Student government is fairly popular here, as are the various cultural groups on campus who host lectures, parties, and dinners. Sometimes it's hard to dedicate time to a student group when you have so much academic work on your plate, but somehow people manage to do it. I'm involved with theater on campus, and love how Wellesley supports the arts (like almost everything else). Not many people attend athletic events, but crew and tennis are very popular/well respected. The community system that is started from the moment you get at Wellesley is the best way to make friends, and the residential life is amazing (both really supportive and not too in-your-face). Many students have boyfriends from schools nearby, and you can see them dotted all over campus on the weekends. If i'm awake at 2am on a Tuesday, I am either studying or procrastinating studying, and I don't know too many people who would be doing otherwise. Last weekend I met up with friends from high school who go to other colleges in the area for dinner. Then I hopped on a bus and went to a final club at Harvard (a similar institution to fraternities), met up with my Wellesley friends, and returned to campus for a quiet night of peace! There are very few well-attended events on campus on the weekends, but the cultural shows tend to garner population and the few parties the societies (similar to sororities) have are also fairly well-attended.

Not many of my high school friends and teachers knew where or what Wellesley College is. When I explained that it's a women's college outside of Boston, the general reaction was, "What, are you a lesbian now?" After a year and a half at Wellesley, I can say that there definitely are lesbians (as well as students who are bisexual, trangendered, and more -- "sexuality is a spectrum not a binary"), but Wellesley, despite what people may say, is hardly a school "of" or "for" lesbians. We're a school of and for women, whatever their sexual orientation may be.

Oh so much, but in order to know, you'd have to come here...

If you only want to go to college to party- go somewhere else. If your future is more important to you- definitely come here. There are still people here at Wellesley who party any chance they get - it's just that you have to travel off campus to get to the parties. P.S - we have a shuttle bus that brings us into Boston every hour on the weekdays - for free. The shuttle bus runs every 40 mins on Fridays and Saturdays. On the weekends, the bus rides cost $2 (the same price as the subway fare that BC, Tufts, BU, and Harvard students have to pay) On Friday and Saturday nights, busses run until 3am (whereas Boston's subways stop running at 12:55am).

I would say that the vast majority of students here have a love/hate relationship with Wellesley. It's not always fun, it's not ever really easy, and sometimes you wonder why you're working your butt off against grade deflation while the rest of your high school friends party. That being said, Wellesley changes you. It's made me a better, deeper thinker, more open minded, and braver than I ever thought I could be. If I could do it again I wouldn't change a thing.

One thing that I haven't talked about is the beauty of the campus. It is absolutely breath-taking. Some people have likened it to Hogwarts which I guess is a fair anaology minus the boys, broomsticks and odd creatures. But the gothic architecture and the huge, beautiful commmon rooms of the dorms make this school, in my opinion, the most beautiful in this country. My only other thing, is that I love this school and I think that any woman in this country would thrive here. People think that sexism has died but it hasn't, and going to a school like Wellesley will teach you that as a woman, you are powerful beyond measure and that nothing can hold you back.

Wellesley is an amazing place, its not for everybody, and often people have a hard time adjusting to it, but it can really feel like home. There is something about a n all women's environment that attracts interesting and talented people, but allows women to really discover exactly who they are. Its so liberating but also enjoyable and nurturing. I wouldn't trade it for anything.

The worst thing about Wellesley is that there are many students who will do anything to get ahead in class, even if it means holding back the rest of the class with things like questions that the teacher has already answered, or being overly competitive in class, refusing to help anyone around them. Another negative thing about Wellesley is that students from different cultural backgrounds tend not to mix; if you belong to a certain race you will most likely have all, if not most of your friends from that race, only with a few exceptions.

Come here if you want an excellent education and are willing to get out there, be independent, and find your own way. Wellesley environment is supportive in most ways during the day and empowers young women, however the night and the weekend are your own to figure out and make the most of, so you need to make the effort to enjoy them outside the academic context.

People at Wellesley are generally very accepting, although different groups may not necessarily interact, I have never felt not welcome going anywhere. I don't think any kind of student would feel out of place at Wellesley, because there is so much diversity on our campus. Most students wear sweats, or pajamas to class.

It is 99% wonderful going to a womens college but that 1% is very difficult. While I don't miss boys at all in the academic setting, it is very difficult not to have them on campus socially.

I know all of my professors names and they know mine. Every member of the faculty is here because they love to teach and we are here because we love to learn. Professors welcome you into their offices and when you are a firstie it is frightening, but before you know it your poli sci professor is asking you if your sore throat is gone yet. It is an amazing environment to learn in.

I first came to Wellesley before my Junior year of high school. I got out of the car in the middle of a mud pit at the construction site for the new student center. And I fell in love. I then spent a year and a half lookign for a co-ed school to like better. I couldn't find one and applied early decision to Wellesley. My relationship with Wellesley has been a little like a romantic relationship - the infatuation phase did come to an end, but what I've realized is that, warts and all, I still love this place and coming here is a decision I've never regretted. Don't be afraid of the women's college thing - most days I forget about it anyways, and when I do remember, I tend to be very grateful, because I love Wellesley and a co-ed Wellesley just wouldn't be my Wellesley.

No. If I have come to learn one thing from attending Wellesley, it would be that women from all socio-economic, racial and ethnic backgrounds and of different sexual orientations can work together and challenge one another to be successful.

see above answer

Wellesley is too small and distant from the rest of the world. This can be bad if you end up disliking being with women most of your time. If Wellesley were in Harvard Square, or even close to an actual T Station, this place would be more tolerable. The town does not accommodate to Wellesley students. The townspeople (i.e. [usually white] families with children) use our campus as a park to stroll around, which is okay for them, but it makes the campus feel less like a college. This place doesn't match most people's perception of college. The most recent controversy here is pretty serious to the students...The 24 hour Infirmary is closing starting next year, which will make after hour health services inconvenient for students. After hour health care will be moved to a hospital, which is a bit of a drive. Thing is, no transportation method has been agreed upon yet, as it's supposed to be the hospital's responsibility to provide us transportation (thanks Wellesley). That's surprising, considering how far they are into the agreement. The school refuses to consider the opinions of the many dissenting students, as they're determined to pass this new regulation anyway. People who are/become sick frequently will find it inconvenient to get themselves to whichever hospital Wellesley decides to ship us.

I dont know if anyone would feel out of place here, because I think there are so many different kinds of students that it would just be a question of finding one's niche. There is a LGBT community on campus, but I've found sexuality to transcend all groups, and to become a non-issue among friends. People don't really care either way, and its just not a big deal. There is a lot of money here, but Wellesley is great about being very generous with financial aid, so there are definitely students who do not come from great means. The greatest thing about Wellesley is you can really be who you are, some people wear full make up, pearls, and heels to class whereas others come in their pajamas, or work out clothes if they just came from practice. All Wellesley students are serious about their studies and are at school to get a good education, they're all special or talented in one way. Every Wellesley woman is going to be successful in her own way.

For the most part, yes.

Wellesley is absolutely not a typical college experience. You can't wander down the hall to find a kegger. To have a typical social life, you have to make the effort to leave campus, which can be hard. Yet there are so many schools near Wellesley that there are enough boys to choose from. People don't usually go out on weeknights -- those are for homework. There are a million lectures, cultural events, shows, and low-key on-campus things to do. Our first year orientation was amazing -- I met some of my best friends there.