Washington University

Washington University was founded in 1853 as a private, coeducational institution. In 1904, the University moved to its present 169-acre hilltop campus bordering on 1,430 acres of Forest Park. The park lies between Washington University's main campus and its medical school campus. This 59-acre medical complex includes the school of medicine and the associated hospitals and institutes of Washington University Medical Center.

Undergraduate programs at the main campus are offered in arts and sciences, engineering, business, architecture, and fine arts, and graduate programs are offered in all major fields of human inquiry. Twenty Nobel Prize recipients have done all or part of their distinguished work at Washington University. Twenty-two faculty are members of the National Academy of Sciences. Faculty serve on editorial boards of more than 250 professional and scholarly journals. In a National Science Foundation report for fiscal year 1993, Washington University ranked 10th among private universities in federal support for research and development.

Washington University ranks among the top 30 schools in the nation in enrolling National Merit Scholars. Its students represent all 50 states and more than 80 international locations. Approximately 84 percent of undergraduates come from outside Missouri; more than 50 percent are from greater than 500 miles away. Washington University offers a diverse social life as well. Students can join one of the more than 200 student organizations when they arrive.