<p>I was wondering how much WashU relaxes its admission rate for those who apply ED compared to regular decision. As far as my online research tells me there's not a big difference; RD ranges from around 21-22% and ED's about the same. The university itself apparently doesn't speak of its ED admission rate. Can anyone enlighten me on this?</p>
<p>I do not know much about differences between ED and RD, but I have heard that because Washington University has a limited number of admissions people, it is beneficial to submit your application early even if you are not applying ED. They begin reading applications as they come in so that they are finished in time. If you apply early, they probably have fewer (relatively) applications to read at once and are less tired.</p>
<p>Above isnt true afaik.</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>Never heard of this. Every university will have admissions officers, and every school will have those same people start to get tired of processing thousands of applications. Applying earlier does not necessarily guarantee you a “fresher” officer that’s less tired, since it’s altogether possible that out of a batch of 15 early applications, yours just happens to be the last one of the day that they look at.</p>
<p>Yeah, that’s just not true.</p>
<p>Just some general advice: if you apply Early Decision somewhere, apple early because you are ABSOLUTELY SURE it’s where you want to be, not because the admissions rate is slightly higher. At WashU the admissions rate isn’t high no matter when you’re applying.</p>
<p>I think there is an advantage to applying ED to Wash U if you don’t need financial aid. </p>
<p>I wasnt going to get need base aid at any top school.
I just moved my evaluation process up 4 months. Starting visit etc earlier.
Then there wasn’t any difference in deciding in Nov (ED app date) than Feb.</p>
<p>Actually, I submitted my RD application to Wash U in November (the same time as my EA app to another school, since there was no supplement essay anyways). And, my guidance counselor received a call from them about two weeks later saying they had read my application and were very interested to me, and I ended up getting in (I am by no means a stellar applicant). So, they do look at applications as they come in, and considering that the majority of applications hadn’t even come in yet, that might have actually made the difference for me.</p>
<p>@lackey
I find the part about Wash U Admiss calling your guidance counselor to tell him/her that they were very interested in you (as a RD applicant in Nov) hard to believe. Maybe they called for something else and it was misinterpreted by your counselor. I have never heard of Wash U recruiting RD applicants in Nov.</p>
<p>My son submitted a regular decision app to WUSTL in mid October. He received an early acceptance (non-binding) today, two weeks later. Another guy at his school was also accepted this way too. So they do start reading regular decision apps early. My son also received emails and had phone calls from a professor in his field of interest. If they want you, they will reach out in non-typical ways.</p>
<p>Fiske 2013 Book says it’s a joke among guidance counselors that the only two ways to get into WashU are ED or cherry-picked off the wait list.</p>
<p>My guess is this means that they make enough ED offers to fill up a lot of the class.</p>
<p>@aliciaepiq1 - how did your son receive his early acceptance - mail, email?</p>
<p>I think @alica is mistaken. WashU doesn’t offer EA (non-bidding) to anyone. Why would they make an acception for your child? I just asked two students in my dorm that are Danforth Scholars (i think Wash U has 10 per year). They were given full merit scholarships. Both sent their apps in early - 1 ED and 1 RD - and they both received their acceptance at the same time as the other ED and RD accepted applicants.</p>
<p>myluckydog- that’s a load of crap. About a third of my freshman floor was ED, 2/3rd’s RD. And I know who was waitlist-picked because we all talked about it (it was 3 of the 40 RD kids).</p>
<p>In the years since my freshman year, at least 2 classes have NOT used the waitlist, but still only a third of the class came from the ED pool (several StudLife articles have quoted actual Admissions people affirming this).</p>
<p>So yeah, not even remotely true.</p>
<p>Onecot59,</p>
<p>The same thing described by lackeysanta happened to my son (a call from WUSTL to his HS counselor expressing interest in him). My son submitted his RD application to WUSTL about a month ago and had an interview prior to the time this happened. Really cool too because WUSTL is one of his favorites.</p>
<p>Muckdogs,
What comments did WashU say to HS Counselor in expressing interest?<br>
WashU AdCons due contact HS Counselors to encourage them to nominate interested applicants for the Danforth Scholarship. The Danforth Scholarship requires a nomination from the applicants HS. That doesn’t mean they are going to be accepted or have been accepted. </p>
<p>I wish yiur aon good luck. I am sure he is a strong applicant.</p>
<p>Onecot59,</p>
<p>Sorry to take so long to reply and thanks re the luck. It looks like you are enjoying it there 
I think WUSTL would be great for him, especially the PNP program which first drew his attention. </p>
<p>In any event to answer your question, I do not know exactly what was said. I heard from my wife (went through the college drill last year with my oldest son), who talked to the HS counselor (experienced), and was told that a few days after his WUSTL interview an AO called the counselor and said WUSTL was very interested in him. I did not hear anything else, but when I saw the other post say something similar I wanted to relay this experience as well. I do know he received a scholarship notice in the mail a day or so later but I do not know if there was any correlation between the call and the notice and I am sure the counselor would have told my wife if the AO mentioned something about a scholarship so I suspect that was not part of the conversation.</p>
<p>It sounds like the AO is doing their job - showing interest in top students that they would like to apply. Not to burst your bubble but it doesn’t mean your child is goign to be accepted. </p>
<p>Alicia’s post that her child received a non-bidding Early Acceptance is just not true. WashU doesn’t offer EA to anyone - no acceptions.</p>
<p>They mail the scholarship book to everyone (you have propbably realized they mail a lot of stuff). </p>
<p>To be able to apply for the Danforth Scholarhip you need to be nominated by someone from your high school - Guidance or teacher. That is usually why they contact Guidance - to encourage them to nominated interested students. </p>
<p>I am a PNP major just in my first year. If your child enrolls at WashU, I would suggest applying for the MBB first year program (limited spots assigned on first come basis). I am really enjoying the course.</p>
<p>Onecot59,</p>
<p>Thanks for the advice re the MBB program. I did not know about that and think it would fit my son’s needs well in addition to the PNP program. Do not worry, no bubble to burst re admissions. Wash U’s admissions statistics are daunting for anyone and nothing an AO says to a guidance counselor changes that. The experience with my older son last year (three wait lists) has opened our eyes there. To show interest and give my younger son a better window into the advantages of Wash U, we plan on visiting over the Christmas break. We are from NOVA and so this will cost a couple of plane tickets. But it will be well worth it as Wash U is one of his top choices.</p>
<p>Good luck. I really think there is a significant advantage to ED. I realize that isnt an option sometimes because of the unknown FA. WashU will provide a good needs based package to everyone that qualifies. They really work with admitted students to help with the financial aid. If you know from going through FASFA process that you aren’t going to qualify (or you are going to qualify for a small grant), don’t count on merit aid from WashU. There just isn’t much of it at WashU. </p>
<p>If you want to wait to compare merit offers from other colleges to WashU, you are going to probably end up at another college. That is assuming some of the other colleges you apply to are not in the same category as WashU regarding Merit scholarships.</p>