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William & Mary Admission Requirements

Williamsburg, Virginia

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Your chances of getting into College of William and Mary

Admission Rate & Difficulty

Percent Admitted 

33.5%
Admission Difficulty for College of William and Mary
Measure Difficulty
Admission Standards Exceptional 
Applicant Competition High 

Acceptance Rate

The acceptance rate at William & Mary is 33.5%.  Its admission rate is the 6th lowest in Virginia and the 129th lowest the nation.

Admission Selectivity

How hard is it to get into William & Mary and can you get accepted?

William & Mary is a highly competitive school to get into. You have a moderate chance of acceptance if you meet the admission criteria. Last year, 6,059 out of the 18,087 who applied were admitted.

College of William and Mary typically accepts and attracts "A-" average high school students with an average GPA around 3.85. Most incoming freshmen graduate in the top ten percent of their high school class or better. 27% of those admitted chose to enroll in the school.

Can you get into William & Mary?

33% are accepted, can you get in? Use the admission calculator to see if you have the grades and test scores needed to get in. See your admission chances based on your extracurriculars, intended major, background, and more.

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Admission Requirements in Brief

To have the best chance of getting into to College of William and Mary you should:

  • Have a high school GPA of 3.85 or better
  • Earn A- grades in high school
  • Score 1450 on the SAT
  • Score 33 on the ACT
  • Graduate in the top 10% of your high school class

William & Mary GPA

GPA Requirements & Average GPA

Avg. High School GPA 

3.85*

Typical High School Grades 

A-

What GPA do you need to get into College of William and Mary?

GPA Requirements

The GPA requirements for getting into William & Mary are to have around a 3.85 high school GPA. You are required to have exceptionally good grades and you should be graduating near the top of your class.

Even with a competitive GPA, admission to William & Mary will be challenging as the school denies more applicants than it admits.

Average GPA

The average unweighted GPA at William & Mary is 3.85 on the 4.0 scale. 86% of students who get in have perfect 4.0 GPA's in high school. To achieve the average GPA for admission, you need to earn A- letter grades and regularly score around 90-92 percent on tests and assignments in high school.  The school ranks #3 in Virginia for highest average GPA.

Importance of GPA

Since William & Mary is a test optional college, extra focus will be placed on your GPA when the school considers your application. As a result, it is very important that you meet the GPA requirements.

See additional colleges accepting applicants in the 3.9 GPA range.

Competitiveness by GPA Ranges

The table below outlines the number of admitted freshmen by GPA range as well as how competitive your GPA will be as compared with other applicants.

High School GPA's for admitted College of William and Mary students
High School GPA Freshmen Within Range Competitiveness 
4.0 85.84% Avg
3.75 to 3.99 10.42% Avg -
3.50 to 3.74 2.94% Reach
3.25 to 3.49 0.73% Reach
3.00 to 3.24 0.07% Low
2.50 to 2.99 0% Low
2.00 to 2.49 0% Low
1.00 to 1.99 0% Low
less than 1.00 0% Low

 What do these chances mean?

*This school has not published high school GPA data for its incoming freshman class. In these cases, CollegeSimply uses an algorithm to predict GPA based on this school's test scores and a large sample of college GPA data. 3.85 is a prediction of the school's average incoming freshman GPA.

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William & Mary SAT Scores

Testing Requirements

Submission of SAT or ACT scores is not required for admission to College of William and Mary. If you optionally submit test scores, they will be considered with your application, but they are not mandatory. 52% of students submitted SAT scores and 18% submitted ACT scores for admission for the most recent academic year..

SAT Requirements & Average SAT Score

SAT Range 

1375-1520

Applicants Submitting SAT 

52%
SAT Scores for College of William and Mary
SAT Test 25th Percentile Score
Reading 25th Percentile 695
Math 25th Percentile 680
Composite 25th Percentile 1375
SAT Scores for College of William and Mary
SAT Test 75th Percentile Score
Reading 75th Percentile 750
Math 75th Percentile 770
Composite 75th Percentile 1520
Average SAT Score 1450

SAT Scores you need to get in

What are the SAT requirements for you to be admitted to College of William and Mary?

Average Score & Range

The average SAT score at William & Mary is 1450 out of 1600 and the range for the middle 50% of accepted students is 1375-1520. Students who get into College of William and Mary score in the top 100 percent of all SAT test takers..  William & Mary ranks #4 in the state of Virginia and #58 in the nation for highest average SAT composite score.

Score for Acceptance

You should target scoring 1450 or above to be most competitive with other applicants. William & Mary regularly admits students with SAT scores down to 1375 on a 1600 scale. However, three quarter of admitted students score higher. If you score below a 1375, admission should be considered a reach. Some students may be accepted with minimum SAT's as low as 1300, but scores this low are outside the normal range.

