Wellesley College Top Questions

I really like Wellesley and its isolated campus--there's something about the place that just makes it feel home. There's also something nice about walking to class and there are chipmunks and squirrels (certain paths) literally just running around in front of you. Where I spend time on campus depends on where my dorm is. Since there are tons of dorms scattered around campus, you might be close to the sports center, campus center, science center, etc. I think while there's a great deal of people who really love and appreciate Wellesley, there are a few who have a love/hate relationship with the school because it's so competitive and intense, yet ultimately rewarding and you sometimes don't realize it until you leave. The atmosphere tends to be very PC. Wellesley women in general are very passionate.

My friends and I love Wellesley as it is. Wellesley is so unique in character, and I have the closest girlfriends that I have ever had in my life (probably because there are no men)...who needs guys when you have your best friends?! As I say, "Hos before bros!" Besides my friends, the best thing about Wellesley are the amazing professors. I love each and every one of my professors- they are all willing to go out of their way for their students. It is obvious that they truly love what they do. Most of the time, I think Wellesley's student body is just the right size, but there are other times (like when finals come around) when it does feel a bit too small because of high stress levels. I spend my time all over campus, but the I probably spend the most time in the following areas: my room, my friends' rooms, Pendleton (more specifically, the economics department on the fourth floor), the dining hall, and when the weather is nice, on Severance Green or the Tower Courtyard. Make no mistake, Wellesley, MA is not a college town. It is a quiet upper class suburb of Boston with some cute shops (the Cheese Shop is to die for!), but the town basically shuts down after 8 pm. That said, however, it is extremely easy to get into Boston to access its never-ending nightlife. Wellesley has buses that go into Cambridge and Boston once every hour (more often on the weekends) and they run late into the night. The ride can take anywhere from 25 minutes to 1 hour, depending on traffic.

Wellesley is an amazing school for women who want to make a difference in the world. No one at Wellesley is ever told that something isn't possible, and because of the amazing Wellesley alumnae network, stipend and internship opportunities, and great academics, anything is possible. I have met a variety of different types of people at Wellesley from around the world with a myriad of interests. It is not unusual to find a student majoring in physics and music or chemistry and religion. Wellesley women are also very involved on campus. We have over 100 student organizations on campus, which is huge for a school of our size. And every weekend there are a dozen cultural events. What I love about Wellesley is that your "college experience" is not restricted to one college. You want football games? Go to BC. Drunken frat boys: MIT! A cool music scene--Berekley School of Music is there for you. Ever and all types of entertainment and merriment are available at your fingertips when you live in Boston and (not to be smug but...) being a Wellesley Woman will open any door for you at any college in the country--trust me, you will be welcome with open arms. As for sports on campus--sports are not at the center of the Wellesley world but there is a lot of classic school spirit and I have been to Wellesley lacrosse games and crew regattas. There are also a lot of non-sports related traditions that help amp up the amount of general school spirit. Lots of love for Wellesley, no worries.

Wellesley will introduce you to people you would never otherwise meet and opinions you have never heard before. Wellesley will shape you into a self-confident and worldly woman. Since it is a liberal arts college many students struggle to find their place when they graduate, and most opt for graduate school to gain job-specific skills. It is a little frustrating to discover that after $200,000 you are not qualified to do much more than write 30 page art history papers, but at Wellesley, college is about much more than job preparation. It is a foundation for life.

What Wellesley Does Best- Academics and Careers: Students have easier access to internships and research positions. Wellesley has a strong alumnae network. The personal attention from professors is excellent. I did not think that I needed a small college but now that I am here I see that I definitely needed a small college where I can get help from my professors and ask them a question at anytime. At a university, you will be a face in the crowd when it comes time for job placement. Huge name companies who are actively looking to hire women flock to Wellesley, the #1 womens' college in the nation. Every year, sophomores and juniors get recruited into internship programs with big-name companies such as Goldman Sachs, J.P Morgan, and UBS. These sophomores and juniors are guaranteed jobs at these companies after graduation. Wellesley also has a Wellesley In Washington Program - where students intern in the White House. The Wellesley Social Life: Your social life is what you make of it - it does not come easy to you -yet, it is definitely not as hard as people think it is. I came to Wellesley without any friends in the Boston/Wellesley area. September of my first year, I was already dating guys from nearby colleges and then I met my current boyfriend, who I have been with since the Halloween Party where we met. There are on and off campus: parties, sporting events, concerts, lectures, cultural celebrations, and etc. Everyone can find something to do- you just have to actively seek it out. Warning: Wellesley is weather-dependent. Students love Wellesley and think that our campus is beautiful in early autumn and spring but in the winter it gets really drab and depressing - be sure to get off campus on the weekends.

