How does the college acceptance calculator work?

CollegeCalcAI uses data from the U.S. Department of Education, NCES IPEDS, and Common Data Sets to calculate your personalized acceptance chances at over 1,100 schools based on your GPA, test scores, extracurriculars, and more.

Is CollegeCalcAI free?

Yes, you get 2 free calculations with no account required. Premium features including AI-powered personalized strategy, unlimited calculations, and school matching start at $4.99/month or $19.99/year.

How accurate is the college chances calculator?

CollegeCalcAI uses real admissions data and a deterministic scoring model calibrated against 32 test scenarios across 9 student profiles and 6 school tiers. While no calculator can guarantee admission, our estimates are based on the same data admissions offices report publicly.

What schools are in the CollegeCalcAI database?

CollegeCalcAI includes over 1,100 schools across all 50 states including Ivy League, NCAA Division I, II, III, NAIA, and Christian colleges. Major universities like Harvard, Stanford, UCLA, Ohio State, Duke, Michigan, and hundreds more are included.

What is the AI strategy feature?

Premium users can generate a personalized AI-powered admissions strategy for any school. The AI analyzes your exact profile against the school admissions patterns and builds a custom 5-step action plan with your strengths, gaps, and specific steps to improve your chances.

Does CollegeCalcAI account for in-state vs out-of-state admission?

Yes. When you select your home state, CollegeCalcAI automatically applies an in-state residency bonus for public universities, reflecting the significant admissions advantage that in-state applicants receive at schools like UNC Chapel Hill, UCLA, University of Michigan, and other state flagships.

How does legacy status affect college admission chances?

Legacy status provides a meaningful admissions advantage, particularly at elite private universities where legacy applicants are historically admitted at 3-5x the regular rate. CollegeCalcAI's model scales the legacy boost based on school selectivity to reflect real-world admissions patterns.

Is CollegeCalcAI better than Reddit ChanceMe?

CollegeCalcAI provides instant, data-driven acceptance percentages based on real admissions data, while Reddit ChanceMe relies on subjective opinions from anonymous users. CollegeCalcAI also offers AI-powered personalized strategy with specific action plans, which ChanceMe does not provide.

Do SAT scores still matter for college admissions in 2026?

Yes, strong SAT and ACT scores still provide a meaningful admissions advantage at most schools, even those with test-optional policies. CollegeCalcAI lets you calculate your chances with and without test scores so you can make an informed decision about whether to submit yours.

How many AP classes do you need for college?

At elite schools, admitted students typically take 7-12 AP courses. At competitive state schools, 4-7 APs is common. CollegeCalcAI tracks both overall course rigor and specific AP count as separate factors, and the Power-Ups feature shows you exactly how adding more AP courses would impact your chances.

Washington University in St. Louis: Acceptance Rate and Your Chances

Updated June 2026 · CollegeCalcAI

Quick answer: Washington University in St. Louis has a 11% acceptance rate, which makes it a highly selective school. Admitted students typically score around 1550 on the SAT or 35 on the ACT. Use the free calculator below to estimate your personal odds at Washington University in St. Louis.

Acceptance rate	11%
SAT (75th percentile)	1550
ACT (75th percentile)	35
Location	MO
School type	Private

Washington University in St. Louis is a private research university in Missouri. With an acceptance rate of about 11%, it is one of the most selective private universities in the Midwest. Strong applicants from across the country compete for a limited number of spots each year.

Calculate your chances at Washington University in St. Louis free →

How hard is it to get into Washington University in St. Louis?

WashU's 11% acceptance rate puts it on par with schools that have much higher national name recognition. That means a lot of excellent students are being turned away every cycle. If you are applying, do not assume strong grades alone will carry you.

The school has become steadily more selective over time. Students who were admitted a decade ago with a certain profile would face a harder road today. The applicant pool is both larger and stronger than it used to be.

Test scores that make you competitive

At the 75th percentile, admitted students scored 1550 on the SAT and 35 on the ACT. Those are near the top of the possible range. Scoring at those levels suggests your academic preparation is not a limiting factor. Scoring meaningfully below them shifts more pressure onto the rest of your application.

WashU has offered test-optional admission in recent years. If your scores do not reflect what you are capable of, it is worth checking the current policy and deciding accordingly.

What Washington University in St. Louis looks for

WashU uses holistic admissions and is looking for students who have challenged themselves academically, thought carefully about what they want to study, and done something real with their time outside school. That could mean research, arts, athletics, work, or service, but depth and genuine engagement matter more than checking boxes.

Essays matter a lot here. WashU asks its own supplemental prompts specifically because it wants to understand why you want to be there. A vague or generic response to those questions is a missed opportunity.

Estimate your chances at Washington University in St. Louis

CollegeCalcAI offers a free calculator that estimates your personal odds at WashU based on your GPA, test scores, and activities. Plug in your numbers at collegecalcai.com to see where you realistically stand.

Frequently asked questions

What is Washington University in St. Louis's acceptance rate?

WashU accepts about 11% of applicants, placing it among the most selective private universities in the country.

What SAT or ACT score do I need for Washington University in St. Louis?

The 75th percentile SAT is 1550 and the ACT is 35. Those are the benchmarks for a competitive academic profile, though the school also weighs many non-score factors.

Is Washington University in St. Louis hard to get into?

Yes. An 11% acceptance rate means most applicants, including many with strong credentials, are not admitted.

See your real odds at Washington University in St. Louis

Use the free calculator →

Compare similar schools

See all 100 hardest colleges to get into →

Sources: U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS), NCES, and publicly reported Common Data Sets. Acceptance rate and score figures are rounded and reflect recent admissions cycles. How we calculate chances.