1. [College research](/) 2. / 3. [George Washington University](/school/george-washington-university/) 4. / 5. Admissions & selectivity Admissions & selectivity Copy linkPrint brief # George Washington University Acceptance Rate & Admissions Updated October 1, 2026 [Overview](/school/george-washington-university/)[Cost & aid](/school/george-washington-university/cost/)[Outcomes](/school/george-washington-university/outcomes/)Admissions[Majors](/school/george-washington-university/majors/)[Similar schools](/school/george-washington-university/similar/) **On this page**+ ## What is the acceptance rate at GWU? GWU’s reported acceptance rate is 47.1%. **Acceptance rate · Fall 2024** 47.1% Source: College Scorecard · Fall 2024 admissions. Acceptance rates can change from year to year; this figure does not predict the current or next admission cycle. First-year applicants and admitted students · CDS 2025-26 **Applicants** 27,034 **Admitted** 12,741 Source: George Washington University Common Data Set 2025-26, C1 · first-time, first-year students. How to interpret the acceptance rate Admission to George Washington University was 47.1%, a smaller share than the median of 47.1% for comparable institutions (same type and size). The rate records the share admitted from the reported applicant pool, rather than setting an academic threshold. In its 2025-26 Common Data Set, the university reported 27,034 first-year applicants, 12,741 admitted applicants, and 2,405 enrolled students. Applicants should use the published score ranges and grade information to decide how this university fits within an application list. This rate summarizes a past applicant pool and does not forecast an individual admission decision. ## What SAT and ACT scores do enrolled GWU students report? In its 2025-26 Common Data Set, the university reported that 21% of enrolled first-year students submitted a high-school class rank. Among them, 44% were in the upper ten percent of their class, 77% in the upper twenty-five percent, and 96% in the upper fifty percent. 37% of the entering class submitted SAT scores; among those enrolled students, the middle half scored between 1310 and 1450. 14% submitted ACT scores, and the middle half of those enrolled students fell between 31 and 34. Applicants can use the 1310 to 1450 SAT range and the 31 to 34 ACT range as context for enrolled submitters, not as admission minimums. The ranges below describe enrolled students who submitted test scores at GWU. Use them as academic context, then check the university’s current testing policy for your application cycle. **37% of entering students submitted SAT scores** SAT: reported composite scores **25th percentile** 1310 **Median** 1390 **75th percentile** 1450 CDS 2025-26 · enrolled first-year score submitters. This range is not an admission cutoff. **14% of entering students submitted ACT scores** ACT: reported composite scores **25th percentile** 31 **Median** 32 **75th percentile** 34 CDS 2025-26 · enrolled first-year score submitters. This range is not an admission cutoff. Source: George Washington University Common Data Set 2025-26, C9 · Enrolled first-time, first-year score submitters. ## Who enrolls at GWU? **Pell Grant recipients** 15.8% **Entering students outside the first-time, full-time group** 19.4% **First-year retention** 92.2% Retention source: College Scorecard; full-time first-year retention. About these student measures The entering-student group includes part-time entrants as well as other attendance patterns. George Washington University enrolls undergraduates through both direct entry and transfer routes, with 15.8% of its undergraduates receiving Pell Grants. Federal enrollment data list 11,182 undergraduates, and the estimated share of entrants outside the first-time, full-time group is 19.4%. That mix suggests a student body that includes aid recipients and people continuing coursework begun elsewhere, rather than one uniform entry route. In its 2025-26 Common Data Set, the university reported 2,229 degree-seeking transfer applicants, 1,339 admitted, and 582 enrolled. In its 2025-26 Common Data Set, the university reported that 91% of the first-time, full-time fall 2024 entering class returned for a second year. For the first-time, full-time fall 2019 entering class, the [six-year graduation rate](/analysis/what-the-graduation-rate-doesnt-count/) was 82.5%, and Pell Grant recipients in that cohort completed at 82.1%, below the overall rate. Federal figures place first-year retention at 92.2%, above the peer median of 90.1% for comparable institutions. The six-year graduation rate is 84.0%, likewise above the peer median of 80.0%. Pell recipients finish at 74.5%, 9.5 percentage points below the overall rate. Enrolled students can expect a campus where most entrants return and finish. ## Data & methodology Sources and reporting periods: [methodology](/methodology/). Analysis and methodology by [Daniel Rogers](/about/#founder), founder of College Azimuth. Explanatory text is AI-assisted drafting checked against those figures; it is not an additional data source. Admission rates describe past applicants, not an individual’s chance of admission; confirm requirements and deadlines with the institution. Figure notes link to sources and limitations. [About College Azimuth](/about/).