WASHINGTON AND LEE
UNIVERSITY
Applying to the University
Interviewing
We highly recommend that applicants have a personal interview. Therefore, we invite you to come to campus and have an interview with an admissions counselor. Following the interview, you are invited to take a student-guided tour.
September - December & May interview Schedule
Monday through Friday:
- 9:15 AM
- 10:15 AM
- 11:15 AM
- 1:15 PM
- 2:15 PM
- 3:15 PM.
Saturday:
- 8:15 AM
- 9:00 AM
- 9:45 AM
- 10:30 AM
- 11:15 AM
June - August
Monday through Friday
- 9:15 AM
- 10:15 AM
- 11:15 AM
- 1:15 PM
- 2:15 PM
Please call the admissions office several weeks in advance to schedule an interview.
Why an Interview
Interviews give the admissions staff a chance to meet you and find out more about your interests and goals, and interviews allow you time to find out more about the university and ask specific questions. Please arrive at the Gilliam House fifteen minutes before your interview time. If you find that you are going to be late, please call to let us know.
You do not need to bring anything with you to the interview. Some students like to bring a short resume, some come with lists of questions. Do whatever makes you feel comfortable! Interviews last between 20 and 40 minutes, and there is usually time for parents to speak with the admissions counselor before the tour starts.
When to Interview
You may schedule an on-campus interview as early as May of your junior year. On-campus interviewing concludes in early December.
Off Campus Interviews
If you cannot come to campus for an interview, you have the option of contacting an alumnus/a in your hometown and scheduling an interview there. If you prefer to interview at home, please call the admissions office so we can put you in contact with an alum in your area or please consult our list of Alumni Admissions Partners to see if an alumnus is available in your area.
Interviews are not required, only recommended. Your application will not be affected if you are not able to interview on campus or with an alumnus.
Dates and Deadlines
The following are important dates and deadlines for the freshman admissions cycle. Transfer students should refer to the transfer information page for dates and deadlines specific to the transfer process.
Early Decision I
- ACT: October testing date.
- SAT I & II: November testing date.
- Application Deadline: November 15.
- Notification: December 22nd.
Early Decision II
- ACT: December testing date.
- SAT I & II: December testing date.
- Application Deadline: January 2.
- Notification: February 1
For both Early Decision programs, students who are accepted are expected to send a $500 enrollment confirmation deposit and withdraw all applications for admission to other colleges.
- Honor Scholarship Deadline: December 15. You must submit both the honor scholarship application and the admission application, including all portions of Part 2, at this time.
Regular Decision
- ACT: February testing date.
- SAT I & II: January testing date.
- Application Deadline: January 15. This is the deadline for the admissions application, including all portions of Part 2, if you are not applying for an honor scholarship.
- Notification: early April.
- Enrollment Confirmation: May 1.
The Application
While you have a clear picture of the forms, test scores, and other materials which must be submitted in order to apply for admission, you may still wonder how those pieces of information are used to make an admissions decision. There is no formula or hard and fast rule for the selection process, but our reviewing of files is methodical and gives attention to all sections of the application.
The first priority in the admissions process is the daily record. Grades, class rank, and grade point average are only part of the daily record, though. In addition to these, we carefully review course selection and level of academic challenge. We encourage students to take Advanced Placement, International Baccalaureate, honors or accelerated programs.
Standardized testing is the one common denominator for all applicants. And while the scores are important, they are rarely the sole deciding factor in our decision process. You should keep in mind that each year there are students whose scores are well above our SAT I middle 50 % of 1280 to 1420, yet are not offered admission. High standardized testing scores do not necessarily take the place of a marginal high school transcript.
After the more academically based factors, we focus our attention on recommendation letters, extracurricular activities, the personal essay, and the interview. Washington and Lee is a campus the depends on student involvement. As review of a student's high school activities and interests give the Admissions Committee a sense of what a student may add to the campus community as a whole.
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