Wellesley College Top Questions

Is the stereotype of students at your school accurate?

Gene

Sure, but not for everybody. And not for the majority even. You'd find someone at every university or college who fits into those categories, and even more people who fit into none of the above.

Brett

I think some girls give our school a bad name in terms of the slut factor, but I don't think we are any different from girls at other schools. People just like to paint the picture of the whole "despearte sex starved girl from an all girls school".

Natalie

Absolutely not. There's a niche for everyone at Wellesley, including LGBT. But the majority identifies as heterosexual. In order to meet men we need to commute, and it's inevitable that the jealous women at other colleges will call us slutty for taking a few of their men.

Nicole

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.

Shelby

NOT AT ALL! As at any college, the student body at Wellesley is diverse and includes all types of people.

Aleyah

Yes

Anna

there is a strong gay-straight allianace and thus the lesbian crowd has a strong presence, but I believe that the majority of students are straight. Yes, Wellesley students are driven and yes, they are incredibly competitive, which seems to have been enhanced by the grade deflation policy. Wellesley itself indeed has incredible academics and professors WANT you to succeed even if that means your grade won't necessarily reflect this. The campus is gorgeous for sure, and unfortunately it is true that it is difficult to find a social. life. YOU need to be the one that makes the effort to get out into Boston or join some club or whatever. Social events DO NOT fall into your lap, they need to be sought out, but once you get involved, life is a lot easier and happier.

Eileen

Wellesley students are not all gay or all wealthy, as stated above. I would not classify my classmates as cutthroat either- having studied at a few schools, I've seen that there is a group of students, like at every other school, that is really competitive but I find that most students would rather not pitch GPAs back and forth to you over lunch. That being said, it is a very academically minded campus. People put a lot of pressure on themselves, but not necessarily on others. We are definitely an involved group!

Jamie

No. Neither are true.

Alex

I would say we are definitely more feminist than your typical college; however, coming from a very liberal part of California, Wellesley is nothing different. Wellesley is filled with extremely smart women who are determined to break the glass ceiling. Like most, if not all, stereotypes, there is some truth in them.

Suzy

For the most part, yes.

Quinn

see above answer

Sarah

Not at all

Sarah

I think pretty much all of them are, but I would also argue that the majority of Wellesley's students do not fall into any of the above categories.

morgan

we do have a gay and bi percentage of the wellesley population, but no more so than most other coed colleges. At wellesley they are just a little more relaxed to be able to speak out about it. I would say that there are some wellesely girls that are "desperate," because they exist everywhere, but from my experience they are hard to find. We can go anywhere, to many campuses and meet men easily on a regular basis. we may not live with them, but iv never found finding men a problem. I would call the majority of wellesely students to be intelligent and independent women. They are in an eviorment that fosters that. As for whether we are dating material, that depends on the girl. there are many women that attend mit frat parties and harvard underground parties with no intention of finding a bf. they are there to find a hookup, or just dance with their friends. But we are better known for integrity.

Hunter

A good number of Wellesley women do throw themselves at guys, but women (and men) do this everywhere. It's just easier to point us out and go "ooh." But no, we're not all desperate for men, nor are we all lesbians.

Emily

It is not true that all Wellesley women are gay. It is true that those who do identify with the LGBT community may be less fearful to express themselves because Wellesley is more non-judgemental than other schools. Yes. We work really hard.

Jessie

Not really- well the rich student part anyway. Sure there were the well-off people, then there were the middle class people, and then the not-so-well off people. When it came to academics and being independent, that's what was true for the most part.

Carolyn

they're mostly exaggerated, although people do tend to be a bit uptight and study a lot.

Victoria

I'd say some Wellesley girls are stuck-up, but you'll find that anywhere so it's not unique to Wellesley. The Overly ambitious thing is true. Wellesley Women are determined and want to be the best at everything they do, not so much of a bad thing really.

