Wellesley Class of 2018 - Parents Thread

Colleges and Universities A-Z Wellesley College
1

<p>I am officially a Wellesley Class of 2018 Parent [we paid the registration fee over the weekend]. :)</p>

<p>We will be attending the Spring Campus on April 28, 29th 2014. Looking forward to meeting other Wellesley Parents during the visit. I guess, I am as excited as my D in her attending Wellesley. </p>

<p>It is a leap of faith, with fear of the unknown as to how she will turn out at the end of the 4 years at a such an academically challenging, but rewarding environment.</p>

<p>For all those Wellesley Alum CC Parents, current Wellesley students any suggestions as to where to stay during the 2 day visit or any other recommendations [must do] for out of state families/students are appreciated. </p>

<p>Thanks.</p>

2

<p>Wow, congratulations. If you don’t mind, would you share the reason why your daughter chose Wellesley over other colleges?</p>

3

<p>@ txhandan</p>

<p>We selected Wellesley over the following schools:
Amherst
Wesleyan
Hamilton
Washington Uni St Louis
Grinnell - Merit Aid
Uni of Rochester - Merit Aid
Uni of Pittsburgh - Merit Aid
Case Western Reserve - Merit Aid
RPI - Merit Aid
SUNY Binghamton.</p>

<p>She selected Wellesley because:

  1. She felt she will be with her peers; she will be surrounded by other students who will be smarter and more hard working than her.
  2. The small class size and the dedication of the faculty to make the students “learn” for the sake of learning than learn for grades
  3. She wanted to be closer to Boston, so she can take classes at MIT
  4. She appreciated the “Alumna network for life” - at Wellesley
  5. She is going in, knowing that it is going to be a challenge to maintain decent grades but understands the value of education at Wellesley [heard from her seniors at Wellesley and other Facebook contacts]
  6. Then there is something beyond what you hear from others, it is your gut feeling that this is where you belong.</p>

<p>Her reasoning to us, when we tried to discourage her from going to Wellesley [due to merit aid from other good schools] and asked her, if she selected Wellesley because it was a women’s college - she said - “I am not going to Wellesley because it is a Women’s college, Wellesley is good school and this is where I want to be, it so happens that Wellesley is a woman’s college” [She did not want to apply any other women’s college - she visited Bryn Mawr and Mt Holyoke].</p>

<p>So I guess it is her personal choice. As parents we discussed the pros and cons, the only con being money [well may be the harsh grading]. There were more pros. </p>

<p>She always wanted a smaller school, small class size, closer to a big city but not in a big city, a school where she will not be the top 1% but will be among other students who are much smarter than her. She did not want a school where there is cut throat competition amongst fellow students. At the same time she wanted to be in a school where she will be academically challenged. </p>

<p>I and my D, agreed on only one college during the college visits, it was Wellesley. So I guess for her and for us, Wellesley was the top choice [of all the colleges that she decided to apply, she got into all the colleges that she applied], Personally, I also liked Wellesley more than any other college that we had visited last year [15 colleges]. </p>

<p>Money, there will always be a way to figure it out. But a great education, with a once in a lifetime college experience, I guess there is no “monetary” value for it. </p>

<p>It is a once in a lifetime chance/experience that she truly wants, we as parents are happy that we can make it happen for her and will accept whatever she turns out to be at the end of this experiment… :slight_smile: </p>

<p>We hope it will be a happy experience for her and for us parents [at the end of her 4 years at Wellesley, to see her succeed and do well in life].</p>

4

<p>@tamtiger, congratulations to you and your daughter. What a great student!</p>

<p>"Money, there will always be a way to figure it out. But a great education, with a once in a lifetime college experience, I guess there is no “monetary” value for it.</p>

<p>It is a once in a lifetime chance/experience that she truly wants, we as parents are happy that we can make it happen for her and will accept whatever she turns out to be at the end of this experiment… :)"</p>

<p>This strikes to me as great advice! Thank you.</p>

5

<p>Very excited for my D to be Wellesley, Class of 2018! This has been a brutal college selection process, she aimed high, knowing the chances at many of her schools were slim, 5% at Princeton?! She did an overnight early in the year, loved the campus but stayed with freshmen, that hadn’t been there too long and they didn’t have answers to many of her questions. She has been reading CC and felt that her original excitement for Wellesley has been confirmed. It has been bittersweet as her close friend died Sunday at ASU from a fall from the dorms, so I don’t think it has sunk in. She has friends at Harvard and MIT and is looking forward to being able to take classes at MIT. Her only fear is the cold!! She was ill most of her sophomore year and has a real hard time with cold weather. I promised her an all out shopping trip, so if you daughters run into someone that looks like Nanuk from the North, that’s her!!!</p>

