Admissions
Getting in, fall 2024
Illinois Wesleyan admits about 1 in 3 applicants (39%). That puts it in the "Very selective" tier, more selective than 90% of the 1,547 colleges that report admissions.
Out of every 100 applicants…
The funnel
No application fee
Grants credit for AP exams
Men and women
Men were admitted at 32%, women at 46%.
Yield
12% of admitted students enroll, on the lower end nationally.
Uses a wait list; numbers not published
Applying early
Early action (not binding): apply by Nov 15; decisions by Dec 15
No early decision plan.
Where you stand
How Illinois Wesleyan reads a record
is very important; class rank and tests are both important. Scores are optional. 21% of first-years sent an SAT and 10% an ACT. Most first-years were admitted without scores. Requires 4 years of English, 3 of math, 3 of science, and 2 of social studies. See the years by subject
What they look at
Considers whether an applicant's parent attended (legacy status).
- High school GPA
- Considered
- High school record
- Required
- Class rank
- Considered
- College-prep program
- Considered
- Recommendations
- Required
- Essay
- Considered
- Legacy status
- Considered
- Work experience
- Considered
- Demonstration of competencies
- Required
- English proficiency test
- Required
- Other tests
- Not considered
Transferring in
50% of transfer applicants were admittedvs. 39% of first-year applicants
234 applied · 118 admitted
Minimum college GPA: 2.0
Grants credit for course work completed at another college
Dates
- Fall entry: priority date June 1
- Spring entry: priority date December 1
What the application needs
- High school transcript
- Required
- College transcripts
- Required
- Essay or personal statement
- Required
- Interview
- Recommended
- Standardized test scores
- Required
- Statement of good standing from a prior college
- Recommended for some
Applying
The regular round, as the college reports it. Early rounds have their own dates.
- Admitted students may postpone enrollment for a gap year. Longest postponement: 1 Year.
What you'll need in high school
Requires a high school diploma; accepts the GED.
Recommends a college-preparatory program in high school.
| Years of | Required |
|---|---|
| English | 4 |
| Math | 3 |
| Science (lab: 2) | 3 |
| Foreign language | 3 |
| Social studies | 2 |
| Total | 15 |
A unit is a year of the subject; lab science is part of science.
On the admissions map
↑ SAT midpoint (higher = higher scores)
Fall 2023 first-years
First-years' high school GPA
Average GPA 3.80
High schools grade differently, and colleges recalculate or weight GPAs their own way, so compare this college only with itself.
This college publishes an average but not a breakdown.
32% were in the top tenth of their high school class, 71% in the top quarter, of the 10% whose high school reported a rank.
Source:Illinois Wesleyan University Common Data Set 2023–24, Fall 2023About the data(retrieved 2026-10-12)
Test scores
What enrolled first-years scored
The typical enrolled first-year who sent scores is around 1230 on the SAT, 60 points above the median for colleges that report scores.
Optional
Scores are considered if you send them. For students who entered in fall 2024.
Where would you land?
Middle 50% of enrolled first-years who sent scores This college's median National median midpoint
Who submitted scores?
submitted SAT
submitted ACT
Read with care: fewer than half of enrolled students submitted either test, so these ranges may run high. Learn about admissions.
Sources:IPEDS Admissions survey, Fall 2024;IPEDS Institutional Characteristics survey, 2023–24;IPEDS Institutional Characteristics survey (athletics, programs, services, religious affiliation), 2025–26;Illinois Wesleyan University Common Data Set 2023–24, 2023–24;Illinois Wesleyan University Common Data Set 2023–24, Fall 2023;Illinois Wesleyan University Common Data Set 2020–21, Fall 2022 applicants;Illinois Wesleyan University Common Data Set 2023–24, Fall 2024 cycleAbout the data(retrieved 2026-10-12)