With over 4,000 universities and colleges in the US, Vela Education is dedicated to highlighting excellent schools so you have more information to help choose the best fit for you. There are many top universities in the American mid-west that international families are not as familiar with. We are delighted to share more information about Washington University in St Louis–or Wash U as it is affectionately called by students and admissions advisors.

Wash U is a midsized R1 university with a gorgeous 169 acre campus. Located in St Louis, Missouri it has the benefits of being in a major American city (with excellent international transport links!) while also having a well-cared for and safe campus environment. With approximately 7,500 undergraduates, it has a dynamic community, but students still receive ample attention from faculty. In fact, the student-faculty ratio at Washington University in St. Louis is 7:1, and 66.5% of its classes have fewer than 20 students. 

With strong academic departments across disciplines, all students would thrive at Wash U. However, they do have some standout programmes and extremely popular majors. The most popular majors at Washington University in St. Louis include Computer Science; Experimental Psychology; Biology/Biological Sciences, Mechanical Engineering; Finance, Econometrics and Quantitative Economics; Political Science and Government, Systems Engineering; and Medical Anthropology. Another significant academic advantage of attending Wash U is their array of joint programs. They recently launched a joint-degree programme in Computer Science and Business. The school is confident that “[t]his is a distinctive degree program that captures the intersection of business and computer science and the growing demand for people with this special and sought-after skillset. Graduates of the program will be able to pursue careers in technology, data analytics, finance, consulting and business development, to name a few.”

Washington University in St Louis also stands out amongst is more well-known peers. The US News and World Report ranks it 14th in the US. According to their metrics, Wash U ranks above of other popular choice such as Cornell, UCLA, USC, and Georgetown! Though rankings should not be the only factor students use when selecting schools, they can provide much needed context for students and families unfamiliar with the variety of top US universities. 

Top students are attracted to Wash U for all of these reasons. Wash U has a 16% acceptance rate and is considered highly selective. Half the applicants admitted to Washington University in St. Louis have an SAT score between 1480 and 1560 or an ACT score of 33 and 35. However, one quarter of admitted applicants achieved scores above these ranges and one quarter scored below these ranges. However, Wash U made the decisions to be test-optional for international students even before the pandemic. This authentic test-optional policy has proven successful for Vela Education advisees. Wash U offers ED1, ED2, and RD application pathways.

If you are interested in Wash U or any other US university, please feel free to reach out to us. We are here to help.