Questions about life a Wellesley.

Colleges and Universities A-Z Wellesley College
1

<p>Hi, I’m an unfortunate junior who can’t visit schools unless I’m actually accepted due to funds. I have to depend on what people tell me when making my college decisions. If anyone could answer these questions about Wellesley, I would be really appreciative.</p>

<li><p>I’m planning on applying EE. How “easy” would it be for a likely to turn into a rejected, and an unlikely to turn into an acceptance?</p></li>
<li><p>I’m the kind of person that will eat burgers one day, and go out for Indian the next. Will I find diverse restaurants in Wellesley (the town) and other surrounding towns? I am excluding Boston.</p></li>
<li><p>Does Wellesley have the Huckabee supporter AND the Obama fan?</p></li>
<li><p>Is Wellesley as pretty as it was in Mona Lisa Smile or is there an “ugly” side?</p></li>
<li><p>[The</a> Highly Charged Erotic Life of the Wellesley Girl](<a href=“http://jaydixit.com/writing/wellesley.htm]The”>http://jaydixit.com/writing/wellesley.htm) Exaggerated or truth? I understand everyone’s an adult and this happens everywhere, but I can’t say I got a good impression from this article. (Mostly due to the affairs with “Professor Randolph.”)</p></li>
<li><p>When I study abroad, how long can I do it for? Will Wellesley help with my plane fare/housing/spending allowances (for books, clothes, food, etc.)?</p></li>
<li><p>Do dorms have free and unlimited heating and A/C?</p></li>
<li><p>The one (material) thing I need if I ever go to Wellesley is _____________.</p></li>
<li><p>I love Wellesley because __<strong><em>, but am seriously turned off by </em></strong>.</p></li>
<li><p>Excluding tuition and housing, is attending Wellesley expensive or relatively cheap? As in, used books get good discounts, nearby restaurants won’t steal my wallet, a bus pass is cheap, etc.</p></li>
</ol>

<p>Thank you so much!</p>

2

<p>Dang, too late to edit. Attached to #6, how long can I study abroad? Thank you!</p>

3

<p>Hey, just found another typo in my title! [Questions about life <em>at</em> Wellesley.]</p>

<p>I have another question: what is the best cell phone provider? I'm really sorry for the triple post, I'm just a desperate student who wants to make the right decisions for where to apply to college. <em>hands out cookies</em></p>

4

<ol>
<li>I think it would have to be pretty extreme, but don't quote me on that.</li>
<li>I feel the town has a fair variety, but there's no cheap fast food. There's a lot of Thai, Italian, Chinese, and such. Some of the places might be harder to access without a car, but the places that deliver are usually some sort of Thai, Chinese, or pizza. restaurants</a> loc: 02481 - Google Maps</li>
<li>Yes, but I'm not going to lie and say Hilary supporters are not the most visible on campus, there is an Obama group which actively campaigns and groups like College Democrats and Republicans. There are also non-partisan political groups.</li>
<li>It's probably prettier, except when it comes to weather.</li>
<li>Yeah.....not true from anything I've seen. It's actually kind of laughable.</li>
<li>Semester or one year. You pay the same tuition as you do at Wellesley, depending on the program I believe. I don't think they will cover spending, but there are a lot of stipends and scholarships to apply for and people to advise you.</li>
<li>Haha, yeah I was pretty surprised to find out that there is no AC in the dorms. Granted you would only need them for 1 month of the school year, but you really wish you had it then. The buildings are meant to be warm in the winter, so that means it'll stay warm even if it's not cold outside. A fan will help. Heating is unlimited.</li>
<li>Nothing really I suppose. They actually provide a lot more than I planned for. My answer would be shower shoes?</li>
<li>I love Wellesley because of my classes, professors, classmates, the campus, how inspiring it can be, how friendly everyone is, but I am seriously turned off by type-A people and the weather.</li>
<li>Without the college, Wellesley is a rich suburb and Boston is not that cheap. I feel it's usually on par or a bit more expensive than what I was used to at home.</li>
<li>I know T-mobile is terrible here. I have Sprint and it works fine. AT&T is also fine.</li>
</ol>

5

<p>geez, i have T-mobile. is it so bad that i should switch to a different provider?</p>

