Wellesley College Revealed (... but not really)

Colleges and Universities A-Z Wellesley College
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<p>I know when I was applying to Wellesey, I had no idea what to expect because of all the different kinds of things I was hearing about the school. "It's a fantastic school!" "All the girls there are desperate..." and "Only anal b****** go there" were only a few of the things that I had heard. </p>

<p>So here are a few things for clarification that people always ask when considering this school. Be warned that this is biased- I love Wellesley and I wouldn't change my experience for the world. It was somewhat hard to adjust at first (especially with the sudden placement into a dominantly single-sex environment), but like I just said, it's been amazing and I love it here. </p>

<ol>
<li>You can have a social life if you choose to do so and YOU CAN MEET COOL GUYS. It is hard to make guy friends your first semester of college because you go to Wellesley, but trust me, it definitely gets better. If you want to make guy friends, you will be able to make guy friends. Put yourself out there- there's a reason women who graduate from Wellesley get what they want.</li>
</ol>

<p>We are a diverse group of young women in training- you WILL find your niche. I know girls who like to stay on campus during the weekends and hang out. I know others who like to go out and party. There will be blonde, blue eyed girls here who can speak Chinese fluently with a native Chinese speaker. It's pretty awesome. We may be nerds at heart, but we are also: fashionistas, artists, gamers, athletes, musicians, dancers, and more. </p>

<p>Ps- the upperclasswomen are SO nice and sweet and wonderful and helpful. </p>

<ol>
<li><p>We are smart, motivated, and intelligent girls-in-training-to-be-women. Most of us are self-motivated and passionate about learning, and most of us are not catty creatures without souls. Don't freak out about the learning environment- your professors and your peers are here to help you get the best education possible, not fight you for a spot in grad school. Of course, like at any school, you will meet those crazy intense people who want to bite your head off. We have a term for them here- Wendy Wellesleys (we usually avoid them ;) )</p></li>
<li><p>The food is ok. You get really excited the first two weeks during Orientation because it's an endless amount of food thanks to the meal plan and you eat all the junk food you can unless you get tired of it in a month or so. But overall, the dining halls have their good and bad days. But you will be nourished properly!</p></li>
<li><p>The professors are truly nice!!! We have such amazing professors; they are very invested in you, and they do their best to make sure you understand the material. It is fabulous and wonderful and fantastic. I have thought here so much more than high school- our professors encourage you to truly think outside the box.</p></li>
</ol>

<p>If you're thinking about applying to Wellesley, just know that the school isn't just look for smart girls. Intelligence matters, but so does passion and the willingness to lead. </p>

<p>And if anyone has any other questions, feel free to ask. I kinda did this post spontaneously after a high school friend asked me a crap load of questions about Swelles, so hopefully this helps others as well!</p>

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<p>This is awesome, thank you so much!</p>

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<p>Is it possible to get into Wellesley when you don’t have a perfect GPA or perfect test scores? It seems to me that almost everyone who gets accepted at Wellesley has like a 3.8+ GPA and 30+ on the ACT. Do you know any women at Wellesley who had mediocre test scores (26 composite on ACT) and a low overall GPA due to freshman year (graduated high school with around 3.5UW), but a very strong upward trend and awesome essays and recs? How hollistic would you say Wellesley is in the admissions process?</p>

<p>I really have a lot of passion and extracurriculars, but I’m worried that my GPA and test scores are holding me back. Also, waiting three months for my Early Evaluation is already killing me, and I haven’t even submitted my application yet (lol). Any reassurance would be really nice.</p>

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<p>Yes, Wellesley’s process is pretty hollistic. The college does look at your GPA first (according to the Admissions officer I met when I was applying), but like I said, Wellesley looks for well-roundedness. Not everyone here had a 3.8+ GPA for sure. </p>

<p>However, essays are SO IMPORTANT when it comes to college admissions, I cannot stress this enough. They are crucial when it comes to your acceptance- your essays should show who you are and what you stand for. It’s great to have a ton of extracurrics (but make sure it doesn’t make you seen spread thin), but your essays will show your passion and reveal whether or not you are fit for Wellesley. I would also advise scheduling an interview with an Alumna in your region, interviews can only help you in the admissions process.</p>

<p>I’ve met many girls who didn’t have the best GPA or test scores, but their essays were really, really strong and that’s what got them in. Don’t be discouraged, you definitely still have a chance!</p>

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<p>This is REALLY helpful! But can essays really save you that much from lackluster gpa and SAT scores? Especially if you applied ED.</p>

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<p>Wellesleygal, I’m a parent, not a student, but if the test scores/GPA are too low, I doubt essays can make it up completely.</p>

<p>My D (a junior) has found the academics at Wellesley to be challenging. She was borderline for admittance - waitlisted then admitted. She’s doing well but has to work REALLY hard. My guess if a student’s scores/GPA didn’t indicate somehow the applicant could succeed, an essay would not tip the scale. Being admitted is only the first step. Four years of hard work will follow.</p>

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<p>I actually work hard but its just that math/science for me is challenging. I was fine i honors but AP kicked my butt =( Whereas for math its totally opposite. I have struggled until I got to AP Calc this year. And that’s why I ended up with a 3.3 UW and 4.08 W. I love history and english though and I did REALLY well in those classes and my teachers wrote pretty good recs too. My major is history also. Hopefully essays could somewhat tip the scale for me! I really love Wellesley :)</p>