6

<p>@Eieiaye
…“someone that looks like Nanuk from the North, that’s her!!!”…
That was funny…</p>

<p>I am assuming you are from Arizona. We are from NY and are used to the snow, but still we do look like a Nanuk from the north in the winter. But she will get used to it very soon.</p>

<p>I hope the passing away of her friend will not affect her too much.</p>

<p>Are you planning to come for the Spring Open Campus?</p>

7

<p>Re parent accommodations: we always stay at the Hampton Inn in Natick. It’s close to campus (10 minute max) and it’s right off the Mass Pike. It’s relatively cheap but comfy. </p>

<p>When we went to Open Campus, the class visits were scheduled by taking a card from an envelope posted on a wall at the Keohane Sports Center. When there were no more cards, there were no more visits. So if your D is interested in a popular area (i.e. Bio, Econ), get there early.</p>

<p>There was an activity fair where the various groups, clubs, sports etc. had info for the prospies. As with everywhere else, the key is to get involved. </p>

<p>

I am so sorry for your D, Eieiaye.</p>

8

<p>@NJSue
Thanks for the suggestion. :)</p>

9

<p>Actually we are from Kansas, and she can barely handle KS winter! Though this year it has been bad everywhere. I don’t think we will come to the Spring Open Campus, she did an overnight in September and went to a neuroscience class! (that was a wake up call!). She FB the girls she stayed with and they were all so excited and positive when they heard she was accepted. My oldest is a freshman at DePauw, so now the problem is 2 tuitions!!!</p>

10

<p>Hello possible and definite Wellesley parents! I have just joined CC – made it throughout the applications process okay, but now would love your input. </p>

<p>My daughter has been accepted at Wellesley, and I think she has a lovely attitude about it: classrooms without boys will be odd, but there is something about every college that takes adjustment – too urban, too rural, too artsy, too preppy etc. And sometimes the thing you worried about becomes the most compelling element. And sometimes, you just ignore the parts you don’t like and enjoy the best of it.</p>

<p>I am happy that she has such a rational mind, and I really do subscribe to the idea that college is what you make of it and that one should save worrying for real problems. </p>

<p>And then a colleague said to me: “But some colleges are absolutely wrong for some people. Sometimes no matter what you make of it, it’s wrong.” She tranferred from one elite college to another, and it meant everything to her – from misery to complete fulfillment.</p>

<p>Oh dear. So I should worry about fit? And how can one truly judge that? Will the April campus visit answer that question?</p>

<p>Should I worry that Wellesley might be populated by students who cry when they get an A minus? Should I worry that students who have always been in the top 5% are going to go into crisis when they’re not? My daughter is a very strong and conscientious student, but she’s not a drama queen and she’s not Type A – she is ambitious, but not neurotic. And when she need to sleep, she doesn’t pump herself with coffee – she goes to sleep. And she loves to laugh. </p>

<p>Please tell me that she will find compatriots and community at Wellesley, because I believe this is a wonderful opportunity . . . if the “fit” is good.</p>

11

<p>@LMAlcott</p>

<p>I went through your agony for the past few months…:), and had to make a decision be it good or bad. As parents we worry too much about our kids. There is always that lurking worry, that we are making a huge mistake. </p>

<p>I can answer from a incoming Fresh woman’s parental point of view. I guess some of your questions are better answered by ALUMs and Parents of current students like NJSue. </p>

<p>If your daughter [and parents] has not visited Wellesley, then she should visit before she makes the decision. It should be your D, who has to be in the driver’s seat. It is she who has to decide if Wellesley is her fit. </p>

<p>I am sure there will always be buyer’s remorse between now and start of the college. In most cases the remorse goes away with start of the college but sometimes not.</p>

<p>Can one completely feel awful after selecting a college and hate it to the point of wanting to transfer, yes it can happen. As NJSue said in one of her posts, the people who end up hating Wellesley [or any other college] are the ones who choose the college because it is the highest ranked school that one could get in to or they compromised for some other reason.</p>