6

<ol>
<li><p>EE isn't set in stone, but your chances of turning a Likely into a rejection are pretty slim. Same for turning an Unlikely into an acceptance.</p></li>
<li><p>No Indian restaurants in Wellesley (sadly), but there are two Thai restaurants, a Chinese/Japanese place that delivers to campus, an Asian-American fusion restaurant, a bagel place, a cheese shop, two places for ice cream, some coffee shops, and a faux-diner where you can get burgers. (At least, I think the diner is still there ... maybe it's gone? The downtown area changes rapidly.) There are more options in Natick and Framingham, and there's a bus that goes there on Saturdays. Obviously, the sky is the limit if you choose to go into Boston.</p></li>
<li><p>The student body is, perhaps, more vocally liberal, but there is a conservative presence on campus. There were more than a few conservative Republican students during my time, and they proudly stood up for what they believed.</p></li>
<li><p>Wellesley is more beautiful than the movie shows it. There is no ugly part of campus, and the grounds are impeccably maintained. The landscaping looks organic and natural, rather than orderly and contrived. The campus was originally designed by Frederick Olmsted, who also designed Central Park. So, yes, the campus is lovely from every perspective and vantage point.</p></li>
<li><p>Don't believe everything you read in Rolling Stone. The idea of Wellesley as partying hotbed of ethically questionable sexual escapades is laughable.</p></li>
<li><p>You can study abroad for either a semester or a year. If you go through one of the sponsored programs, you pay only your regular tuition to Wellesley. I spent a semester in Lancaster, England, and they also provided a generous food stipend (there are no dining halls there). That was several years ago, so you should talk to the study-abroad officer for more updated information. Regardless of the program, you're responsible for getting there and back.</p></li>
<li><p>Heating is included in the room charges, but there's no air conditioning. The first week or two of the fall semester is a little hot, but it isn't that big of a deal. Most of the academic buildings are air conditioned, and you probably won't be spending huge amounts of time in your room. Bring a fan.</p></li>
<li><p>The one (material) thing I needed at Wellesley was a good winter wardrobe and rain boots.</p></li>
<li><p>I loved Wellesley because it was a challenging, inspiring environment, but didn't appreciate the entitlement complex that cropped up in discussions. "I pay $48,000 a year to go here, so the school ought to provide service X ..." Sometimes there's truth to the sentiment, but I fondly recall my first year, when a student claimed that her bill (then $30,000) meant that she shouldn't have to deal with dogs or wild animals on campus. Ha.</p></li>
<li><p>You can get by quite cheaply, depending on the type of classes you take. Science textbooks are far more expensive than English books, for example, but you can still pick up used books online or from other students for reasonable prices. Food is included in the room/board bill, and there's plenty of it. With a few exceptions, local restaurants aren't expensive (under $10 for an entree) and many will deliver. The college subsidizes an hourly(ish) bus service into Cambridge every day of the week. Weekdays are free, and weekends are $2 each way. In general, I only worked 8-10 hours a week on campus and easily paid for expenses not included in the tuition bill.</p></li>
<li><p>Verizon seems to be the most reliable on campus.</p></li>
</ol>

7

<p>Yeah I have T-Mobile, too, and the service there is REALLY bad. If I go to Wellesley, we're switching.</p>

8

<p>I don't know where you are from, but the same architect designed St. Paul's School, a boarding prep school in Concord, New Hampshire, and Wellesley. Both are very beautiful campuses. If you are looking for Mike Huckabee supporters, you need to look elsewhere as Wellesley is on the other end of the political spectrum and the metropolitan Northeast U.S. is not Huckabee country.</p>

9

<p>to current students, thank you so much for answering these questions. </p>

<p>i have a question of my own: does wellesley have a lot of school spirit?</p>

10

<p>I think it depends what you mean by school spirit. Wellesley students are definitely invested in their community, care about what goes on here and how things run and support one another. Dorm pride is also pretty awesome. If you mean like, sports spirit, yay us sort of thing, then there's almost none of that. There's definitely a way more subtle sort of school pride.</p>

11

<p>Ever heard of the "scream tunnel"? During the Boston marathon, Wellesley students line up and cheer on the runners. Seems pretty spirited to me. :]</p>

12

<p>FemmeFatale -- Thanks for the google link. As for #5, that's good to know. It sucks having to depend on what you read on the Internet when choosing colleges.</p>

