Wellesley College
Wellesley, MA
Wellesley College, founded in 1870, is a private women's liberal arts college located in Wellesley, Massachusetts. Renowned for its academic excellence and commitment to empowering women, Wellesley has consistently been ranked as one of the top women's colleges in the United States. The college offers over 50 majors and minors across various fields of study, including humanities, social sciences, sciences, and pre-professional programs.
One of the defining features of Wellesley College is its rigorous academic environment. With a student-to-faculty ratio of 8:1 and an average class size of 17, students benefit from close interactions with their professors and a personalized educational experience. The college emphasizes critical thinking, research, and problem-solving skills, ensuring that students are well-equipped for future careers or further education.
Beyond academic pursuits, Wellesley College provides numerous opportunities for personal and leadership development. The campus is home to a vibrant community, fostering a strong sense of camaraderie among the students. The college offers a wide range of extracurricular activities, including more than 150 student-run organizations, club sports, and cultural groups. Additionally, the high-powered alumnae network provides valuable connections and mentorship opportunities for students as they move forward in their careers.
Overall, Wellesley College offers a premier liberal arts education for women, nurturing holistic growth and empowering students to become leaders in their fields of choice. Its commitment to academic excellence, combined with a supportive community, creates an environment where women can thrive academically, personally, and professionally. Wellesley College continues to prepare women for impactful and meaningful contributions to society, inspiring them to make a difference in their chosen paths.
Located in Wellesley, MA and set in a suburban environment, Wellesley College is a private four-year college. It has a campus size of 500 acres. This school follows a semester-based calendar. It has an acceptance rate of 13%. The freshman retention rate at Wellesley College is 95.02% and the six-year graduation rate is 90%.
For freshmen, the application deadline for this school is January 8. For transfer students, the application deadline is March 1.
Here are some essential information on important things to consider about Wellesley College.
Quick Facts
2,447
Total Number of Undergraduate Students
13%
Acceptance Rate
$60,424
Tuition
7:1
Student to Faculty Ratio
90%
Graduation Rate
Admissions
If you know as much as possible about the institution's criteria for admission, your chances of getting accepted will greatly improve. Check out some relevant information about admission at Wellesley College.
According to the most recent information reported, this institution uses standardized test scores for admission and it admitted 1,152 in 2023. Wellesley College has an official test-optional admission policy but considers standardized test scores if the applicant decides to submit them. As far as admission difficulty is considered, based on data self-reported by the institution this school is one of the most difficult schools to get into. This eminent institution with a rich history offers an excellent learning experience to its students.
Test Scores
Out of the number of applicants who submitted test scores, the percentage of first-time, first-year degree-seeking students who submitted SAT scores was 40% and ACT scores 21%. 86.32% of the new students submitted SAT composite scores between 1,400 and 1,600, 12.39% between 1,200 and 1,399 and 0.85% between 1,000 and 1,199. The percent of freshman students who submitted ACT Composite scores in the range between 30-36 was 97.54, 1.64 between 24-29 and 0.82 in the range between 18-23.
Deadlines
The deadline for submitting applications to Wellesley College is January 8. When filling out the application as a transfer student, note that the application deadline is March 1.
13%
Acceptance Rate
Retention Rate
The freshman retention rate is the percentage of college or university first-year students who return for their sophomore year. This piece of data is important as it can reveal to the prospective students how many freshmen liked the school enough to return to it as sophomores.
The freshman retention rate for Wellesley College was 95.02% in 2023, which is an excellent retention rate only the most prestigious institutions achieve.
The graduation rate is another indicator to take into account. This metric measures how efficiently students complete their degrees within a specific time period. The six-year graduation rate at this school is 90%, which is considered an above-average graduation rate.
Student Body
Picking a school that is the best fit for you is not a simple task. Knowing more about the student population can help you get a clearer picture of the school's culture and life.
Main Student Body
The overall number of students enrolled at Wellesley College in 2023 was 2,447.
That year, the school had 85% of students coming from another state. The total number of undergraduate students enrolled at the institution was 2,447, 340 of which were international students. 20 students enrolled as transfer students.
Student Population Gender Ratio
The student body is only women, with 1 male and 2,362 female full-time students in 2023, which is indicative of the value gender equality has at this school.
Student Population Diversity
The importance of student diversity cannnot be denied, when it comes to the overall feeling of inclusion and beloning among the students of any school. A heterogeneous student body brings together individuals from diverse backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives. Learn more about all the ethnic communities you might encounter at this institution.
This school had 532 Asian students and 179 Afro-American students in 2023. 356 undergraduate students at this school declared as Hispanic/Latino and 166 as multirace. There were also 11 students whose ethnicity is unknown.
Cost
Before submitting an application to any college or university, the financial component should be taken into account. Here are some details you should know about the cost of attendance for Wellesley College.
Tuition and Fees
If you were wondering how much the tuition cost for Wellesley College is, here are some recent data that will come in handy.
As a full-time domestic student, you were required to pay tuition of $60,424 in 2023. Wellesley College is a private institution, so tuition is the same for all the accepted students. Full-time students in 2023 had to pay additional fees in the amount of $328.
