Wellesley College

Wellesley College is one of the few remaining women’s colleges in the country. But it also happens to consistently rank among the ten best liberal arts schools in the U.S. Founded in 1870, the college is is considered one of the original Seven Sisters Colleges (including Mount Holyoke, Vassar, Smith, Radcliffe, Bryn Mawr, and Barnard). With a student population of just under 2,500, the campus is tight-knit and 91 percent of women decide to stay in college-affiliated housing their entire four years.

There are over 50 majors available to undergraduates at Wellesley College. Additionally, Wellesley students have the option of designing their own major. With more than 1,000 courses to choose from, students have a great selection of study options. The most popular majors include: social sciences; biological/life sciences; computer and information sciences; area, ethnic, and gender studies; and psychology. Students can also take part in cross-registration programs with MIT, Olin College of Engineering, Babson, and Brandeis. They can also participate in the Twelve College Exchange Program. Most class sizes remain small at Wellesley with 77 percent of classes having fewer than 20 students. Additionally, the student to faculty ratio is about 7.5 to one. In fact, Wellesley faculty members are often ranked among the top professors in the country.

Wellesley College has more than 180 student organizations, ranging from social clubs to academic programs. There are no sororities, but women form strong bonds with the students that share their residence halls. The college has many well-respected student-run publications like “Counterpoint” (a monthly journal), “The Wellesley News” (the campus newspaper), and “The Wellesley Review” (a literary magazine). The popular student government board is called the Schneider Board of Governors (SBOG); they are responsible for planning successful events on campus. Wellesley also has 13 varsity sports teams, who compete in the NCAA Division III, the Eastern Conference Athletic Conference (ECAC), and the New England Women’s and Men’s Athletic Conference (NEWMAC).

Even after students finish their undergraduate studies at Wellesley College, they are supported by the broad network of alumni. There are nearly 35,000 active alumni members who help connect students with internships and job placements. When you add in some of the best professors in the country and an active social life, Wellesley has one of the strongest liberal arts educations in the nation. Women interested in challenging academics and opportunities to advance should look into everything Wellesley College has to offer.