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Washington & Lee University

#1 in Best Value Colleges in Virginia
  • A+
    Overall Grade
  • 4 Year
  • Lexington, VA
  • 398 reviews
    A+
    Overall Niche Grade
    How are grades calculated?
    1. Academics
      A+
    2. Value
      A+
    3. Diversity
      B
    4. Campus
      B+
    5. Athletics
      B-
    6. Party Scene
      A-
    7. Professors
      A+
    8. Location
      B-
    9. Dorms
      A
    10. Campus Food
      B
    11. Student Life
      A
    12. Safety
      B-
    View Full Report Card
    Washington & Lee is a highly rated private university located in Lexington, Virginia. It is a small institution with an enrollment of 1,823 undergraduate students. Admissions is competitive as the Washington & Lee acceptance rate is 22%. Popular majors include Business, Accounting, and Economics. Graduating 92% of students, Washington & Lee alumni go on to earn a starting salary of $49,900.
    About Washington & Lee University...
    Athletic Division
    NCAA Division III (with football)
    Athletic Conference
    Old Dominion Athletic Conference
    Address
    204 W Washington St
    Lexington, VA 24450
    Website
    wlu.edu

    Washington & Lee University Rankings

    Niche rankings are based on rigorous analysis of key statistics from the U.S. Department of Education and millions of reviews.

    Admissions

    Acceptance Rate
    22%
    Application Deadline
    January 1
    SAT Range
    1350-1490
    ACT Range
    31-33
    Application Fee
    $60
    SAT/ACT
    Required
    High School GPA
    Recommended
    Early Decision/Early Action
    Yes

    Test Prep

    SAT and ACT Prep Options
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    Cost

    Net Price
    $25,029/ year
    National
    $15,523
    Average cost after financial aid for students receiving grant or scholarship aid, as reported by the college.
    Net Price by Household Income
    • <$30k
      $496/ year
    • $30-48k
      $3,298/ year
    • $49-75k
      $8,652/ year
    • $76-110k
      $14,361/ year
    • $110k+
      $38,080/ year

    Academics

    Professors
    A+
    Based on faculty accomplishments, salary, student reviews, and additional factors.
    Student Faculty Ratio
    8:1
    Evening Degree Programs
    No
    96%
    of students agree that professors put a lot of effort into teaching their classes.28 responses
    59%
    of students agree that it is easy to get the classes they want.32 responses
    31%
    of students agree that the workload is easy to manage.32 responses

    Majors

    Most Popular Majors
    • Business
      104 Graduates
    • Accounting
      58 Graduates
    • Economics
      54 Graduates
    • Political Science and Government
      54 Graduates
    • English
      31 Graduates
    • Biology
      25 Graduates
    • Research and Experimental Psychology
      25 Graduates
    • History
      22 Graduates
    • Journalism
      19 Graduates
    • East Asian Languages and Literatures
      18 Graduates

    Students

    Full-Time Enrollment
    1,823Undergrads
    Part-Time Undergrads
    4
    Undergrads Over 25
    0%
    Pell Grant
    9%
    Varsity Athletes
    28%
    Poll
    What one word or phrase best describes the typical student at this school?
    Based on 17 responses
    Report
    • Classy, smart, rich, and white.
      47%
    • Classy, smart, rich, white, entitled
      24%
    • Homogeneous, white, rich, conventional
      12%
    • Rich, white, entitled
      12%
    • Mostly conservative
      6%

    Campus Life

    Freshmen Live On-Campus
    100%
    Poll
    52%
    of students say that Greek life is pretty big.42 responses
    Poll
    50%
    of students say varsity sporting events are attended, but not a huge part of campus life.42 responses
    Poll
    What one word or phrase best describes your school?
    Based on 15 responses
    Report
    • Work hard, play hard.
      40%
    • Fun and challenging
      27%
    • Friendly
      20%
    • Alcohol
      7%
    • Community
      7%

    After College

    Median Earnings 6 Years After Graduation
    $76,100/ year
    National
    $33,028
    Graduation Rate
    92%
    National
    49%
    Employed 2 Years After Graduation
    94%
    National
    83%
    100%
    of students feel confident they will find a job in their field after graduation.11 responses
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    Washington & Lee University Reviews

    398 reviews
    All Categories
    Beware of what you get yourself into. Most alumni/ students will sugar coat the culture at W&L. Alcoholism and heavy drug use is rampant, open hostility towards LGBTQ and minority students is normal. The frat culture permeates every level of the university including student clubs/events/academic cliques. Hazing is alive and well which includes forced drinking, humiliation, and physical abuse. Classes are very academic and inordinately time consuming and 200-level classes for non-majors are taught at the graduate level. Most students are competitive and aggressive. The strict honor code leads to division inside and outside the classroom. Coincidentally, most tests can be taken anywhere on campus which is taken advantage of. Unless you have a scholarship or have enough money to be social, do not come here.
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    W&L offers endless opportunities to its students (grants, fellowships, study abroad, extracurriculars, classes, etc.). The culture is social; people are friendly and energetic. Greek life and parties are popular, but learning to navigate this environment strengthens your sense of self and knowledge of your own needs. There are other people and alternative activities - a student just needs to be willing to explore beyond what is the most visible option.

    There is work to do and changes still to be made here, but that's why W&L's motto is "not unmindful of the future." If you are willing to fully challenge yourself to take action in and out of the classroom, you will truly find a home here among the quaint city of Lexington, the beauty of the nature, and the enthusiasm of the professors. Reaching adulthood and personal growth isn't meant to be easy, but at W&L, you will build relationships that remind you what it's all for.
    Washington and Lee is a great place to be as long as you are white, straight, conservative, and rich. The party scene is great as there is a party almost every night but they are exclusive. I have multiple gay friends who have been kicked out of parties because their sexuality "makes others uncomfortable". I know many people who are victims of sexual assault who the school did not help at all and even discounted their experiences saying that they should not have any affect on academics and were similar to a short term physical sickness. The greek system controls the social life since there is little to nothing to do in town. There are both boys and girls who will immediately stop talking to you if you are not a part of certain sororities/ fraternities. Washington and Lee does a great job with financial aid, so if you are strong willed and okay with being being in the minority, be sure to apply, but be aware that you may feel like an outsider at times.