Class of 2018 selection is underway


With the Jan. 15 regular decision application deadline passed, the selection of Washington University’s Class of 2018 is well underway.

When final processing is complete, the university expects to have between 29,000 and 30,000 applications for the class that will enter in August. More than 630 students were admitted in the early decision round (a little more than 35 percent of the expected freshman class).

This represents a small decrease in total applications in an application cycle plagued by technical difficulties with the Common Application for prospective students, high school counselors and universities. In the last five recruitment cycles, applications have ranged between 23,000 and 30,000.

In addition to the technical glitches tied to the Common Application — an online standardized college application used by more than 500 member colleges and universities — all member institutions were required to delay the start of the application cycle until Aug. 1.

For Washington University, that represented a nearly five-month delay in the start of the application season.

While the total number of applications received is down slightly this year, the Admissions Office reports another strong and talented group of applicants.

“We are delighted with the early decision students who have already submitted their enrollment forms and have begun making plans for their arrival in August,” said Julie Shimabukuro, director of admissions. “They will bring incredible experiences, diverse points of view, and keen intellectual abilities to our community.”

Shimabukuro said the Admissions Office now must select the balance of the class from the regular decision applicants.

“We always have a pool of outstanding students from which to choose,” said Shimabukuro, “and we are thrilled that this year’s group is as talented as ever.”

Regular decision applicants will be notified by April 1, and those admitted will have until May 1 to make a final decision.

For more information, contact WUSTL Undergraduate Admissions at (800) 638-0700 or admissions@wustl.edu.