<p>I am really interested in Wellesley, particularly because of the way Wellesley women seem to take the world by storm when they graduate. All the ones I know are extremely self-confident, successful women, and that's something I would really like to become. </p>
<p>I wanted to know, what are the people like there? Aside from the fact that it's significantly more difficult to find boys around, what is the social life like? What do people do in their spare time? Also, how would you describe the students there? I'm a pretty regular-looking literary nerd, and I've found in my college search that a lot of great colleges are filled with hipters, which is all fine, but I'd prefer a student body with the same priorities as I have.</p>
<p>Also, do you have any suggestions on where I should look besides Wellesley? Thanks! :)</p>
<p>Barnard would be a good second choice for the criteria you mention. On the Forbes list of college outcomes, both Wellesley and Barnard are in the top ten, with Wellesley four spots higher.</p>
<p>Barnard women are high achieving and also "take the world by storm".</p>
<p>Hi, I'm going to be a Wellesley senior (scary!!). If you want to be in a classroom full of intelligent, competitive, and strong women, go to Wellesley. We occasionally study on Friday night. We don't get wasted every weekend and vomit everywhere. It's not difficult to find guys. It is time consuming though. There's an online dating website for MIT, Harvard, Wellesley, Tufts, and BU. It's easy to find a date. Or go to Babson. Everyone has a friend who goes to school in Boston.</p>
<p>What do people do in their spare time? Depends, really. I'm an athlete, so I practice a lot. Other people join acapella groups, pre law groups, college democrats, etc. The list is kind of endless. As for stuff off campus...the bus runs to boston ever hour. Olin has dance lessons on campus (a college down the street). We also have the "ville." It's a shopping place in downtown Wellesley. (kind of expensive). The Natick Mall is also very close (it's a HUGE mall). </p>
<p>There are hipsters on campus. There are also athletes, nerds, rich girls, overachieverslikewoah, nice girls, pretty girls, ugly girls, yada yada. Lots of diversity. But one thing that we all share in common is our dedication to our studies and changing the world ;)</p>
<p>If you're looking for a school with a crazy social party scene, don't go to Wellesley. If you're looking for a place where students aren't ashamed to go to the library, go to Swells. It's demanding, but worth it.</p>
<p>Other places to look: Smith (more hippy), Mt. Holyoke (generally 'nice' students), MIT, Olin</p>
<p>I'm going to become a Wellesley freshman, and I got the same impression you did about Wellesley students/alums. I have met so many Wellesley alums (they seem to be everywhere!), and each time I have not been disappointed with the level of their awespiring intelligence and talents.</p>
<p>As for other schools to check out, I think Scripps College (in Claremont, Cali) along with Whitman College (in Washington) are excellent schools. They're not on the East Coast, but if you're looking for something different (I am assuming you are from the East Coast) then be sure to check them out.</p>
<p>Since the word "nerd" was included in your self-description, I automatically thought of UChicago and Swarthmore. Apply to those schools (in addition to Wellesley!)</p>
<p>I am really hoping to apply to Wellesley ED this fall-I have a campus visit and interview at the end of July that I am totally excited for. But I keep reading a bunch of comments from different sites talking about the lack of social life. Ok-so some I think are a little extreme-and I am not worried about going into one of the cites nearby-I am a pretty outgoing person. But with the girls on campus-there is a good social life between them right? Can anyone tell me about that? And feel free to drop a couple of tips for the interviw if you like-I'm terrified!!</p>
<p>Don't worry about the social life. If you're social then you can find the MIT frat parties/tea parties on your own, which is why I'm not too worried either.</p>
<p>I feel like a lot of people with a really diverse idea of what a good social life is can potentially be happy at Wellesley. People who are relatively outgoing and don't mind going with a group of friends to parties and social events off campus relatively often can definitely find like minded people and make that a reality. They just have to leave campus more often than they might at another school. And yes, it does take more than 5 or 10 minutes to get to Cambridge or Boston, but I have to say, especially if you are with friends, you just talk that time away and really don't notice it too much. </p>
<p>On the other hand, people like me who are more homebodies can also find like-minded people who are more likely to stick around on campus over the weekend. The best thing I did all year was join in on a night of board games with an older girl on my floor. We became really good friends and would talk and play games and watch DVDs pretty regularly. People also hold television viewing parties and other small stuff like that. I feel like if you are outgoing you shouldn't really have any problems--I would NOT describe myself outgoing, and I <em>did</em> have to push myself a little bit not to let myself be comfortable and lazy and stay in my room alone, but I was still pretty easily able to find people to have fun with.</p>
