Wellesley Admissions Information

Founded in 1893, Wellesley College is noted for providing women with an excellent education and challenging them to exceed their personal and academic potential. The school is located in Wellesley, Massachusetts–just a half hour outside of Boston–and focuses on liberal arts subject matter. Engaging its students in a small academic environment, Wellesley encourages its all-female student body to question, think critically, and challenge the viewpoints of themselves and their peers. Wellesley women are also urged to seek learning opportunities beyond the school’s physical campus by cross-registering at nearby MIT, Babson College, Brandeis University, and Olin College of Engineering. Since its founding, the College has fostered the minds of many accomplished women, while preparing them to make a difference in the world. Alumni include Secretaries of State Hillary Clinton and Madeleine Albright, journalists Diane Sawyer and Cokie Roberts, and Academy Award nominated actress Ali MacGraw.

Wellesley encourages its students to be as active outside of the classroom as they are in. The school offers over 180 student organizations which, in addition to its proximity to Boston, make for countless cultural opportunities. Nearly all students choose to live on campus in one of the school’s 21 residence halls, fostering a tight-knit community feel. While Wellesley does not offer sororities, its clubs are often characterized by their social or academic goals; these groups often bring lecturers to campus and fund other academic experiences for their members. Among the most popular groups on campus are those singing a cappella music–four all-female and one coed with MIT–which have recorded with Ben Folds and been featured on television specials about the genre.

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With an acceptance rate of 34%, Wellesley is considered to be among the more selective liberal arts colleges in the country. Because of its niche as an all-female school, in addition to its focus on liberal arts, Wellesley admissions officials indicate that beyond standardized test scores and GPA, applicants are encouraged to express their distinguishing qualities. In general, the school seeks academically outstanding, well-rounded, and ultimately unique students. Admissions officials have indicated that the most important factors for admission include the rigor of a student's secondary school record, academic GPA, standardized test scores, letters of recommendation, application essay, and a student's personal character.

Other important determinants for admission include the applicant's class rank, extracurricular activities, alumni relation, geographical residence, interview, racial and ethnic status, volunteer/work experience, level of the applicant's interest, and whether the student is a first generation college student. As one of the premier liberal arts colleges in the country, it is important that an applicant emphasizes her academic record while also showcasing her accomplishments outside the classroom and personal attributes.

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