What a friend would tell you
What Gonzaga is looking for
Gonzaga cares about mission fit. Applications should connect to the Jesuit values of cura personalis and service, not just basketball fandom. Pre-health and engineering applicants should reference specific clinical or lab partnerships in Spokane. Demonstrated interest (campus visit, regional events) is tracked. Writing about how you've served others, concretely and recently, resonates more than listing honors and awards.
What students wish they'd known
Spokane is geographically isolated, four hours from Seattle and five from Portland, with limited flights and no major cultural draws beyond the campus. The student body leans white, Catholic, and Pacific Northwest, creating cultural homogeneity. Basketball success raises expectations that the overall academic experience doesn't always match. If you're not into the Jesuit mission or basketball, you'll feel out of step with the dominant culture.
Gonzaga might be a fit if...
- You want Jesuit education with a basketball culture intense enough to carry you through Spokane winters
- You're pre-health or engineering and want clinical placements and mentorship starting early
- You prefer a mid-size school where everyone knows your name over a large anonymous university
Gonzaga Admissions Strategy
Application Info
Plans: EA, RD
Deadlines: EA November 15 · RD February 1
Deadlines: EA November 15 · RD February 1
Test Policy
Test-optional
You choose whether to send scores. A strong score helps your case; a weak one is better left off.
Demonstrated Interest
Considered
Considered, not formally logged. A specific 'Why us' is the lever that matters.
Interview
Optional
Yield Rate
28%
Only 28% of admits choose to enroll. The waitlist moves more than you'd think; if you land on it, make your interest loud.
Want the strongest possible application to Gonzaga, plus better odds and merit offers everywhere else you apply?
Join the free one-hour workshop from two Harvard grads who have helped 3,000+ students get in. Parents welcome.
Cost & Financial Aid at Gonzaga
$73,000
Sticker Price
$18,000
Avg Merit Aid
Need-aware admissions. Meets 100% of demonstrated need. 94% receive financial aid.
What you get for it: Gonzaga spends about $19,000 per student per year on instruction and student resources, well above the $15K national average.
What Gonzaga Graduates Get
$58,000
Avg Starting Salary
97%
Employed or in Grad School
74%
Graduate in 4 Years
The 4-year number is the on-time rate; the 6-year rate (87%) is the one schools usually advertise. A wide gap means many students pay for extra semesters.
Gonzaga Campus & Culture
The Campus
Gonzaga's 152-acre campus sits along the Spokane River in northeast Spokane, with the St. Aloysius Church steeple and Crosby Student Center (named for alumnus Bing Crosby) anchoring the main quad. Collegiate Gothic red-brick buildings mix with newer additions like the John and Joan Bollier Family Center for Integrated Science and Engineering. The Spokane River runs along the campus's north edge, with walking trails connecting to Centennial Trail.
The Social Scene
Basketball-centric, religious traditions balanced with modern social life
Gonzaga Traditions & Trivia
Kennel Campout
Before the biggest basketball games, student fans pitch tents outside on campus overnight to earn the best seats in the Kennel, with the Kennel Club announcing the campsite location on social media and students racing to claim their spot.
DJ DeSmet
A student DJ living in DeSmet Hall has for years blasted music from the residence hall out across campus on game days and weekends, making the dorm a kind of informal campus radio tower.
Academics at Gonzaga
What Gonzaga is known for
March Madness basketball, Jesuit education, pre-health programs
Most popular majors at Gonzaga
Standout programs
Engineering, Business, Health Sciences, Biology
How the curriculum works
Core curriculum (38 credits), major (36-50), electives
Recommended high school courses
4 years English, 3-4 Math, 3-4 Science, 3 Social Studies, 2 Foreign Language
Notable Gonzaga Alumni
Bing Crosby
Singer and actor who defined mid-century American entertainment, class of 1925
John Stockton
NBA's all-time assists leader, Gonzaga class of 1984
Tom Foley
Former Speaker of the U.S. House, Gonzaga Law
Adam Morrison
NBA player and March Madness icon
Cathy McMorris Rodgers
Former U.S. Congresswoman, Gonzaga alumna
If you like Gonzaga, also consider
Santa Clara University
Jesuit peer with Silicon Valley location and Bay Area access
University of Portland
Smaller Catholic option with Portland's urban culture
Seattle University
Jesuit school in Seattle with stronger urban access
Loyola Marymount University
Jesuit education with Los Angeles location
Whitworth University
Spokane neighbor with Christian identity and lower cost