WashU

Washington University in St. Louis School of Medicine St. Louis, MO · Private · MD

Average MCAT: 520
Average GPA: 3.88
Class size: 123 (6,138 applicants)
Tuition: $67,968 (per year)
Out-of-state applicants: Welcome

Deadlines

AMCAS deadline: Oct. 15, 2026
Secondary deadline: Oct. 29, 2026

Essays

Failure (3,000 characters)

Describe a time or situation where you have been unsuccessful or failed.

Anything else (3,000 characters)

Is there anything else you would like to share with the Committee on Admissions?

Not enrolled full time (2,000 characters)

(Only required if you indicate you're not currently an undergrad) Have you already completed your undergraduate education, have you had your college or graduate education interrupted, or do you plan not to be a full-time student during your application year? If yes, describe in chronological order your activities during the time(s) when you were not enrolled as a full-time student.

WashU connection (4,000 characters)

Have you, a family member, or a research mentor had any personal experience or relationship with WashU Medicine? Yes/No If yes: Please explain.

MSTP research (1,800 characters)

Briefly describe the area of research you would like to explore in graduate school.

Editor's notes

Prepare for the closed-file interview. One of your two 25-minute faculty interviews is with someone who knows only your name, so you need to tell your own story from scratch, clearly and in order. Practice a two-minute version of who you are and why medicine. The standard interview will go deeper into your file.
Don't forget PREview. WashU requires it along with the MCAT, and the application isn't considered until the score is in. The last accepted test date is September 2026. Many schools don't ask for it, so check your calendar now.
The $103,047 first-year budget looks steep. Then look at the other numbers: 71% of the 2025 entering class had full tuition funding, merit review is automatic for every admit, and tuition is frozen at the first-year rate. Apply on fit.
MSTP deadlines come a month earlier than M.D. deadlines: AMCAS by Sept. 16, supplemental by Sept. 30, letters by Oct. 7. With rolling admission and a screen before the supplemental, even M.D. applicants gain from filing well before Oct. 15.