Why is this school awesome?
WashU runs the gamut in terms of opportunities for its students; whether it be academic or social, students have anything and everything at their fingertips. Situated just within the city limits of St. Louis, Missouri, WashU combines the best parts of traditional campus life with the perks of being located in a city. This unique combination allows students to enjoy the incredibly friendly, more easygoing midwestern life while still having access to all of the excitement, energy, and connections of urban culture. In fact, located directly next to campus is Forest Park, a city park that is more than twice as big as Central Park and features an art museum, history museum, zoo, among other exciting attractions. With the flexibility to take classes in academic programs spanning across any of WashU’s five top-ranking schools (Arts and Sciences, Business, Engineering, Art, and Architecture), more than 80% of students major or minor in more than one area and more than 40% of undergraduates participate in some kind of research, allowing students to take advantage of the unique combination of liberal arts and pre-professional programs at the university. Additionally, with over 350 student organizations on campus, there is ample opportunity to get involved outside of the classroom. As if that’s not enough, WashU’s dorms and food both consistently rank in the top 2 schools in the country. Visit WashU to witness the best combination of strong academics and amazing quality of life!
5 words to describe campus?
LIVELY, INVITING, OPEN (be sure to visit Mud Field at the center of the quad to get a 360 view of WashU’s prettiest buildings!), COMPACT (the longest walk you’ll have to take across campus is 15 minutes), BEAUTIFUL (all of WashU’s buildings are built in a “College Gothic” architectural style using Missouri Limestone!).
The typical student...
Embraces a “Work Hard, Play Hard” attitude, is extremely involved in the community on and off campus, and is determined to seek new opportunities inside and outside of the classroom.
International perspective?
Despite its location in the center of the United States, WashU students come from over 80 countries around the world with over 45% of the student body being comprised of multicultural or international students. In an effort to continue fostering this international flavor once on campus, WashU offers hundreds of study abroad programs in which over 40% of students participate. Such programs involve classes, research, and internships, among a plethora of other unique opportunities for students.
Tips for the application process?
WashU does not have a supplemental essay outside of the Common Application essay. Don’t take this as an opportunity to just send out another application. Admissions officers look for you to fill in the gaps in other ways. The admissions office gives applicants multiple other opportunities to paint a picture for officers about an applicant’s story and level of interest in the school. If you want your application to be seriously considered, make sure to 1) visit campus (or at least a local information session), and 2) apply for one of WashU’s many merit scholarships to tell the admissions office a little more about yourself.
Fun facts?
Francis Field, WashU’s main athletic stadium, was built in time for the 1904 World’s Fair and was used as the main stadium for the 1904 Summer Olympics. It is one of the oldest sports venues west of the Mississippi River still in use, and has been untouched since 1904 because it is now marked as a historical landmark.
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