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Freshman & Running Start Students
You're considered a freshman for admission purposes if:
- You're applying to WSU for the academic year immediately after graduating from high school (Running Start students are considered freshmen for admission purposes).
- You haven't attended college since high school graduation and are under 25.
If you'll be 25 years or older on your first day of classes at WSU and have less than a full year of college work to transfer, you should apply as an adult student.
Admission Requirements
Prerequisites
The state of Washington maintains a set of academic core requirements (the College Academic Distribution Requirements, or CADRs) that all students have to meet to qualify for college.admission.
If you’re applying for admission directly from high school, you must maintain a satisfactory academic record and complete graduation before you enroll at the University.
Freshmen can select from these undergraduate degrees:
- Business Administration
(majors in Accounting, Accounting Information Systems, Business Administration, or Management and Operations)* - Computer Science
- Digital Technology and Culture
- Education (Elementary Education)*
- Electrical Engineering
- English
- History
- Humanities
- Psychology
- Social Sciences
(concentrations in Anthropology, Criminal Justice, Human Resources/Personnel, Psychology, or Sociology)
*May require one or more community college courses.
How to apply
Admission steps
1. Fill out the application, and fill it out early!
Admission is offered to qualified applicants on a first-come, first-served basis. Some of the WSU application materials may indicate a Jan. 31 “priority” deadline, but applications still can be submitted online. We encourage you to apply — be sure to check the box for the Tri-Cities campus.
If you choose to attend a different semester than the one indicated on your application, you’ll need to re-apply. The priority deadline to apply for admission in spring semester is November 15.
2. Provide your transcripts and test scores.
- Have your high school send your official transcripts to WSU.
- If you have college credit through Running Start or a similar program, ask the college to send a transcript to WSU.
- Have your SAT or ACT scores sent to WSU.
Transcripts and test scores must be sent directly from the college or testing agency to WSU Tri-Cities.
3. Write your personal statement.
Is it mandatory? No. Could it make the difference between admission and denial? Possibly.
Use these questions to tell us about yourself and aspects of your life that are not evident from other information in your admission application.
The personal statement gives you a chance to tell us more about yourself — your experiences and abilities — than a standard application can do. Answering the questions thoughtfully and presenting yourself clearly in writing helps you prove you have the skills you'll need to use in college classes (and you'll need it for the scholarship application anyway).
You can submit the personal statement with your admission application or do it separately at www.wsu.edu/statement .
4. Send in your application!
If applying electronically (our preferred method), you must pay your $50 (U.S.) application fee with a credit card.
If applying on paper, print a copy of the admission application from the University website, complete it, and return it by mail. Remember to complete and sign the application and to attach your application fee to the form. Make checks or money orders payable to WSU.
Return the application along with check or money order (no cash) to the following address:
Washington State University Tri-Cities
Office of Admissions
2710 Crimson Way
Richland, WA 99354
Questions? Contact admission at 509-372-7250 or contact your regional recruiter!