Wellesley, MA · Private · 2,300 undergraduates · suburban
Wellesley College
Highly selective
A residential women’s college combines first-year academic risk protection with practical cross-registration into nearby technical and business institutions.
Institutional profile
Top tier Exceptional in academic standing, and strong in career outcomes.- Admission
- 13.9% admitted
- Price by income
- Varies across five income ranges
- Completion
- 91.7%
8,184 applicants in the reported year
Compare recent average annual costs by household income
$84,803 median earnings 10 years after enrollment
What sets Wellesley apart
Academic design
First-semester courses use Pass/No Pass shadow grading, keeping underlying grades off the transcript.
Campus pattern
Residence halls have their own cheers and House Councils, making dorm identity visible in campus traditions.
A signature opportunity
First-semester shadow grading
Can I get in?
13.9% admitted
The strongest case shows why this structure fits a student wanting a residential women’s-college environment with curricular reach into engineering, technology, and business nearby.
Recent applicant pool
8,184About 14 in every 100 applicants were admitted.
Academic range
Of admitted students, 42% submitted an SAT, and 17% submitted an ACT. Treat the ACT range as a guide to the students who submitted that test, not to everyone admitted.
In the season card
Where your GPA sits in the entering class
The full entering-class GPA distribution for Wellesley, in nine bands from 4.0 down, with your own record marked on it.
See where I landIn the season card
What Wellesley weighs when it reads a file
See how this college describes the role of grades, testing, essays, recommendations, activities, and demonstrated interest.
- Course rigor
- GPA
- Test scores
- Essay
- Recommendations
- Extracurriculars
- Demonstrated interest
What moves the application
The evidence that separates a strong file
Show preparation for this curriculum
First-semester courses use Pass/No Pass shadow grading, keeping underlying grades off the transcript.
Make institutional fit specific
A student wanting a residential women’s-college environment with curricular reach into engineering, technology, and business nearby.
Use the application route carefully
Keep the academic direction and school-specific choices coherent across the application.
Give commitments a clear through-line
Activities and recommendations should show sustained contribution, not a collection of disconnected credentials.
How to apply
Rounds, route, and required materials
Use the application to show a clear academic direction and a specific reason this institutional structure fits.
Check eligibility for a fee waiver
Can I afford it?
Compare annual cost by household income.
Start with the average net price for your income range, then set that estimate beside your other realistic options.
In the season card
Average annual cost by household income at Wellesley
Compare recent average net prices across five federal income ranges and estimate a 4-year cost for yours.
- $0–30k
- $30–48k
- $48–75k
- $75–110k
- $110k+
Is it worth it?
Completion, debt, and earnings
Read the outcomes panel as a whole: completion, borrowing, field mix, and earnings together matter more than one headline number.
Degree completion across the reported entering cohort
First-year students who return for year two
And what that comes to against what they earn.
Reported 10 years after enrollment
Academic portfolio
Largest bachelor’s fields
How many students finish in each field, and median earnings four years after completing the program.
Economics
Research and Experimental Psychology
Computer and Information Sciences, General
Political Science and Government
Biology, General
What is campus life like?
Wellesley beyond the classroom
Residence halls have their own cheers and House Councils, making dorm identity visible in campus traditions. Lake Day, Hooprolling, Flower Sunday, and the Scream Tunnel give the year a distinctive rhythm.
The academic structure
First-semester courses use Pass/No Pass shadow grading, keeping underlying grades off the transcript.
How the community is organized
Residence halls have their own cheers and House Councils, making dorm identity visible in campus traditions.
Daily campus life
Lake Day, Hooprolling, Flower Sunday, and the Scream Tunnel give the year a distinctive rhythm.
What shapes an ordinary week
Residence halls have their own cheers and House Councils, making dorm identity visible in campus traditions. Lake Day, Hooprolling, Flower Sunday, and the Scream Tunnel give the year a distinctive rhythm.
Use the campus beyond class
A student wanting a residential women’s-college environment with curricular reach into engineering, technology, and business nearby.
Fit the community in practice
Cross-registration can involve shuttle travel and mismatched institutional calendars.