Books and Supplies
When you try to estimate the cost of attendance for a college or university, you need to take into account the cost of books and supplies you're going to need. The approximate price of books and supplies for full-time students of this school is $800.
Boarding
Besides tuition, another cost to consider is the price of housing in the dorms and eating at the school cafeteria. What is the typical amount colleges and universities charge for room and board?
In 2023, room and board cost at Wellesley College amounted to $18,288 a year. The cost of a dorm room only at this school in 2023 totaled $9,704 for one academic year.
| Tuition | $ 60,424 |
| Room and Board | $ 18,288 |
| Book and Supplies | $ 800 |
| Total Expense | $ 79,512 |
Financial Aid
Financial help for students comes in different forms: grants, loans, scholarships, or work-study programs. If you wish to find out more about need-based and non-need-based aid at Wellesley College, here are some recent data you should consider.
The most recent figures show that financial help was given to 309 freshmen. The average financial aid package awarded to students equaled $64,117.
Need-based
If you need help with paying for your studies and you meet some eligibility requirements, you may be eligible for need-based aid.
1,263 students were awarded some form of need-based financial aid. Need-based college-administered scholarship and grant aid at Wellesley College is available to international students. The total number of students (including freshmen) who were determined to have financial need was 1,314. The amount of federal need-based scholarships/grants awarded to the students at this institution totaled $3,155,934, and state $245,000. The students of Wellesley College received the -institutional need-based aid in the amount of $73,921,216, and external in the amount of $1,309,489.
$22,306
Average Amount of Aid Received
Non-Need Based
Any financial aid given to a student who does not meet the requirements for need-based aid is considered non-need-based aid. Non-need-based student aid typicaly comes in a form of Direct Unsubsidized Stafford Loans, Graduate PLUS Loans, Parent PLUS Loans, and the Teacher Education Access for College and Higher Education (TEACH) Grant.
18 students, including freshmen, were awarded institutional non-need-based financial aid at this institution in 2023. 2 full-time freshmen were awarded institutional non-need-based scholarship or grant aid. The total amount of institutional scholarships and awards that were not based on financial need was $241,374. This includes endowment, alumni, other institutional awards, and also external funds awarded by the institution, but doesn't include athletic aid and tuition waivers. The amount the students of this school received from external sources (e.g. Kiwanis, National Merit) was $1,086,760 USD.
Open Applications
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Majors
Faculty
7:1
Student to Faculty Ratio
The student-to-faculty or student-to-professor ratio represents the number of students compared to the number of professors at a school.
According to the most recent data, the student-faculty ratio at Wellesley College was 7:1: that means 7 students per one teacher, which is considered a good ratio. This school has recently reported to have 320 faculty members. Out of that number, there were 128 men and 216 women. The fact that female faculty members outnumber the male ones at this school speaks volumes for gender equality at Wellesley College.
Student Population Diversity Graph
Campus Life
Not everything at Wellesley College is about learning and grades: campus life is an essential part of your educational experience. Check out some info about students' life at Wellesley College.
Student Organizations
Exploring a variety of student organizations can contribute to a more vibrant and rewarding educational experience.
This school has 160 open-membership student organizations you can participate in. The student organization that is most favored by students is theatre groups, followed by societies and cultural clubs. Other popular student organizations at this school are community service organizations and Student Government.
There is a drama club you can join if acting is something that interests you. For students interested in media and communication, Wellesley College publishes its own newspaper and has its own radio station.
Student Services
At Wellesley College, there are many amenities that make life on campus pleasant and safe.
There are emergency phone and alarm devices available around the clock. The dormitory entrances are electronically operated. There is a security patrol that operates 24 hours a day. The late-night transport/escort service is available.
There is a health clinic with personal/psychological counseling. In addition, other services like Women's Center are available to the students of Wellesley College.
All in all, campus life at Wellesley College is rich and vibrant and provides all you need for a comfortable stay.
Career Services
Having career services at a college or university can mean a great deal for your career planning, so find out what you can expect at Wellesley College.
Career Counselling
At Wellesley College, there is both group career counseling for all students and individual career counseling for all students. There are a library, a job bank, and job fairs. Job interviews are also available to students through the career center. There is campus employer recruitment for all the students. This school offers alumni networking opportunities, which could be a great asset for your future career. Individual job placement is available to all students at this school.
FAQ
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Wellesley College is located in Wellesley, MA.
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Wellesley College offers need-based college-administered scholarship and grant aid to international students.
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The overall full-time tuition per academic year for Wellesley College is 60,424 USD, based on the most recent data.
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This school uses standardized test scores for admission.
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The most recent reported acceptance rate for Wellesley College is 13%.
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The most recent reported freshman retention rate for Wellesley College is 95.02%.
Contact Information
Data Source: IPEDS and Peterson's Databases © 2023 Peterson's LLC All rights reserved. Portions of this content were co-written with OpenAI's GPT-3.5 model.
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Data Source: IPEDS and Peterson's Databases © 2023 Peterson's LLC All rights reserved.
Portions of this content were co-written with OpenAI's GPT-3.5 model.