WashU plans to add early action, among other changes, to the upcoming undergraduate admissions cycle. (Sam Powers | Contributing Photographer)

WashU Admissions is set to add an Early Action (EA) option and a priority deadline for scholarship programs for the 2026-2027 admissions cycle — adding flexibility for prospective students and streamlining the scholarship process. The University is also planning to remove its optional essay and factor demonstrated interest into its admissions decisions.

Unlike Early Decision, EA allows students to apply early to universities without having to commit to the college if accepted. EA applicants will receive their offers in December and will need to make their decision by May 1. Assistant Vice Provost and Executive Director of Admissions, Grace Chapin James, shared that an EA round was introduced to offer applicants more time to explore WashU alongside other options.

“We’ve gotten questions over time from both students and school counselors about whether we could offer a more flexible option for students to hear from us early,” James said. “It just kind of came into focus that it was a good time for us to make that change.”

Since the 2027 cycle will be the first year WashU implements these changes, James said that it will be hard to predict how these policies will affect WashU’s applicant pool and acceptance rates.

First-year Hashim Benlhabib sees the value in EA for people like his sister, who is in high school and approaching the college admissions process.

“I don’t think she has one school that’s her dream school right now, and so I don’t see her [applying] ED anywhere,” Benlhabib said. “Early Action presents an option where she could apply to WashU, where she might not have otherwise until Regular Decision.”

Benlhabib also said the Early Action policy could give more agency to students waiting on additional financial information.

“I was never afraid to apply ED [to WashU] because I knew that WashU was going to have very good financial aid for me,” Benlhabib said. “People in the middle who aren’t necessarily going to get a full ride but [can’t] easily afford the full tuition may lean more towards Early Action.”

To WashU Admissions, demonstrated interest includes participating in virtual info sessions and Bear Chats, as well as signing up for WashU’s mailing list, among other factors. Attending campus tours, according to the admissions website, sits “[o]n the top of our list (and hopefully yours!).”

When first-year Elise Hanna first heard about the changes, she was concerned that demonstrated interest, specifically attending in-person campus tours, could disadvantage students who don’t have the financial means to travel for a university visit.

“I honestly don’t love that they’re adding [EA] because I feel like something that makes WashU a really great option for a lot of students is the financial feasibility aspect, and I think demonstrated interest … is a limiting factor for a lot of people,” Hanna said.

In response to this concern, James said the Office of Undergraduate Admissions hosts events for prospective applicants nationwide. These, along with online info sessions, will all be considered demonstrated interest, allowing applicants from differing backgrounds to engage with the school.

“Participating in all of these kinds of things is considered demonstrated interest,” James said. “Those who [don’t] have the financial or social resources to visit campus still [have] the opportunity to learn about WashU that we will consider.”

The University also announced that it will continue its test-optional policy — a policy that peer institutions such as Georgetown, Purdue, and Cornell have begun to phase out. WashU’s policy was first introduced in the 2021 application in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

According to James, the decision was made after analyzing internal data regarding student success.

“We feel that it’s responsible to continue being test-optional,” James said. “It’s a process that allows us to include students from a wide range of backgrounds and also where we see students finding success on campus.”

Hanna responded positively to the University continuing this policy, as it gives applicants the opportunity to be viewed beyond their standardized test scores.

“I like that WashU is staying test-optional,” Hanna said. “I think it allows people to have their applications be viewed in a more holistic way rather than just a number on a standardized test.”

James said that the University will continue to work towards improving admissions in the years to come.

“We are a school that really likes to make informed decisions,” James said. “I will continue evaluating this and using that information to make choices for future classes.”