<p>it all depends on what kind of social life you are looking for. if you are like me and want to go party on the weekends at not only frat parties but random parties then the social scene that wellesley offers is not so hot. all the MIT frat parties i went to were pretty lame and not worth the bus ride especially in the winter months and it was actually hard to meet guys because of the stereotype that wellesley girls have (among harvard and mit students) before they even know us.you can meet guys that want to hook up with you but as friends, that is way more difficult. i had a miserable experience with my social life my first year it just didnt work out for me so i decided to transfer to school with great academics and a great social life. but i do hear it gets better after the first year and i also hear it helps a lot to have a car.</p>
<p>Go. To. Olin. Great parties, usually only $5 to cover alcohol and such, short cab ride away (like $10-15, split between friends it's not a big deal). They have great drinks, dancing, and people from random schools show up. It's fun. MIT frat parties can be awkward, especially early on when random groups of Wellesley first years show up during rush week (when there's no alcohol). I've heard that once you make friends at the frats, it's much more fun. There are also "societies" that have parties on campus and mixers with the frats. They're basically sororities and you have to do silly things during the initiation process, but some people do it and love it. They also host lectures and stuff. Some clubs and teams tend to socialize together which is another option if you're nervous about social life. As long as you don't lock yourself in your room, you'll be fine. And people at Wellesley are really receptive to new people. If someone is watching something in the TV room (which every dorm has) and you drop in and join them, they'll be totally cool with it. One of the things I love about Wellesley is that you can go into Boston for the typical college party scene, but you can also stay on campus, order a pizza (or Lemon Thai) and watch a movie with friends. There's no pressure to be a certain way. It'll take a month or two to find what balance makes you happy, but I assure you, you can and will find it.</p>
<p>Skyblu, if you describe yourself as a literary nerd, there are people like that at Wellesley. There are also the hipsters you described When I think of my friends here, there isn't a specific category.. or two, or three.. that they all fit under. I thought the pamphlet was lying when it said how diverse Wellesley was, but it's true. Some of my friends are literary/research nerds, some are partyers, and some are really shy or really outgoing, but one thing they all have in common though is that they work really hard!
What do I do in my spare time? On weekends my friends and I might go to the MIT party/frat, or we may go out and try a cool restaurant in Boston/Cambridge. Try the dim sum. Other times we go to the MFA or go shopping in Natick, or attend one of the university concerts in the huge college town. The buses will drop you off directly at the mall/movie and at the MFA on sundays. Sometimes (when we have a major exam or loads of work) we decide to stay at Wellesley and make it a movie night and order Lemon Thai and just hang out, but I really prefer going into the city on weekends. Of course everyone has her own idea of fun, so just take that into consideration.</p>
<p>I'm a rising sophomore and I will honestly tell you that the social life at Wellesley can be challenging at times. The school has a really strong GLBT minority, which is great, but as a straight girl who would like to meet boys, but doesn't want to join the societies, I've had some problems. People recommend taking classes at MIT/Brandeis/Babson/Olin and going to the MIT frats and Harvard parties (which are harder to find out about). Luckily, the hourly bus into Boston facilitates these things. </p>
<p>I really thought Wellesley social life would still be like that depicted in Mona Lisa smile. I thought Harvard men would flock to the campus and socializing would be easy as pie. It's no longer like that. Blame Harvard for going co-ed. Most girls tend to date MIT men, though many TZE members date guys at Harvard. Many girls don't date at all.</p>
<p>On the brightside, Wellesley students are extremely accomplished and strong and ambitious. We have an incredibly strong alumnae network that enables you to get in touch with alums who have made it in male-dominated fields. This is a big help when it comes to internships and jobs after graduation. </p>
<p>I went to a co-ed high school and I didn't realize how timid the girls there were until I came to Wellesley. Being at Wellesley gives you so much confidence and you can really be yourself. Women occupy all leadership positions and we do everything that guys might do at another college. </p>
<p>SWellesely- I will probably find myself in the same situation as yourself socially I am just curious why more WS students dont take classes at MIT or join clubs that are run in conjunction with Harvard? For example I found one that is targeted towards local community service- I might look into this one and it is run by the Harvard students. Do you think they look at WS students as outsiders?</p>
<p>Hmm---I know that MIT students definitely don't look upon Wellesley students as outsiders. There seems to be a really close relationship between the two schools and a lot of Wellesley students do get involved with MIT via parties, the ballroom dancing team, Toons (the wellesley/mit a cappella group), Counterpoint (the wellesley/mit publications), etc. I've heard that some people at Harvard, particularly the women, think of Wellesley girls as promiscuous, but the stigma isn't pervasive and it's no different from the way Columbia women look down upon Barnard women. It's a jealousy thing...</p>
