2028 Class Profile

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Admissions & Aid

2028 Class Profile

There is no single formula for a successful application. We are looking for an exceptional group of intellectually curious students who will actively and positively contribute to the W&L community. We consider a wide range of factors in addition to your academic record. These include extra-curricular involvement, character, interest in attending W&L, and other personal qualities.

Meet the Class of 2028

Applied 8,140
Admitted 1,149
Enrolled 472
263 Early Decision 1, Early Decision II and QuestBridge Offers
207 Regular Decision
2 students on a gap year in 2023-24

49% Men
51% Women
<1% Non-Binary
7% Johnson Scholars
10% International Students
22% Domestic Students of Color
(students identifying as Asian American, African American, Hispanic, Native American, Pacific Islander and multi-racial)
10% First-Generation College Students
9% Children of Alumni
6% QuestBridge Finalists
26% Recruited Athletes

High School Background

54% Public / Charter School
45% Independent / Parochial School
<1% United World College
<1% Home School / Other

Curriculum Background

91% with AP, Advanced International Certificate of Education, and/or IB coursework
63% studied four years or more of at least one world language
81% completed at least one level of IB Math or a calculus course
84% studied four or more years' worth of lab science

Scores*

33-34 Middle 50% ACT Composite
34 Median ACT
1440-1520 Middle 50% SAT
1480 Median SAT

*for the 43% of enrolling students who submitted scores during the test-optional year

Percentage of students submitting test scores: Applied - 41% submitted, 59% not-submitted; Admitted: 57% submitted, 43% not-submitted; Enrolled: 43% submitted, 57% not-submitted

Financial Aid Information

60% Students Receiving W&L Grant Assistance
$65,637 Average Need-Based Grant
$67,552 Average Institutional Award (need and/or merit-based)
15% Pell Grant Recipients

Geographic Breakdown

Representation by region: Virginia - 17%, Mid-Atlantic - 19%, Southeast - 21%, South - 14%, Midwest - 10%, West - 4%, Northeast - 6%, International - 10%

  • 31 countries of origin represented
  • 40 U.S. states/territories represented
  • 24 languages, including English, spoke at home

Class of 2028 Engagement

We are thrilled to welcome this class of academically talented, curious, creative and courageous students, each of whom uniquely — and capably — emerged from the most selective process in the university’s undergraduate history. Their leadership, community engagement, entrepreneurship, and resilience were prominent throughout high school. They served as honor council members, founders of dozens of clubs and non-profit organizations, student body presidents, published authors, state champion athletes and musicians, community servants, Girls and Boys State and Nation representatives, interns, editors in chief, family translators, Gold Award recipients, and Eagle Scouts plus:

In a band that opened for the Goo Goo Dolls and Prince, CDC intern, State ambassador for the U.S. State Department, firefighter, Culver City Historical Society researcher, internationally ranked pianist (Tchaikovsky category), summited the highest mountain in Norway, member of the National Speleological Society, state chair for Young Journalists of America, Consular Services intern for High Commission of Rwanda, television commercial actor, founder of local Amnesty International chapter, Ukrainian parliament intern, US traditional Kung Fu team member, host of Desktop History Podcast, Sea Turtle Patrol member, Jackie Robinson Day Celebration founder, Rugby Club founder, scriptwriter for public radio show, FBLA state president, high school trapshooting team member, published poet, Disability Law Center of Virginia intern, director of cooking team in world gourmet festival, assistant bear keeper at the Grizzly and Wolf Discovery Center.

Some of their jobs included:

Blueberry farmer, zookeeper, shift lead at Dunkin’, voice actor, barber, floral designer, ski school instructor, doula, superhero at birthday parties, nurses’ assistant, horologist, construction worker, DJ, Christmas tree salesperson, music instructor, referee, ice cream scooper, welder, mosquito control business owner, assistant at Treehouse World.