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Wellesley College

Overview

At a Glance

School type

Private, not-for-profit, 4-year or above

Faculty

422 Faculty Members | 5:01 student faculty ratio

Religious affliation

Not applicable

Mission Statement

The mission of Wellesley College is to provide an excellent liberal arts education for women who will make a difference in the world.

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cost & financial aid

Annual tuition & fees

Undergraduate

In state

$60,752

Out of state

$60,752
Graduate

In state

No information

Out of state

No information

Financial Aid: Undergraduates

Received financial aid
66%
Did not receive aid
34%
Type of aid % of students receiving aid Average amount
Federal grants 54.0% $3,382
State/local grants 2.0% $1,574
Institutional grants 58.0% $53,971
Loans 22.0% $5,286

Pay For College with ROTC

Reserve Officers Training Corp (ROTC) is a college scholarship program that prepares students to become military officers

Learn More About ROTC

Financial aid resources

Paying for college

Learn about different ways to cover costs, incluing financial aid, GI Bills, grants and scholarships

Applying for financial Aid

Review this step-by-step guide on everything you need to do to complete your application.

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Academics

Most Popular Undergraduate majors

  • Econometrics and Quantitative Economics
  • Research and Experimental Psychology, Other
  • Computer and Information Sciences, General
  • Political Science and Government, General
  • Biology/Biological Sciences, General
Full List of Majors