<p>ringer05 -- Thank you so much for all the info!</p>

<p>And thank you to everyone for your input!</p>

13

<p>For any college, I recommend reading some of their campus publications. It's often a good way to see what's happening. I'm sorry to say that most publication websites are not up to date though, but they should be soon.</p>

<p>Counterpoint just launched their new site, so if you want to click around: COUNTERPOINT</a> Magazine</p>

14

<ol>
<li><p>Students who apply EE and who get either the "likely" or "unlikely" letters are pretty set for what their eventual decisions will be at the end of March. I think it's very uncommon for there to be changes to students in those groups.</p></li>
<li><p>The restaurant options in the actual town of Wellesley are pretty limited, especially if you're talking about the average college student budget. There are Thai, Chinese, Pizza/sub, and bagel shops, a Peet's and a Starbucks, a very high end Asian fusion restaurant of Ming Tsai fame, and a mid range italian restaurant. There are Indian restaurants in the neighboring towns of Natick and Framingham, but you'll need a car to get to them. If you're into ethnic food, the cultural orgs are your best bet, as it seems that there's an organization selling and delivering food almost weekly. Seriously, the student groups do not scrimp on the food.</p></li>
<li><p>I'll repeat the sentiment that Massachusetts and the NorthEast in general is not Huckabee country. Yes, there are conservative students on campus and they make their presence known, but don't expect a 50-50 split. The CPLA is the non-partisan political group that sponsors events and speakers for both sides. They are cool.</p></li>
<li><p>Well, all the outdoor scenes for Mona Lisa Smile were filmed on location on campus. So you're seeing the actual grounds and the actual buildings - yes, the campus really is that beautiful.</p></li>
<li><p>I was a student when that article came out and I can't believe people are still referring to it. The overwhelming campus response: wow, slow music news week for Rolling Stone if they had to come to Wellesley to fill their sexy-party-story quota. Seriously, the entire tone and sentiment of that article is so far from the Wellesley norm that it's quite laughable. </p></li>
<li><p>Students can study abroad in their junior year for one or two semesters. There are also some wintersession programs abroad that are open to all students. For junior year abroad, your financial aid package carries with you as long as you in a Wellesley or Wellesley partner program (there are hundreds). You are responsible for incidental costs during your time away. As for food, I think that depends on your program and what is included in it.</p></li>
<li><p>No AC in any of the dorms because you're in New England and will be in school from Sept. to May. It can be really hot and muggy for a few weeks at the very beginning and very end of the academic year, but just bring a fan and you're fine. The rest of the time, yes, heat is unlimited and each room has an adjustable furnace.</p></li>
<li><p>Bring a good winter coat. Or get one when you're here. And snow gear if you like playing in the snow and want to go traying/sledding. No better place to sled than Severence hill.</p></li>
<li><p>I loved Wellesley for the awesome professors, the support of the community, and the opportunity to see women in leadership positions as the "norm." I was seriously turned off by the occasional "that girl" in class - the super, over eager, let me talk and ramble on to try and prove I am smarter than you, hear me reference some obscure source, bring up a point without really making a point girl. There is no need to prove yourself, we're all here at Wellesley, so yes, we're all very smart.</p></li>
<li><p>Textbooks will always be a big expense every semester. However, it's easy to buy used books at the bookstore, but it's almost always cheaper to buy directly from students. As for fun stuff, you can go both ways: super cheap or super expensive. Almost every Wellesley event is free for students, and many MIT and Olin events as well. There are a lot of discounted student priced things to do in the city, just remember to flash your college ID. Remember, Boston is a college town so a lot of activities and events are geared towards that demographic. However, keep in mind that things in Boston are generally more expensive than you'll find elsewhere in the U.S., except for probably NYC, LA, and San Francisco.</p></li>
<li><p>Cellphone consensus on campus:
1) Verizon
2) Att/Cingular
3) Sprint</p></li>
</ol>

<p>Do not get T-mobile if you're planning on using your phone on campus.</p>

15

<p>thanks again for answering the questions.</p>

<p>i have another: while wellesley certainly has a reputation for being academically rigorous, how <em>intellectual</em> is it? are there some students willing to be uninhibitedly nerdy? ; P</p>

