Washington University in St. Louis

the university held its first classes in 1854 in downtown St. Louis. In 1905, Washington University relocated to a new campus northwest of Forest Park, allowing for expansion and new facilities to support its growing academic programs and student body. Construction of the first building, Busch Hall, began in 1900, followed by Brookings Hall, Ridgley, and Cupples. These buildings were not occupied until 1905 to accommodate the 1904 Summer Olympics and St. Louis World's Fair. By 1964, more than two-thirds of incoming students came from outside the St. Louis area. In 2021, the university adopted a need-blind undergraduate admissions policy.
Washington University joined the Association of American Universities in 1923. The university received over 32,750 applications for the Class of 2028 and admitted 12 percent. It supports more than 400 undergraduate student organizations. The university's athletic teams, the Washington University Bears, compete in NCAA Division III as founding members of the University Athletic …