<p>As parents and for the 17 to 18 year old [however mature they think they are] it it is the fear of the unknown, how will it turn out, will it be a disaster or will it be the best decision ever? Hard to say, I guess after initial evaluation of the positives and negatives, then it is [in my opinion] a leap of faith and take what comes out of it.</p>

<p>From what I hear, Wellesley is not for someone who WANTS to only get A’s. They are going to have a nervous breakdown. From what I learn from other CCrs, if one knows how to use the 9-5 [work from 9 to 5, then take time for yourself] recommendation then they will do very well at Wellesley as long as they are willing to work hard. It looks like your D fits this description. </p>

<p>I am also concerned for my D, as a parent, about lack of coed experience at Wellesley, but there is plenty of opportunity to socialize with boys at neighbouring schools. </p>

<p>I do hear about students being stressed out with the work load but apparently there is a good support system amongst the students. </p>

<p>If you want I will be happy to connect my D with yours and perhaps they can answer each others questions and concerns.</p>

<p>I will again suggest that your D visit the school again end of April [you should as well], ask her to talk to other Wellesley students in FB and get her questions answered. That will ease your and her concerns.</p>

12

<p>We will be there for the spring open campus :slight_smile: Going to do a college road trip and hit Bryn Mawr along the way. We may even see Case Western as its on the way, even though its been off the short list for a while…we will see. We visited Wellesley last October but need to give it another look over. </p>

<p>Heading to Grinnell in about a week. April is a crazy month. </p>

<p>Happy travels, all. </p>

<p>Ps…@eiaiaye, i am so sorry about your daughter’s friend. My heart goes out to all who are grieving. </p>

13

<p>@ChocoChipMom‌ </p>

<p>Goodluck with the trip. Hope you and your D make the right decision for her. I know she has a few other things going on and needs good support system in the school. Hope it all works out.</p>

14

<p>@Eieiaye
Can Kansas be colder due to cold northerly wind? [I don’t know if this is true in Kansas, but based on my brief travels to MN in the winter, the cold winds were brutal there]. But the north east usually is not that cold, and Boston does not get as much snow as more northern parts of the country. So hopefully should not be too much of an adjustment for your D.</p>

<p>So looks like she has almost made up her mind about Wellesley [without the April visit]? It is nice to have friends in Harvard and MIT, it will make the transition easy for her.</p>

15

<p>Hi Everyone, Congratulations on making it to this point, wherever the kids end up. My D is deciding between Wellesley and BC. She was very pro-Wellesley until she had a bad overnight visit. She watched her host study, they ate alone, the atmosphere seemed grim and the girl abandoned her instead of bringing her to sit in on a class. Maybe just a bad day but it’s really turned my D off to Wellesley. She’s very worried that there is zero social life. Has anyone’s daughters had successful overnights? Thanks</p>

16

<p>My daughter did an overnight in September and her hosts were freshmen and didn’t know too much about campus life at that point. She thought everyone was OVERLY friendly and that almost turned her off!!! She has re-connected with her hosts and have had a great time catching up. They are much more comfortable in their surroundings and have given her a very warm welcome and congrats. She is now very excited to be enrolling!</p>

17

<p>My D finally committed to W. Yeah! It is great to join you as a parent.</p>

18

<p>Now things are settled, we need to plan to send my daughter to Wellesley. It says that New Student Orientation is August 25-September 1, 2014. So I guess that as long as we get there by 08/25, we should be fine.</p>

<p>Anyone has advice on when to arrive at Boston and what to bring as a first-year? I assume there are plenty of places to shop, any recommendations will be greatly appreciated too.</p>

19

<p>@txhandan‌
Congratulations on the final decision. I felt exactly the same as you, once the decision was made, relief, no more uncertainty and something to look forward to…:)</p>

<p>Regarding planning for arrival:
Since you are coming from Texas, perhaps coming on Sunday August 24 will help. You can do the last minute shopping there and then drop your D on Monday. Spend as much time as you want on Monday and fly back Monday evening. </p>

<p>What to buy? - There is apparently a list of things that one should consider bringing, that has been passed around for a few years, that has been posted on the Facebook page for the 2014 students. </p>

<p>We are from NY, and will be driving in on Sunday. If you need any help please message me, I will be happy to help with whatever I know.</p>

20

<p>Can you provide a link to the Facebook page?</p>