The campus is beautiful, the classes are great. The size of the student body is a little small, but overall I like it. However, there are no boys. EVER. When I first visited, the tour guide told me that there are often boys on campus for parties and other events. This is a lie. Also, the town of Wellesley pretends that it's not a college town. It's way overpriced, there is only one pizza place and it sucks, and everything is closed by 9.

Wellesley is an amazing school academically, but there needs to be more social activities on campus and with neighboring schools. The athletic facilities need to be improved in order to promote health on campus. There need to be more parties, and more social areas on campus to hang out and do homework, or just chill with friends. Wellesley needs to have more balance between social and academic life.

Wellesley is a bubble. A big, shiny, translucent bubble, with little rainbow swirls of 'real life'. I, personally, find this to be a wonderful environment most of the time. Honestly, I'm not ready for the 'real world' yet. I want to live in a bubble, developing my ideas at leisure and sharing them with my fellow students. Sometimes, however, this bubble gets oppressive, and even discouraging. Bubbles, you see, are finite - the possibilities of real life, and the real world, however, are (for the most part) infinite. There are some times when you want to reach out to try something, and find someone gently slapping your hand saying, no, sorry, not now. The traditions of Wellesley inspire a strong sense of community, and, while they can sometimes feel strange (traditions of an old world presented to modern women), they are definitely an experience to enjoy at Wellesley. If I could change anything, it would have to be where Wellesley is situated. Don't get me wrong - the campus is absolutely gorgeous! - it's the college town, or lack thereof. Wellesley is stuck smack dab in the middle of upperclass suburbia. "The Vil" (our so-called college town) is, for the most part, a collection of incredibly expensive boutiques, with clothing items ranging on average from $50 to $300+. There is, however, a wonderful book store, a CVS, a Starbucks... and the bus to Boston. The local mall is a prime example of gentrification, but there is another mall approximately a half hour away that's probably just like the mall of your home town. The only problem is that you're going to need either a car (or a friend with a car) to get there. The surrounding area of Wellesley is rather wealthy, and it is reflected in the shopping areas.

The Big Picture: There is no other school like Wellesley out there. If you want to have that fun, crazy, wild "college experience," don't come to Wellesley. If you look out your window and see a giant football stadium with screaming student fans, don't come to Wellesley. If you want to have a bunch of crazy and fun friends, male and female, that go out really often and get drunk and tell really fun jokes- don't go to wellesley. If you are looking for a crazy fun time, don't go to Wellesley. If you want to learn about all different culture, study hard and learn all that you can in four year, attend some really interesting and inspiring lectures, and if you really want to become a more mature and intelligent person- then you should come to Wellesley.

Most of the time I am extremely satisfied with my Wellesley experience. I have made some really wonderful friends who have come from all over the world. I often say that my learning is only 50{4a082faed443b016e84c6ea63012b481c58f64867aa2dc62fff66e22ad7dff6c} in the classroom and 50{4a082faed443b016e84c6ea63012b481c58f64867aa2dc62fff66e22ad7dff6c} from my friends who come from so many different places and have experienced so many different things. Had I gone to another school, I am not sure that my friends would have been so varied and for this reason I am very happy that I chose Wellesley. Unfortunately you can not always be happy because as great as Wellesley is, it is not perfect. My biggest complaint is that the administration does not listen to the student concerns all that closely. The students are the ones who are most in-tune with what is happening on this campus and when we want to see something changed, they often ignore us. They claim to have a list of priorities already made and there is no way to alter this list.