Class of 2013 Arrives at Washington and Lee University
Washington and Lee University welcomed 473 members of its Class of 2013 to the campus on Saturday, Sept. 5, for the start of a five-day orientation.
The 238 women and 235 men who compose this year’s class hail from 44 states, the District of Columbia and 17 foreign countries.
The first-year students were selected from an applicant pool of 6,222. They boast not only a strong academic profile but also an impressive record of leadership in their schools and communities.
• Watch a video of the Class of 2013 moving in
The class includes 38 Johnson Scholars – students selected for the University’s prestigious scholarship that recognizes individuals with exceptional leadership potential, personal promise and academic achievement. This is the second year W&L has enrolled first-year students under the Johnson Program, which was established through a $100 million gift to the University. Each Johnson Scholar has at least his or her tuition, room and board paid in full. The 38 Johnson Scholars were chosen from among more than 2,000 who applied for the award.
Nearly half of the entering class (47%) has received grant assistance from the University, which is the highest percentage in the school’s history. W&L has a adopted a policy of not requiring loans as part of the financial aid package, and the average University-funded grant is $35,000 this year.
The average SAT scores for the entering class are 697 in critical reading, 695 in math and 689 in writing. The average ACT composite is 31, and the average class rank was in the top 8 percent.
The class includes 23 National Merit Scholars and Finalists, along with 52 secondary school valedictorians and salutatorians. There are 44 members of the entering class who will be the first ones in their families to attend college.
In addition, 47 of the first-year students served as either president or vice president of their student bodies or senior classes, 120 were presidents of student organizations, 193 captained varsity athletic teams and 87 had significant community service experience.
Almost 12 percent of the class are members of American ethnic and racial minorities, while 6 percent are international students.
Geographically, the highest percentage of entering students (13 percent) comes from Virginia, followed by Texas and New York with 7 percent, and New Jersey and North Carolina with 6 percent.
About 150 of the entering students arrived a week early to participate in a pre-orientation program that involved community service or an outdoor experience, with the remainder of the class arriving on Saturday. Orientation features a variety of events to help the entering students become acclimated to the campus before classes begin on Thursday, Sept. 10.