<p>Getting involved in inter-college groups is really the best option. I met some people at Harvard during some Harvard students for Hillary/Wellesley students for Hillary events. I know people who have gotten to know students at other schools by going to concerts or participating in different ethnic/religious clubs i.e. Hillel. Meeting up with high school friends at Harvard, MIT and BU is definitely recommended. </p>
<p>I have not yet taken classes at MIT, but would really like to do so, especially since the Exchange bus makes it so easy. My problem is that I'm not at all a science person, so there aren't that many classes offered there that I would be interested in taking. There are some political science, language and art classes I could take, but I tend to revert to thinking that Wellesley's humanities classes would be more enriching. </p>
<p>If you plan to have a car during your last three years at Wellesley, I would recommend taking classes at Brandeis. There's a broader course selection at Brandeis than at MIT, so it's definitely more liberal arts-friendly.</p>
<p>Aww now I'm a little worried about meeting guys. I'm not boy crazy, but I've been used to having a bunch of guy friends to hang with here and there. Does being on a sports team help with socializing? In in the same boat as you, Swellesley, I don't think MIT would offer that many classes that I couldn't take at Wellesley. (I recently joked with some friends that I plan to take a sewing class at MIT, lol.)</p>
<p>Tomolo, what exactly is the stereotype that students at Harvard/MIT have about Wellesley women?</p>
<p>I think it depends on how you would define "socializing" to mean to you. If "socializing" has to include males, then yes, Wellesley would definitely be a more challenging campus to "socialize" than at a co-ed institution. But if you think of "socializing" as meeting and hanging out with people of similar interests as you, regardless of their gender, than it's not so doom and gloom.</p>
<p>Look, my personal belief in why a lot of first year students think Wellesley's social life "sucks" is because the vast majority of them come from co-ed schools and their only frame of reference of having "fun" is to be around guys. So everyone flocks to the MIT frats their first few weeks because that is the most visible way to have something familiar to what they had in high school or back home. I did this too. I found them to be incredibly lame, as many were also filled with MIT freshmen also clueless and trying to figure out the social scene at their own campus. So you had a bunch of people all kinda awkwardly trying to fulfill the stereotype of what socializing at college is supposed to be like, regardless of whether or not it really was their cup of tea. Personally, after about half a semester of going to various frat parties (mostly at MIT, but also a few sprinkled in BU), I decided that it wasn't the scene for me and didn't go to another one for the rest of my time at Wellesley. I did join a sports team, but mostly because I really wanted to play the sport - eventually, the teammates became some of my closest friends. We all hung out and partied together (both on and off campus) and it never concerned me that I didn't spend a lot of time hanging out with guys. Personally, my friends in high school were pretty evenly mixed 50/50 in terms of guys and girls, but I never felt I was deprived of a "normal" group of friends at Wellesley. Since graduation and moving on to a co-ed grad school, I was able to transition smoothly to a co-ed social scene, with one of my best friends from the program being a guy. Same thing now in the working world - I've met and connected with colleagues of both genders and have parlayed those initial connections to friendships. In other words, I don't think attending Wellesley has stunted me socially in anyway in the "real world."</p>
<p>It's been my experience that students who have boyfriends while students at Wellesley met their significant other through some common interests, usually through some student org. Another common way is meeting friends of friends. It might help to think about Wellesley's social scene in this way: an opportunity for you to develop close female-female friendships in a way not possible in the "real world" because you are at a women's college. That commonality, I think, bonds students closer than if they were at a co-ed school. Think not of it as a minus because there will be fewer chances to casually hang out with guys, but as a plus to engage with other smart and articulate women like yourself.</p>
<p>That all being said, obviously if you join organizations that have guys built in (Counterpoint, Toons, Ballroom dancing, etc.) the chances of making male friends increase exponentially. Also, I'm pretty sure all the societies (maybe excluding Shakes) have ties with male groups/frats from schools around Boston. They hold balls/parties open only to their own society that are very much co-ed. Another avenue if this issue is of great concern.</p>
<p>Hahahaha! There's actually a very popular online dating site called "the matchup" just for Wellesley, MIT, Harvard, and Babson students. Loooots of desperate firstyears take that route. And I know a couple that plan on getting married this summer that met on the site.</p>
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And if things get desperate, there's always online dating. :P
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<p>ha, you joke now.....</p>
<p>I also know a senior who just graduated who's probably going to marry this MIT man she met on the match up. I think I'll try my hand at the face-to-face stuff first.</p>
<p>I don't know...I already spend a lot of time on Facebook/CC/etc, why not add online dating to the mix? Ahaha. I feel like only sketchy guys would take the time and effort to do online dating, though. So I'm with you, Swellesley, I'll see how the society of Wellesley treats me before I throw myself into the interw3bz.</p>