Undergraduate Majors X

  • ARCHITECTURE AND RELATED SERVICES
    • Architecture
      • A program that prepares individuals for the independent professional practice of architecture and to conduct research in various aspects of the field. Includes instruction in architectural design, history, and theory; building structures and environmental systems; project and site planning; construction; professional responsibilities and standards; and related cultural, social, economic, and environmental issues. See other colleges that offer this major
  • AREA, ETHNIC, CULTURAL, GENDER, AND GROUP STUDIES
    • American/United States Studies/Civilization
      • A program that focuses on the history, society, politics, culture, and economics of the United States and its Pre-Columbian and colonial predecessors, and including the flow of immigrants from other societies. See other colleges that offer this major
    • East Asian Studies
      • A program that focuses on the history, society, politics, culture, and economics of one or more of the peoples of East Asia, defined as including China, Korea, Japan, Mongolia, Taiwan, Tibet, related borderlands and island groups, and including the study of the East Asian diasporas overseas. See other colleges that offer this major
    • Latin American Studies
      • A program that focuses on the history, society, politics, culture, and economics of one or more of the Hispanic peoples of the North and South American Continents outside Canada and the United States, including the study of the Pre-Columbian period and the flow of immigrants from other societies. See other colleges that offer this major
    • Russian Studies
      • A program that focuses on the history, society, politics, culture, and economics of one or more of the peoples of the Russian Federation and its Soviet, Czarist, and medieval predecessors and related borderlands. See other colleges that offer this major
    • South Asian Studies
      • A program that focuses on the history, society, politics, culture, and economics of one or more of the peoples of South Asia, defined as including Afghanistan, India, the Maldives, Myanmar (Burma), Pakistan, and Sri Lanka and related borderlands and island groups; and including the study of migration patterns and overseas diasporas. See other colleges that offer this major
    • French Studies
      • A program that focuses on the history, society, politics, culture, and economics of France, other Francophone countries inside and outside Europe, and the French colonial experience and the associated French minorities around the world. See other colleges that offer this major
    • German Studies
      • A program that focuses on the history, society, politics, culture, and economics of Germany, the neighboring countries of Austria and Switzerland, the German minorities in neighboring European countries, and the historical areas of German influence across Europe and overseas. See other colleges that offer this major
    • African-American/Black Studies
      • A program that focuses on the history, sociology, politics, culture, and economics of the North American peoples descended from the African diaspora; focusing on the United States, Canada, and the Caribbean, but also including reference to Latin American elements of the diaspora. See other colleges that offer this major
    • Women's Studies
      • A program that focuses on the history, sociology, politics, culture, and economics of women, and the development of modern feminism in relation to the roles played by women in different periods and locations in North America and the world. Programs may focus on literature, philosophy, and the arts as much as on social studies and policy. See other colleges that offer this major
  • BIOLOGICAL AND BIOMEDICAL SCIENCES
    • Biology/Biological Sciences, General
      • A general program of biology at the introductory, basic level or a program in biology or the biological sciences that is undifferentiated as to title or content. Includes instruction in general biology and programs covering a variety of biological specializations. See other colleges that offer this major
    • Biochemistry
      • A program that focuses on the scientific study of the chemistry of living systems, their fundamental chemical substances and reactions, and their chemical pathways and information transfer systems, with particular reference to carbohydrates, proteins, lipids, and nucleic acids. Includes instruction in bio-organic chemistry, protein chemistry, bioanalytical chemistry, bioseparations, regulatory biochemistry, enzymology, hormonal chemistry, calorimetry, and research methods and equipment operation. See other colleges that offer this major
    • Neuroscience
      • A program that focuses on the interdisciplinary scientific study of the molecular, structural, physiologic, cognitive, and behavioral aspects of the brain and nervous system. Includes instruction in molecular and cellular neuroscience, brain science, anatomy and physiology of the central nervous system, molecular and biochemical bases of information processing, behavioral neuroscience, biology of neuropsychiatric disorders, and applications to the clinical sciences and biomedical engineering. See other colleges that offer this major
  • COMPUTER AND INFORMATION SCIENCES AND SUPPORT SERVICES
    • Computer and Information Sciences, General
      • A general program that focuses on computing, computer science, and information science and systems. Such programs are undifferentiated as to title and content and are not to be confused with specific programs in computer science, information science, or related support services. See other colleges that offer this major
    • Computer Software and Media Applications, Other
  • EDUCATION
    • Education, General
      • A program that focuses on the general theory and practice of learning and teaching, the basic principles of educational psychology, the art of teaching, the planning and administration of educational activities, school safety and health issues, and the social foundations of education. See other colleges that offer this major
  • ENGLISH LANGUAGE AND LITERATURE/LETTERS
    • English Language and Literature, General
      • A general program that focuses on the English language, including its history, structure and related communications skills; and the literature and culture of English-speaking peoples. See other colleges that offer this major
    • Creative Writing
      • A program that focuses on the process and techniques of original composition in various literary forms such as the short story, poetry, the novel, and others. Includes instruction in technical and editorial skills, criticism, and the marketing of finished manuscripts. See other colleges that offer this major
  • FOREIGN LANGUAGES, LITERATURES, AND LINGUISTICS
    • Comparative Literature
