She also had what she thought was a really great interview with an alum.
Looking at last year’s results it seems lots of super high stats girls were given possible.
Wondering if perhaps they all share a commong ethnic background that is perhaps overrepresented at Wellesley? So sad if that is the case.
Lol I’m international and need full financial aid. I guess they want to evaluate the whole international pool first. Good luck to us possibles.
I like to think it was my essays - I pride myself on my writing above all else. If it wasn’t for my writing skills colleges would take one look at my mediocre STEM grades and boot me out, honestly. I’m a legacy, but I know multiple legacies who didn’t get in so idk if actually helped me at all. I also left a “paper trail” by signing up for literally every Wellesley sponsored event in my state (MN) for the last year. Overall I have good grades, extracurriculars, and whatnot but that doesn’t exactly make me unique in the Wellesley pool lol.
From talking to alums and admissions folk from a few different colleges, it really seems like there are so many GREAT students who apply that it all comes down to whether the admissions people think you, personally, are a good fit for the school’s environment. So I wrote all my applications with that in mind.
My D got ‘likely’ notification. She is invited to attend Admitted student day on Apr 9 and 10, to visit classes, meet professors, stay overnight in a dorm. She has good stat, 35 ACT, 4.63 GPA, 5.0 in 3 APs, research with an outside research org, various leadership and EC activities. She was the winner of Wellesley Book Award from her class. She visited the campus and did her interview with one of the admission counselors. But we have to wait to see the financial offer from them which will come in March. Heard school isn’t very generous like Grinnell, where D got a good scholarship from. Keeping fingers crossed, God willing.
Wellesley’s net price calculator has been quite accurate. Unlike Grinnell, Wellesley doesn’t offer merit aid so the NPC results should be a good indicator of what to expect.
https://www.wellesley.edu/sfs/yourcost
@magtf1, thanks for providing the link for Wellesley webpage. We fall on the last row on the grant column and that’s why my worry is. I see a value of $0 grant! So very nervous till we see the actual number. I met their financial aid office last summer while visiting the campus and presented our income info. But the officer didn’t give me any clear info, totally vague.
@sanjosedad I hear you. That Wellesley Grant Aid table has such a large range of grants it’s not very useful. The calculator, however, was quite accurate and nearly an exact match with our actual financial aid package. The calculator is here: http://npc.collegeboard.org/student/app/wellesley
Either way, sounds like your daughter has some great options with both Grinnell and Wellesley on the short-list! Good luck!
Does anyone know if Wellesley accepts additional resume? Am thinking about sending in the additional resume along with my letter of continued interests after receiving a “possibly”, but I am not sure if the resume helps or just annoy them?
No idea. But honestly if a resume and leeter of continued interst makes a difference in admission decisons at this point, thats not a school I’d want my daughter to go to. My smart, talented “possibly” daughter has sent all the documents she is going to. If she doesn’t get in, their loss.
@PhilipM - I’m sorry you feel that way. Please try not to take a “possible” personally.
My D was a “possible” and was later waitlisted. She sent additional information when she was waitlisted, with new awards she had received and an updated transcript showing her grades remained straight A’s, and was thrilled when they later offered her a spot off the waitlist.
Top schools could fill their class many times over with outstanding, qualified applicants.
My D loved her four years at Wellesley and feels very fortunate to have been a student there. She is an officer in her city’s Wellesley Club. She never felt “less than” or inferior to a regularly admitted student.
@college_query I am not offended at all by the possible. Based on my Ds numbers, it was the outcome I expected and think its a fine indication that she is a competitive candidate, if not a slam dunk. Its the whole notion of a letter of continuing interest I object to. I understand why such things would be warranted if you are waitlisted since the school will want t kow whether or not to keep you there, but this is not that circumstance. It would trouble me greatly if Wellesley gave preference to applicants who submit a loci at this stage since applicant files are closed and EE applicants are supposed to just go into the pool with the RDs. So I hope they dont and expect they won’t.
That’s true. My D’s situation was different, since she sent information after being waitlisted. However, if an applicant has received any significant awards or other new information that wasn’t included on the original application, but would have been if it had happened earlier, then sending an update might possibly help.
Respectfully, it’s not their loss Philip. There are lots of things I don’t understand or agree with when it comes to the application process for top schools but I do understand I’m not going to be the one to change them. With your daughter applying Early Evaluation I would assume Wellesley is her top choice or one of her top choices. If my daughter were in such a position I would be encouraging her to maybe write that letter.You say with her numbers it is the outcome that you expected. I seriously don’t think Wellesley is an all about the numbers school. I hope things workout for her.
@jon23 I just meant it would be bad form to consider input to a process without transparently letting applicants know that such input is considered and would not want my kid at any school that would operate that way (which is not to say I think Wellesley does). I take the schools at their word and encourage my D to do what is explicitly required and recommended. So we did more than the minimum, like traveling to Wellesley for an optional campus interview, and think my D has expressed her level of interest vey well without trying to jump through yet another hoop, this one unstated. Multiple essays, several rounds of tests, trips to campuses and interviews should, in my mind, be enough. I just wouldn’t trust the leadership of any school who would rely on an opaque decisonmaking process, and Wellesley considering Loci at this stage would add opacity. I think the process is tough enough as is. But To be clear, I don’t think Wellesley operates this way. I am impressed with Wellesley so doubt very highly that sending or not sending a letter will matter one way or the other. So I guess its moot. But If it does matter, good for whomever sent tne letters and good for my daughter because it wasn’t a place she would want to be anyway
My very high stats daughter is also a "possible.’ I have to say, I was very surprised and it does color my feelings towards the school. She has received early writes from other schools and an invitation to interview for a very selective scholarship at a third school. I encourage her to love the school that loves her. Would have been great if Wellesley showed her some love, but it didn’t happen. Time to simply move the focus on to those schools that do want her.
I agree, the process is tough. As an parent who didn’t attend college the learning curve has been phenomenally steep.
I respect your opinion. You express it more articulately than I could hope to mine. Good luck to your daughter wherever she goes.
@Jon234 - I’ll let you in on a secret - the process has changed SO MUCH from when I went to college that the learning curve was extremely steep for me as well. I think the best book I read during the process was Where you go is not who you will be. I have been using the lessons from that book with my own daughter. Best of luck to you and your daughter - remember - most people love their college - even when it wasn’t their top choice initially!