Score Submission Requirements

College of William and Mary is a test optional school meaning do not have to submit SAT scores with your application. The position on SAT scores from the college is "not required for admission, but considered if submitted (test optional)".

View other colleges which accept students in the 1450 SAT score range.

Data Sources, IPEDS for Fall 2022 starting class

Chance of Acceptance by SAT Score

The table below outlines your predicted admission chances based on SAT score alone. If you are an average applicant with a score of 1447, you have around a 33% chance of being admitted. A 1520 places you well ahead of most other applicants and gives you about a 48% chance of getting in.

College of William and Mary admission chances by SAT score
SAT Score (1600 scale) Competitiveness  Admission Chances 
1520 and Above Good >48%
1447 to 1520 Avg + 33%-48%
1375 to 1447 Avg - 21%-33%
1303 to 1375 Reach 12%-21%
Less than 1303 Low <12%
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William & Mary ACT Scores

ACT Requirements & Average ACT Score

ACT Range 

32-34 

Applicants Submitting ACT 

18%
ACT Scores for College of William and Mary
ACT Test 25th Percentile Score
Reading 25th Percentile 34
Math 25th Percentile 28
Composite 25th Percentile 32
ACT Scores for College of William and Mary
ACT Test 75th Percentile Score
Reading 75th Percentile 35
Math 75th Percentile 34
Composite 75th Percentile 34
Average ACT Score 33

ACT Scores needed to get accepted

What are the ACT requirements for students to get into William & Mary?

Score Range

The average ACT score for admitted students to William & Mary is 33, while the middle 50% of students (25th to 75th percentile) score between a 32 and 34.  The school ranks #1 in Virginia and #52 in the U.S. for highest average ACT composite score.

Score for Acceptance

For the best chance of admission, you should have an ACT of 33. This will place you in solid competition against other applicants. At a minimum, you should aim for a 32 and score in the score in the top 3 percent nationally.

18 percent of applicants submit ACT scores to College of William and Mary.

Score Submission Requirements

You do not have to to submit ACT scores with your application as College of William and Mary is test optional. The policy from the school on ACT scores is "not required for admission, but considered if submitted (test optional)".

Find other colleges with similar ACT score requirements

Data Sources, IPEDS for Fall 2022 starting class

Chance of Acceptance by ACT Score

Here are your predicted chances of getting into William & Mary for different ACT score ranges. A typical applicant with a 33 score has around 33% chance of getting in. Your odds increase to about 48% with a 34 ACT score.

College of William and Mary admission chances by ACT score
ACT Score Competitiveness  Admission Chances 
34 and Above Good >48%
33 to 34 Avg + 33%-48%
32 to 33 Avg - 21%-33%
31 to 32 Reach 12%-21%
Less than 31 Low <12%
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High School Class Rank

82% of College of William and Mary freshman are in the top ten percent of their high school graduating class. For your application to be competitive, you need to graduate at the top of your class.

High School Class Rank for admitted College of William and Mary students
High School Class Rank Freshmen Within Range
Top 10% of class 82%
Top 25% of class 97%
Top 50% of class 99%
Data Source, Peterson's Data

Applying

Admission Statistics

Admission and enrollment rates by gender are detailed the the table below.

College of William and Mary admission statistics
Women Men Total
Applied 11,246 6,841 18,087
Accepted 3,398 2,661 6,059
Acceptance Rate 30% 39% 33%
Enrolled 917 725 1,642
Percent of Admitted Who Enrolled (Admission Yield) 27% 27% 27%
Data Sources, IPEDS for Fall 2022 starting class

Fall 2024 Application Deadline

Applications Due

Jan 2, 2025

Days left to Apply

56

Applicants have 56 days left until the Fall 2024 term applications are due on Jan 2, 2025.

Application Fee

The cost for prospective students to apply to College of William and Mary is $75.

Application Requirements

What are the requirements for admission to College of William and Mary and what student information is used for admission decisions?

College of William and Mary Application Requirements
Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
High School GPA Required to be considered for admission
High School Class Rank Not required for admission, but considered if submitted
Completion of College Preparatory Program Required to be considered for admission
Recommendations Required to be considered for admission
Demonstration of Competencies Not considered for admission, even if submitted

Credits Accepted

High School Credits Accepted at College of William and Mary
AP Credit Yes
Dual Credit Yes
Credit for Life Experiences No

Admission Requirements Summary

Because William & Mary is highly competitive, you have a moderate chance of acceptance depending on your GPA and test scores. If you earn at least a 3.85 GPA, you will have a fair shot at getting in. Additionally, you should score a 1450 on the SAT or 33 on the ACT to be competitive. If you can score a 1520 SAT you will be a very strong applicant.

Other Colleges to Apply To 

Students applying to College of William and Mary often consider these colleges

Primary data source, U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov/collegenavigator/?id=231624 IPEDS survey data for College of William and Mary.

Last updated February 24, 2024