      • A program that focuses on two or more literary traditions in the original languages or in translation. Includes instruction in comparative linguistics; applicable foreign languages; English/French language and literature; literary criticism; and applications to genre, period, national, and textual studies as well as literary forms such as poetry, prose, and drama. See other colleges that offer this major
    • Chinese Language and Literature
      • A program that focuses on the languages of China and associated dialects and literature. Includes instruction in philology; linguistics; dialects and pidgins; and applications to business, science/technology, and other settings. See other colleges that offer this major
    • Japanese Language and Literature
      • A program that focuses on the Japanese language. Includes instruction in philology; Ancient, Medieval, and Modern Japanese; dialects; and applications to business, science/technology, and other settings. See other colleges that offer this major
    • Korean Language and Literature
      • A program that focuses on the Korean language. Includes instruction in philology; dialects; and applications to business, science/technology, and other settings. See other colleges that offer this major
    • Russian Language and Literature
      • A program that focuses on the Russian language. Includes instruction in philology; dialects; literature; and applications to business, science/technology, and other settings. See other colleges that offer this major
    • French Language and Literature
      • A program that focuses on the French language and related dialects and creoles. Includes instruction in philology; Metropolitan French; Canadian French; African and Caribbean Creoles; dialects; and applications in business, science/technology, and other settings. See other colleges that offer this major
    • Spanish Language and Literature
      • A program that focuses on the Spanish language and related dialects. Includes instruction in philology; Modern Castillan; Latin American and regional Spanish dialects; and applications in business, science/technology, and other settings. See other colleges that offer this major
  • HISTORY
    • History, General
      • A program that focuses on the general study and interpretation of the past, including the gathering, recording, synthesizing and criticizing of evidence and theories about past events. Includes instruction in historiography; historical research methods; studies of specific periods, issues and cultures; and applications to areas such as historic preservation, public policy, and records administration. See other colleges that offer this major
  • MATHEMATICS AND STATISTICS
    • Mathematics, General
      • A general program that focuses on the analysis of quantities, magnitudes, forms, and their relationships, using symbolic logic and language. Includes instruction in algebra, calculus, functional analysis, geometry, number theory, logic, topology and other mathematical specializations. See other colleges that offer this major
  • MULTI/INTERDISCIPLINARY STUDIES
    • Peace Studies and Conflict Resolution
      • A program that focuses on the origins, resolution and prevention of international and inter-group conflicts. Includes instruction in peace research methods and related social scientific and psychological knowledge bases. See other colleges that offer this major
    • Mathematics and Computer Science
    • Medieval and Renaissance Studies
      • A program that focuses on the study of the Medieval and/or Renaissance periods in European and circum-Mediterranean history from the perspective of various disciplines in the humanities and social sciences, including history and archeology, as well as studies of period art and music. See other colleges that offer this major
    • Ancient Studies/Civilization
      • A program that focuses on Western and Non-Western cultures and related topics in the periods of Pre-history and Antiquity. Includes such disciplines as ancient languages, archeology, history, art history, geography, population studies, environmental studies, religious studies, and the social sciences. See other colleges that offer this major
    • Multi-/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other
  • NATURAL RESOURCES AND CONSERVATION
    • Environmental Studies
      • A program that focuses on environment-related issues using scientific, social scientific, or humanistic approaches or a combination. Includes instruction in the basic principles of ecology and environmental science and related subjects such as policy, politics, law, economics, social aspects, planning, pollution control, natural resources, and the interactions of human beings and nature. See other colleges that offer this major
  • PHILOSOPHY AND RELIGIOUS STUDIES
    • Philosophy
      • A program that focuses on ideas and their logical structure, including arguments and investigations about abstract and real phenomena. Includes instruction in logic, ethics, aesthetics, epistemology, metaphysics, symbolism, and history of philosophy, and applications to the theoretical foundations and methods of other disciplines. See other colleges that offer this major
    • Religion/Religious Studies
      • A program that focuses on the nature of religious belief and specific religious and quasi-religious systems. Includes instruction in phenomenology; the sociology, psychology, philosophy, anthropology, literature and art of religion; mythology; scriptural and textual studies; religious history and politics; and specific studies of particular faith communities and their behavior. See other colleges that offer this major
    • Jewish/Judaic Studies
      • A program that focuses on the history, culture, and religion of the Jewish people. Includes instruction in Jewish religious heritage, sacred texts, and law; Jewish philosophy and intellectual history; Jewish life and culture, both in Israel and the Jewish Diaspora; historical Jewish minority cultures such as the Yiddish, Sephardic, and other; anti-Semitism, gentile relations and Shoa; Zionism; and modern developments within Judaism. See other colleges that offer this major
  • PHYSICAL SCIENCES
    • Astronomy
      • A general program that focuses on the planetary, galactic, and stellar phenomena occurring in outer space. Includes instruction in celestial mechanics, cosmology, stellar physics, galactic evolution, quasars, stellar distribution and motion, interstellar medium, atomic and molecular constituents of astronomical phenomena, planetary science, solar system evolution, and specific methodologies such as optical astronomy, radioastronomy, and theoretical astronomy. See other colleges that offer this major
    • Astrophysics
      • A program that focuses on the theoretical and observational study of the structure, properties, and behavior of stars, star systems and clusters, stellar life cycles, and related phenomena. Includes instruction in cosmology, plasma kinetics, stellar physics, convolution and non-equilibrium radiation transfer theory, non-Euclidean geometries, mathematical modeling, galactic structure theory, and relativistic astronomy. See other colleges that offer this major
