First-Year Applicants
First-Year Applicants
Current high school seniors or students who have never taken college classes after graduating from high school should apply as first-year applicants. (First-year applicants who are non-U.S. citizens should apply as International Applicants.)
To apply, candidates must submit an application through The Common Application or through their QuestBridge National College Match application. A complete application consists of various documents, some of which have different deadlines.
Application Checklist
- A completed Common Application or QuestBridge Application
- Some applicants may qualify to have their application fee waived. To find out if you qualify for a fee waiver, complete this form.
- A signed Early Decision Agreement (If you decide to apply Early Decision)
- An official copy of your high school transcript
- Two teacher recommendations
- One recommendation letter from your guidance or college counselor
- The Common Application Secondary School Report form, completed by your guidance or college counselor
- Self-reported or official scores from the SAT or ACT (optional for the Class of 2027)
- Apply for scholarships and/or financial aid (if needed)
Scholarships and Aid
Our mission is to make a Washington and Lee education affordable for all admitted students. We offer both merit-based scholarships and need-based financial aid. The Johnson Scholarship application serves as the application for all merit scholarships at W&L and is found on the Writing Supplement to the Common Application. QuestBridge applicants are not required to submit the additional scholarship application. Explore our financial aid information to learn more.
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Deadlines
| Application | Application Deadline | Testing Deadline* | Financial Aid Application | Notification Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Early Decision Round 1 | November 1 | ACT Oct 23, SAT Nov 5 |
December 1 | Late December |
| Johnson Scholarship | December 1 | SAT Dec 3, ACT Dec 10 |
Varies** | Late March |
| Early Decision Round 2 | January 1 | SAT Dec 3, ACT Dec 10 | January 15 | Late January |
| Regular Decision | January 1 | SAT Dec 3, ACT Dec 10 | February 15 | by April 1 |
| *For first-year undergraduate applicants to the Class of 2027, submitting SAT or ACT scores is optional. For more information, please read our standardized testing policy. **Financial aid application deadlines are based on your admission application decision choice (Early Decision 1 or 2, Regular Decision). |
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