A prestigious public research university, the College of William & Mary is the second-oldest higher education college in the US.
The College of William & Mary is located in Williamsburg, Virginia, known for its business administration, political science, and psychology programs.
Additionally, it produced three U.S. Presidents: Thomas Jefferson, James Monroe, and John Tyler.
In 2022, William & Mary was named the #15 in Forbes’ Top Public University and #41 in Forbes’ Top Colleges. Furthermore, the Princeton Review recognized it as the best public school in the nation for internships, #8 in best science lab facilities, and #9 in happiest student body.
Due to its rigorous academics and highly selective admissions process, William & Mary is widely regarded as one of the “Public Ivies.”
To gain entrance to this college, it’s important to have a competitive GPA, SAT/ACT score, and class rank.
In 2021, 86.29% of admitted students graduated with 4.0 GPA.
The middle 50% of SAT/ACT were 1380-1520 and 32-34, respectively. Moreover, 77% of the admitted class in 2021 graduated in the top ten percent of their class.
To maximize the opportunity to be admitted at William & Mary, students may find it advantageous to apply early. Let’s explore why!
William & Mary Early Decision Acceptance Rate
The College of William & Mary early decision acceptance rate is 49%, which makes entry reasonably competitive.
The average acceptance rate for colleges and universities in the United States hovers around 70.1%, meaning that the College of William & Mary has an above-average competition level.
For the class of 2026, there were 18,087 total applicants. Of these applicants, approximately 1,247 applied early decision. Forty-two percent of successful candidates were in-state students, while the out-of-state admission rate was close to 28%.
The early decision acceptance rate has remained fairly steady in recent years. In previous years, the early decision admission rate was closer to 49% as well.
If William & Mary is a top choice for applicants, it is advisable to apply in one of the early decision rounds. Applicants have a significantly high chance of being admitted during the early decision rounds, since the regular decision rate is only 33%.
William & Mary Early Decision Application Deadline
The College of William & Mary offers two early decision cycles: Early Decision I and Early Decision II.
The deadline for Early Decision 1 is November 1. For Early Decision II, applicants must complete and submit application materials by January 9.
Applicants will be notified of an update to their applications via email. To check this status, William & Mary applicants will be routed to their applicant account.
Students will be met with one of three decision outcomes: Accepted, Rejected, or Deferred.
Deferred students will then be shuffled to the regular decision pool, where they will subsequently be accepted or rejected.
If accepted during one of the Early Decision rounds, students are contractually obligated to attend William & Mary the following fall.
Because of this, students wishing to defer enrollment are advised to only apply through the binding early decision process.
William & Mary ED Decision Date
The College of William & Mary ED decision date occurs in two separate rounds.
Early Decision I applicants are expected to hear back sometime in early December, while Early Decision II applicants will be notified in early February.
William & Mary only accepts students through the Early Decision I, Early Decision II, and Regular Decision rounds.
If accepted in the Early Decision rounds, applicants must confirm their enrollment at William & Mary by making a non-refundable deposit within two weeks of receiving an acceptance letter. Additionally, students must withdraw outstanding applications at other universities.
Should You Apply to the College of William & Mary for Early Decision?
If students feel passionate about attending William and Mary, then it is highly encouraged for them to apply early to maximize their chances at being accepted.
Furthermore, since the Early Decision programs are binding, it is important that students are ready to commit to the College of William & Mary if accepted.
Given the two rounds of Early Decision, interested applicants have ample time to put together a stellar application.
Overall, if students are seeking to attend a preeminent public school, the College of William & Mary can be a great fit.