    • Chemistry, General
      • A general program that focuses on the scientific study of the composition and behavior of matter, including its micro- and macro-structure, the processes of chemical change, and the theoretical description and laboratory simulation of these phenomena. See other colleges that offer this major
    • Chemical Physics
      • A program that focuses on the scientific study of structural phenomena combining the disciplines of physical chemistry and atomic/molecular physics. Includes instruction in heterogeneous structures, alignment and surface phenomena, quantum theory, mathematical physics, statistical and classical mechanics, chemical kinetics, and laser physics. See other colleges that offer this major
    • Geology/Earth Science, General
      • A program that focuses on the scientific study of the earth; the forces acting upon it; and the behavior of the solids, liquids and gases comprising it. Includes instruction in historical geology, geomorphology, and sedimentology, the chemistry of rocks and soils, stratigraphy, mineralogy, petrology, geostatistics, volcanology, glaciology, geophysical principles, and applications to research and industrial problems. See other colleges that offer this major
    • Physics, General
      • A general program that focuses on the scientific study of matter and energy, and the formulation and testing of the laws governing the behavior of the matter-energy continuum. Includes instruction in classical and modern physics, electricity and magnetism, thermodynamics, mechanics, wave properties, nuclear processes, relativity and quantum theory, quantitative methods, and laboratory methods. See other colleges that offer this major
  • PSYCHOLOGY
    • Cognitive Psychology and Psycholinguistics
      • A program that focuses on the scientific study of the mechanisms and processes of learning and thinking, and associated information encoding, decoding, processing and transmitting systems. Includes instruction in theories of cognition and intelligence; studies of cognitive processes such as memory, sensation, perception, pattern recognition, problem solving, and conceptual thinking; cybernetics; psycholinguistics; and the study of biological and social communications mechanisms and processes. See other colleges that offer this major
    • Research and Experimental Psychology, Other
  • SOCIAL SCIENCES
    • Anthropology, General
      • A program that focuses on the systematic study of human beings, their antecedents and related primates, and their cultural behavior and institutions, in comparative perspective. Includes instruction in biological/physical anthropology, primatology, human paleontology and prehistoric archeology, hominid evolution, anthropological linguistics, ethnography, ethnology, ethnohistory, socio-cultural anthropology, psychological anthropology, research methods, and applications to areas such as medicine, forensic pathology, museum studies, and international affairs. See other colleges that offer this major
    • Econometrics and Quantitative Economics
      • A program that focuses on the systematic study of mathematical and statistical analysis of economic phenomena and problems. Includes instruction in economic statistics, optimization theory, cost/benefit analysis, price theory, economic modeling, and economic forecasting and evaluation. See other colleges that offer this major
    • International Relations and Affairs
      • A program that focuses on the systematic study of international politics and institutions, and the conduct of diplomacy and foreign policy. Includes instruction in international relations theory, foreign policy analysis, international law and organization, the comparative study of specific countries and regions, and the theory and practice of diplomacy. See other colleges that offer this major
    • Political Science and Government, General
      • A general program that focuses on the systematic study of political institutions and behavior. Includes instruction in political philosophy, political theory, comparative government and politics, political parties and interest groups, public opinion, political research methods, studies of the government and politics of specific countries, and studies of specific political institutions and processes. See other colleges that offer this major
    • Sociology, General
      • A program that focuses on the systematic study of human social institutions and social relationships. Includes instruction in social theory, sociological research methods, social organization and structure, social stratification and hierarchies, dynamics of social change, family structures, social deviance and control, and applications to the study of specific social groups, social institutions, and social problems. See other colleges that offer this major
  • VISUAL AND PERFORMING ARTS
    • Drama and Dramatics/Theatre Arts, General
      • A program that focuses on the general study of dramatic works and their performance. Includes instruction in major works of dramatic literature, dramatic styles and types, and the principles of organizing and producing full live or filmed productions. See other colleges that offer this major
    • Film/Cinema/Media Studies
      • A program in the visual arts that focuses on the study of the history, development, theory, and criticism of the film/media arts, as well as the basic principles of filmmaking and film production. See other colleges that offer this major
    • Fine/Studio Arts, General
      • A program that prepares individuals to generally function as creative artists in the visual and plastic media. Includes instruction in the traditional fine arts media (drawing, painting, sculpture, printmaking, CAD/CAM) and/or modern media (ceramics, textiles, intermedia, photography, digital images), theory of art, color theory, composition and perspective, anatomy, the techniques and procedures for maintaining equipment and managing a studio, and art portfolio marketing. See other colleges that offer this major
    • Art History, Criticism and Conservation
      • A program that focuses on the study of the historical development of art as social and intellectual phenomenon, the analysis of works of art, and art conservation. Includes instruction in the theory of art, art history research methods, connoisseurship, the preservation and conservation of works of art, and the study of specific periods, cultures, styles, and themes. See other colleges that offer this major
    • Music, General
      • A general program that focuses on the introductory study and appreciation of music and the performing arts. Includes instruction in music, dance, and other performing arts media. See other colleges that offer this major
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Admissions

