 to 780
ACT composite 33 to 34
How enrolled freshmen scored on the SAT
- 1400 to 160095%
- 1200 to 13995.4%
- 1000 to 11990%
- 800 to 9990%
- 600 to 7990%
- 400 to 5990%
Source: Common Data Set 2025-2026
Cost and financial aid
The sticker price is what a year costs before any aid. Most students pay less after grants and scholarships.
Sticker price for 2027-28Estimate
$103,890
a year
- Tuition$76,520
- Fees$1,340
- Food and housing$21,400
- Books and supplies$1,980
- Transportation and other$2,650
Washington and Lee University published $99,880 for 2026-27. Its 2027-28 prices aren't out yet.
Source: Common Data Set 2025-2026
What families actually pay
What a year cost on average after grants and scholarships, for freshmen who got federal aid in 2023-24, by family income.
- $0 to $30,000$28
- $30,001 to $48,000$690
- $48,001 to $75,000$3,023
- $75,001 to $110,000$10,627
- Over $110,000$39,474
Financial aid
100%
of a student's financial need is covered, on average
$71,985
average need-based grant to freshmen, money you don't repay
5.8%
of freshmen got merit aid without financial need, $62,110 on average
- FAFSA
- Required for need-based aid. It's the free federal aid form.
- CSS Profile
- Required. It's a second, more detailed aid form some colleges use for their own grants.
- Aid deadline: 2/15
- The last day to send aid forms.
- Also asks for
- Federal Tax Returns
Source: Common Data Set 2025-2026
Merit scholarships
Awards for grades and scores, on top of need-based aid. You don't repay them.
W&L National Merit Award + Gaines Scholarship (Finalists not receiving W&L merit aid)
$750 to $3,000 a year
National Merit
Deadline: Name this college your first choice with NMSC. To keep it: for the Gaines Scholarship, a 3.3 college GPA; the amount doesn't go up or down.
DetailsW&L National Merit Award (Finalists already receiving W&L merit aid)
$750 a year
National Merit
Deadline: Name this college your first choice with NMSC.
Details
Compare awards across colleges with the merit aid calculator.
AP credit
AP exams that earn credit can replace college courses, so you pay for fewer of them and may graduate sooner.
AP exams that earn credit
34 of 34
Earn credit with a score of 3
None
You need a 4 or 5 for credit here.
A 3-credit course is worth
about $7,650Est.Estimate
at 2027-28 tuition
Credit for each AP exam
| Exam | Score needed | Credits | Counts as |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2-D Art and Design | 5 | 3 | ARTS 1-HA-N (3-credit 100-level HA non-major elective) |
| 3-D Art and Design | 5 | 3 | ARTS 1-HA-N (3-credit 100-level HA non-major elective) |
| Art History | 4 | 3 | ARTH 1-HA-M (3-credit 100-level HA non-major elective) |
| Art History | 5 | 3 | ARTH 101 |
| Biology | 5 | 4 | BIOL 1-SL-N (4-credit 100-level SL non-major elective) |
| Calculus AB | 5 | 3 | MATH 101 |
| Calculus BC | 5 | 6 | MATH 101,102 |
| Chemistry | 5 | 4 | CHEM 100 |
| Chinese Language and Culture | 5 | Take placement test with department | |
| Comparative Government and Politics | 5 | 3 | POL 105 |
| Computer Science A | 5 | 4 | CSCI 1FMM |
| Computer Science Principles | 5 | 4 | CSCI 101 |
| English Language and Composition | 5 | 3 | WRIT 100 |
| English Literature and Composition | 5 | 3 | WRIT 100 |
| Environmental Science | 5 | 3 | ENV 10N (3-credit, 100-level, non-FDR, non-major elective) |
| European History | 5 | 3 | HIST 10N (3-credit, 100-level, non-FDR, non-major elective) |
| French Language and Culture | 5 | 3 | FREN 162 |
| German Language and Culture | 5 | 4 | GERM 262 |
| Italian Language and Culture | 5 | 4 | ITAL 163 |
| Japanese Language and Culture | 5 | Take placement test with department | |
| Latin | 5 | 3 | LATN 202 |
| Macroeconomics | 5 | 3 | ECON 102 |
| Microeconomics | 5 | 3 | ECON 101 |
| Music Theory | 5 | 4 | MUS 161,163 |
| Physics 1 | 5 | 3 | PHYS 1-SC-N (3-credit SC non-major elective) if no Physics C-level credit earned |
| Physics 2 | 5 | 3 | PHYS 1-SC-N (3-credit SC non-major elective) if no Physics C-level credit earned |
| Physics C: Electricity and Magnetism | 5 | 3 | PHYS 1-SC-N (3-credit SC non-major elective) |
| Physics C: Mechanics | 5 | 3 | PHYS 1-SC-N (3-credit SC non-major elective) |
| Psychology | 5 | 3 | CBSC 10M (3 credit 100-level, non-FDR, major elective) |
| Spanish Language and Culture | 5 | 3 | SPAN 162 |
| Spanish Literature and Culture | 5 | 3 | SPAN 162 |
| Statistics | 5 | 3 | GEN 10N (3-credit, 100-level, non-FDR, non-major elective) |
| United States Government and Politics | 5 | 3 | POL 100 |
| United States History | 5 | 3 | HIST 10N (3-credit, 100-level, non-FDR, non-major elective) |
| World History: Modern | 5 | 3 | HIST 10N (3-credit, 100-level, non-FDR, non-major elective) |
Source: AP credit policy
After college
Graduate within 6 years
96%
Come back for a second year
97%
Typical earnings
$102,966
a year, 10 years after starting here
- Washington and Lee University$144,579
- All colleges$80,105
Median yearly earnings of graduates five years after finishing a bachelor's in this major. 5 majors here have earnings data.
Keep exploring
Figures marked Estimate are our estimates, not numbers the college published. Check each college's own site before you apply. SAT is a trademark of College Board, and ACT is a trademark of ACT, Inc. Sharp is not affiliated with either, or with Washington and Lee University. The Washington and Lee University logo is a trademark of the college.