College of William and Mary: insights

College of William and Mary

What College of William and Mary's own numbers say, from its Common Data Set 2025-26.

40% of applicants applied without a test score, but only about 38% of the class enrolled without one.
The share of international students in the first-year class has fallen from 7% to 2% since 2019-20, about 0.6 points a year.
Early Decision filled about 45% of the 2025-26 first-year class, more than 82% of similar colleges.
After ED, 904 of 1,639 seats were left for 15,418 other applicants: about one seat for every 17.
ED applicants were admitted at 50%, against 35.7% for everyone else: 1.4 times the rate.
1,901 students stayed on the waitlist and 103 were admitted from it (5.4%).
Applications rose 15% from 2018-19 to 2025-26 (14,644 to 16,895).
Women were admitted at a lower rate: 34.7% for women against 40.8% for men.

From students' own posts on Reddit and admissions forums: self-reported, unverified, never used in your odds.

Most admits who named a round applied Regular Decision (27 of 31); 4 said Early Decision.
Debate, speech, Model UN or quiz bowl was a very common spike, often as captain or founder, with state or national results.
Most admits held leadership roles, such as club founder or president, team captain, student government officer or honor society officer.
Many admits did research, policy work or published writing, such as papers, legislative drafting, lab programs and journal articles.
Many admits had jobs or family duties, such as caregiving for siblings, food service, childcare, retail or running a small business.
Students report W&M gives little merit aid, and the Monroe Scholarship is a research stipend and honor rather than a big tuition cut.
Students report ED admit rates around 47 percent versus about 33 percent for regular decision, though athletes and ED2 mix into the numbers.
Students report W&M weighs sustained, well-aligned activities, interest and the interview, not stats alone.
Students report waitlisted applicants may be offered guaranteed spring admission after a semester at a Virginia community college or studying abroad.
Students report an early postcard from an admissions officer arrives weeks before decisions and signals an admit.