First-Year Students
A Whitman education is about developing the broad foundation of knowledge as well as the critical thinking and communication skills you need to lead a life of distinction and service. It's about lifelong learning and lifelong friendships. Discovering who you are and who you want to be during your four years on campus. It's about developing the right values and achieving the right balance between the intellectual, professional, social, and personal aspects of your life.
Application Instructions
To complete an application for admission, please submit the items specified in the Application Checklist.
Whitman College offers three decision deadlines: two Early Decision, and one Regular Decision. For more information on these application types, see the relevant sections below.
If you both believe Whitman is your first choice school, and you intend to enroll if admitted, you may consider enrolling Early Decision. We offer two Early Decision application dates, one earlier in the semester at Nov. 15 (Early Decision I) and one later in the semester on Jan. 10 (Early Decision II). All parts of your application must be postmarked by Nov. 15 for Early Decision I and Jan. 10 for Early Decision II.
Learn more about applying Early Decision and see answers to our frequently asked questions.
Admission decisions will be mailed one month after each application due date. All Early Decision candidates who are also applying for financial aid will receive a financial aid notification packet shortly after the admission decision is received.
To apply, on your Common Application, select either Early Decision I or Early Decision II on the Whitman College-specific section. You'll also need to electronically sign the Early Decision Agreement Form and provide email addresses for a parent/guardian and your school counselor, each of whom will need to electronically sign the agreement as well. You can also print the form to sign and send back to our office. Please Note: The agreement states that Whitman is your first-choice college, and, if admitted and if the financial aid works out, you will attend Whitman and withdraw all other college applications.
If you plan to apply to more than one college, our Regular Decision program is the plan under which you should apply to Whitman. Unlike Early Decision, Regular Decision applications are non-binding. In order to apply Regular Decision, you must have submitted your application credentials by January 15. Regular Decision applications submitted by December 1 are eligible for an application fee waiver. Regular Admission Decision Notification will generally be sent out by April 1, with the Enrollment Deposit due from admitted students no later than May 1.