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<p>I didn’t mean that great essays will completely counteract low GPA/test scores (cause they won’t), I am just emphasizing that essays are very important when it comes to admission. Wellesley does look at your GPA first for a reason, but because it is holistic, there also exists a great weight on the essays as well. The girls I know who got in with lower test scores but strong essays are still smart, motivated, and hard-working people.</p>

<p>SAT/ACT/GPA are supposed to indicate how well the admissions think you will succeed at Wellesley, so of course that comes into consideration. Your GPA does not qualify as low at all, so I wouldn’t worry too much about your GPA aspect. Your ACT score does not fall within the middle 50% of applicants who are accepted- their scores are between 28-32, but that means 25% of accepted students got lower than a 28 on their ACT and 25% of accepted students got higher than a 32 on their ACT. So once again, I wouldn’t worry too much about that. About.com has a great scatter plot concerning GPA and TEST scores of those who got in- here’s the link: </p>

<p>[Wellesley</a> College - GPA and Test Scores Needed for Admission](<a href=“http://collegeapps.about.com/od/GPA-SAT-ACT-Graphs/ss/wellesley-college-gpa-sat-act.htm]Wellesley”>Wellesley College: Acceptance Rate, SAT/ACT Scores)</p>

<p>Everyone finds Wellesley to be challenging- the expected level of academic intensity is set at a very high standard. Even though I had a 4.0 UW/4.6 W GPA in highschool, I still find my classes to be hard and something I need to work hard in- but that is what makes me love learning. In order to succeed here, you need to work hard and really push yourself. </p>

<p>ED has a higher acceptance rate because girls who apply to Wellesley under the ED plan often believe that they are fit for Wellesley and Wellesley is fit for them- which often, they are right.</p>

9

<p>Does that mean I have a fairly high chance of getting in? Wellesley is my top choice and if admitted, I will most likely attend (given the FA package is generous). I have a 3.98 UW GPA and a 2170 SAT (670 CR, 780 M, 720 W). I realize my CR score is a little low but I’m more of a math and science based person.</p>

10

<p>Starbucks: No one can really tell you that with any confidence and you should not put more stock in what people say here than what you get directly from the admissions office or your own guidance counselors at school. You can tell from your own numbers that you are solidly within the ranges of the types of kids Wellesley has been admitting over the years. If your application demonstrates to the readers that you are a fit, then you have as good a chance as any.
Good luck.</p>

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<p>I agree with ac1981 completely.</p>

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<p>The statistics for the class of 2015 should add some clarity to the possibility of admission as it relates to test scores.</p>

<p>[Wellesley</a> College - Admission & Financial Aid - Testing](<a href=“http://web.wellesley.edu/web/Admission/Apply/FAQ/testing.psml]Wellesley”>http://web.wellesley.edu/web/Admission/Apply/FAQ/testing.psml)</p>

<p>ACT–SAT Concordance. [ACT-SAT</a> Concordance](<a href=“http://www.act.org/aap/concordance/]ACT-SAT”>The ACT Test for Students | ACT)</p>

<p>N.B.

</p>

<p>[ACT-SAT</a> Concordance: Understanding Concordance](<a href=“http://www.act.org/aap/concordance/understand.html]ACT-SAT”>http://www.act.org/aap/concordance/understand.html)</p>

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<p>I realize that this thread is old and the last post was 2 years ago. Nonetheless, I was really hoping someone could give me a realistic idea of my chances of getting into Wellesley. I am a senior and am expecting my cumulative unweighted gpa to be 3.3. I realize it is low, but due to personal circumstances (severe anxiety and frequent panic attacks) I did not work as hard during my junior year. Also, my ACT score is a 28 and my SAT score is 1900, but I plan on retaking it in October and scoring at least 30. I have a wide array of extracurriculars and I’m a strong writer so I am positive that my essay will be good. Oh, I am also taking all AP classes this year, and am independently taking AP Psychology and plan on doing well on the exam. Please let me know of your opinions! Thanks!</p>

14

<p>I posted back in 2011, but will give you my opinion.</p>

<p>By the senior year in HS, it’s almost too late to improve one’s GPA for consideration in college admissions. If the downward trend began junior year, that’s not going to help. Colleges seem more forgiving/understanding of students who have a rocky start then improve dramatically as high school progresses. Also, the timing of your application and their decision will only include your senior year’s fall term grades (if that). Improving your test scores could help, but you won’t take your AP exams until the end of the year.</p>

<p>Perhaps your junior year issues can be addressed by your HS counselor on the app?</p>

<p>Otherwise, for students with borderline or low GPAs/test scores, extracurriculars are not going to make up the gap unless they are truly remarkable. </p>

<p>There will be many other applicants who have the GPA, test scores, incredible essays, AND remarkable extracurriculars, and it will be difficult to convince an admissions committee that they should admit you instead of one of these candidates.</p>

<p>I don’t want to discourage you, but when applying to highly selective schools, applicants need to understand what they’re up against. </p>

<p>Please apply if you really want to attend Wellesley and do your best to convince them in your application you belong there, but don’t have unrealistic expectations.</p>