Undergraduate acceptance rate

Acceptance rate
16.18%
  • Apply 7,663
  • Accepted 1,240
  • Attend 606

Application Fee

Undergraduate
$0
Graduate
No information

Undergraduate application requirements

  • High school transcript

    Required
  • High school GPA

    Recommended
  • Recommendation letter

    Required
  • Admissions test
    (SAT or ACT)

    Not applicable
  • TOEFL
    (international students)

    Recommended
  • Completion of college
    prep program

    Recommended
  • Demonstration of
    competencies

    Not applicable

Average sat scores

Half of the freshman class scored within these ranges. 25% scored lower and 25% scored higher. 2020 data.

Math
Reading

Average act scores

Half of the freshman class scored within these ranges. 25% scored lower and 25% scored higher. 2020 data.

Composite
No Information for this section

Student Life

Student Demographics

Female Students
99%
Male Students
1%

Student Ethnicities
  1. Caucasian33.56%
  2. Asian21.29%
  3. Two Or More Ethnicities19.96%
  4. Hispanic/Latino14.38%
  5. Black7.68%
  6. Not Specified2.93%
  7. Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander0.16%
  8. American Indian/Alaska Native0.04%

Student body breakdown

Total students enrolled

2,405

Undergraduate students

2,405

Attendance breakdown

Full time
97%
Part time
3%

Student services

  • Meal plan
  • Counseling services
  • Remedial services
  • Work-study
  • Placement services
  • Study abroad
  • Weekend/evening classes
  • On-campus day care for student's children

Top five largest sports teams

Male sports:
  • Track and Field, Outdoor
  • Baseball
  • Ice Hockey
  • Basketball
  • Golf
Female sports:
  • Track and Field, Outdoor
  • Ice Hockey
  • Softball
  • Basketball
  • Golf
Full List of Athletics

Full List of Athletics X

    • Male

    • Track and Field, Outdoor
    • Baseball
    • Ice Hockey
    • Basketball
    • Golf
    • Female

    • Track and Field, Outdoor
    • Ice Hockey
    • Softball
    • Basketball
    • Golf
No Information for this section