Colleges Wellesley College

Wellesley College www.wellesley.edu

Wellesley College is a private women’s liberal arts college in Wellesley, Massachusetts, located 12 miles outside of Boston. Founded in 1870 as a female seminary, it is a member of the Seven Sisters Colleges, a group of current and former women’s colleges in the northeast, which includes: Mount Holyoke, Vassar, Smith, Radcliffe (now part of Harvard), Bryn Mawr, and Barnard. Wellesley’s 500-acre scenic campus encompasses a lake, woodlands, an arboretum, open meadows, and houses the Davis Museum. Students can choose from more than 180 student organizations on campus, ranging from cultural and political organizations to community service, publications, campus radio, and club sports. Instead of sororities, Wellesley has societies that serve as social and academic clubs. Housing is guaranteed for incoming freshmen, and the majority of students live in Wellesley’s 21 residence halls throughout their four years.

Academics

As an institution that focuses solely on the ideals of a liberal arts education, Wellesley College is able to dedicate all of its academic resources—faculty, facilities, and research support to its undergraduate students. The College offers more than 1,000 courses in roughly 55 established majors. In addition, there is a cross-registration program with MIT, offering students a greater range of courses. Students can also spend a semester at another college in the Northeast as part of the Twelve College Exchange Program, including opportunities at Amherst, Dartmouth, Smith, Trinity, Vassar, Wesleyan, and Wheaton, among others. The student-faculty ratio at Wellesley College is 8:1, and the school has 76% of its classes with fewer than 20 students. Popular majors include Economics, Biology, Computer Science, and Psychology.

Special Highlights

The Davis. One of the oldest and most acclaimed academic fine art museums in the US, the Museum was founded more than 120 years ago. The Davis collections, which span global history from antiquity to the present and include masterpieces from almost every continent, are housed in an extraordinary museum building. In addition to dynamic presentations of the permanent collections, and installations that support specific coursework and research, the Davis hosts a series of temporary exhibitions and programs to inform, delight, and challenge our visitors.

Slater International Center. Slater is the focal point for international activities on campus and a space for anyone in the community with the desire to increase intercultural understanding and establish global connections. It is a place where students from diverse backgrounds gather informally and create long-lasting friendships. Student organizations and academic departments use Slater International Center regularly for meetings, events, and cultural celebrations.

School Mission & Unique Qualities

Wellesley College is known as one of the most academically challenging institutions of higher education in the country and provides students with opportunities that create an enriching educational environment. Wellesley prepares women to realize their own highest ambitions and compete in any setting. Wellesley offers dual degree programs with MIT and the Olin College of Engineering, enabling students to receive a Bachelor of Science at those schools in addition to a Bachelor of Arts at Wellesley. Wellesley also has a joint five-year BA/MA program with Brandeis University’s International Business School, which allows qualified students to receive a Masters of Arts degree from the school as well as a Bachelor of Arts at Wellesley. Wellesley has a strong science program, including the nation’s second oldest physics lab. The College’s Davis Degree Program allows nontraditional students older than the age of 24 to attend college. Wellesley also has many traditions, including an annual hoop-rolling race between the seniors, and step-singing, when the academic classes try to out-sing each other.

Student Reviews…

“Wellesley has a great environment that is both encouraging and supportive in every aspect. The size of the school is perfect. I really like the small classrooms and the ability to get to know my professors and classmates well. I also really like the lush green campus and Lake Waban.”