16

<p>I have to depend on what people tell me when making my college decisions. </p>

<p>That's not unreasonable. Hey, the application is free online!</p>

<ol>
<li>I'm planning on applying EE. How "easy" would it be for a likely to turn into a rejected, and an unlikely to turn into an acceptance?</li>
</ol>

<p>Next to impossible.</p>

<ol>
<li>I'm the kind of person that will eat burgers one day, and go out for Indian the next. Will I find diverse restaurants in Wellesley (the town) and other surrounding towns? I am excluding Boston.</li>
</ol>

<p>You will find, pizza, snoot, ice cream, sandwiches and a couple of Thai places within walking distance of campus. Route 9 (accessible by vehicle) has every chain imaginable. I don't really do Indian food, so I can't name places.</p>

<ol>
<li><p>Does Wellesley have the Huckabee supporter AND the Obama fan?
I'm sure someone at Wellesley was sad Huckabee lost the primary. I know people who voted for Romney. Obama fans are easy to find.</p></li>
<li><p>Is Wellesley as pretty as it was in Mona Lisa Smile or is there an "ugly" side?</p></li>
</ol>

<p>Yes. The science center. But it's cute in a dorky way.</p>

<ol>
<li><p>The Highly Charged Erotic Life of the Wellesley Girl Exaggerated or truth? I understand everyone's an adult and this happens everywhere, but I can't say I got a good impression from this article. (Mostly due to the affairs with "Professor Randolph.")
It's a bit stretched. This was before my time, and I wish this sort of gossip floated around campus, because it sounds juicy. Sadly I get no dirt of this sort. I do know of a professor who married a student decades ago.</p></li>
<li><p>When I study abroad, how long can I do it for? Will Wellesley help with my plane fare/housing/spending allowances (for books, clothes, food, etc.)?
one or two semesters. I don't know whether Wellesley pays for expenses.</p></li>
<li><p>Do dorms have free and unlimited heating and A/C?
You get heat in the winter months. no AC</p></li>
<li><p>The one (material) thing I need if I ever go to Wellesley is a pillow.</p></li>
<li><p>I love Wellesley because of the pretty campus and atmosphere, but am seriously turned off by having too much to do.</p></li>
<li><p>Excluding tuition and housing, is attending Wellesley expensive or relatively cheap? As in, used books get good discounts, nearby restaurants won't steal my wallet, a bus pass is cheap, etc.
You can buy things off of other students (books, supplies) for cheap. Clothing comes cheap @ Sisters Keepers. Bus pass is $20 for ten rides. And the town is so upscales someone left a Mercedes-Benz running with the key in the ignition at a street corner in the ville.
I have another question: what is the best cell phone provider? I'm really sorry for the triple post, I'm just a desperate student who wants to make the right decisions for where to apply to college. <em>hands out cookies</em>
Not T-mobile. AT&T and Verizon work fine.</p></li>
</ol>

<p>i have another: while wellesley certainly has a reputation for being academically rigorous, how <em>intellectual</em> is it? are there some students willing to be uninhibitedly nerdy? ; P</p>

<p>Yes.</p>

17

<p>
[quote]
while wellesley certainly has a reputation for being academically rigorous, how <em>intellectual</em> is it? are there some students willing to be uninhibitedly nerdy? ; P

[/quote]
</p>

<p>My favorite graffiti on campus is in a Science Center bathroom stall: "Heisenberg</a> was here ... sort of." No one has attempted to paint over it in at least seven years.</p>

<p>So, yes. Students find no shame in being nerdy :)</p>

18

<p>Ditto with professors. It's hilarious when they start nerding out and when they get sort of giddy about it.</p>

19

<p>Thank you for all the answers. It helps with us other prospective students, too. Wow, I am so excited, I feel like my future is finally starting to unfold itself (whereas during the application process it was very much ambiguous).</p>

<p>I'm not sure if someone mentioned this, but what do Wellesley girls do for fun? How do they unwind?</p>

<p>And I've also heard that Wellesley has excellent language classes...to what extent is this true?</p>

20

<p>Similar to catsushi, how hard is it to meet guys? I go to an all-girls school now, and I unfortunately have to deliver the lie to prospective students at my high school that Meeting Guys Is Easy! I think I have yet to encounter males in my high school career. What's it like at Wellesley?</p>