Emily

Some of them more than others. There is something called "the Wellesley goggles" where men who we would have not been attracted to before college start looking more attractive, but if girls are really desperate, they just transfer to a different school or take classes at Brandeis or MIT. Not to mention the goggles, don't really lower our standards, if the guy's a jerk he has no more chance than he would normally, not to mention we know a bad pick-up line when we hear one and generally try to avoid guys who seem predatory. We came to an all-girls school because it was the best thing for our education, the presence or lack of men will not determine my education. We study a lot and people can really bog themselves down, but we can also take a step back and analyze ourselves critically and ask, "is this what I really want?" So, we can decide just like anyone else, that it's okay to take a class pass/fail, or not turn in one homework assignment because otherwise we won't get any sleep. It can be hard sometimes though to remind ourselves it's just a class, it's not our whole lives, because each of us is so driven to succeed.

Quinn

No, not at all. We are strong independent women that are accepting of all kinds of individuals.

Tina

It is extremely false that all Wellesley Girls are rich white and preppy. I am neither and NONE of my friends fall under the category. Like every competitive schol, the studentes will be competitive, everyone wants to be the best, nothing to be embarrassed of - it is extremely motivating. Radical Feminists...not radical, although most wellesley girls are feminists - we as intelligent women want equality in the work force and in legislation.

Betsy

Not really. I mean yeah, you get both types, but they in no way represent the entire student body. The first thing I noticed is how different everyone here is next to everyone I've ever known. You get all kinds here, every shape, color, and history.

Christine

For the most part, there are only a handful of laid back people.

Julia

Of course not. Like with most schools, Wellesley's students generally fall somewhere in the middle.

Liz

Yes, they are quite accurate. Every woman here is intense about schoolwork to the point where you are afraid fellow students will have a heart attack in class. Of course, the drinking and debauchery only occurs among less than half the school, but that half is loud and boisterous. The lesbians are the "in crowd" with all their drugs and alcohol (mainly cocaine).

Ryan

NO! Of course there is a lesbian population but there are many more straight women than lesbian women. There are quite a few girls who never leave the library but most Wellesley women find a balance between the partying and studying (but there are extremes on both sides of the spectrum).

Tate

None of these stereotypes are true! While it's true that LGBT issues play a prominent role on campus, it is more because the students feel safe and comfortable expressing their sexual preferences than at many other universities. I am not gay, nor do I (or have I ever) gone to Harvard or M.I.T. with the purpose of seeking out men. It is NOT a finishing school, for heaven's sake! We pride ourselves on our outstanding academics, and our status as "Wellesley Women" has everything to do with being outspoken, independent women, not future housewives.

Lorie

Yes! However, it depends on what kind of people who hang out with - not all are competitive - and you can burst the bubble easily by going off-campus, but not a lot of people take advantage of that.

Jennifer

If you are gay there is certainly a vibrant community available, but they're still a small percentage of the student body. What is accurate is that most (though certainly not all) students are open about GLBT issues. It is definitely true that most Wellesley students are very opinionated. That makes us very successful in the professional world, but can sometimes go too far and be frustrating in personal relationships.

Sarah

Nope! Wellesley is full of incredibly diverse students! Girls come from all over! The only thing they have in common is they're all amazing!

Athena

These stereotypes are true for me and I also see it in others. However, I find that I can use a positive attitude to turn all of these worries into motivation.

Jerry

They're definitely not unfounded, but they're not true across the board.

Jenna

no, all women's college is amazing.

Tate

1. No. While there is a significant gay/lesbian/bi/trans population at Wellesley, not everyone is. The stereotype arises because the atmosphere at Wellesley is such that we are very accepting of all [most] people. Those who are g/l/bi/t are not afraid or ashamed of who they are, and so are more comfortable with being active in the community on issues that are specific to them. 2. As at all colleges, some girls are easy. It's a fact. Again, this does not apply to everyone (ah, the problem with stereotypes...) 3. Some do. It's true. Most of us really just want someone to love who will love us back. Sound like the little voice in the back of your head? 4. Ah, well, this one is probably true. We can be really chill and really relaxed, but we are anal about a lot of things - mostly academics, but our desire for things to work right often spills over into everyday life. We can be really intense - but we certainly know how to relax properly too (well... most of us, anyway).

angela

These stereotypes are not really all that accurate in terms of the majority of the girls- but there are these types of girls on campus. While there are these types of girls on any campus, I feel these stereotypes are true for many girls on campus- but most definitely not all.

Janie

Everyone is competitive when it comes to school and sometimes boys, there is a feminist movement at Wellesley but it is in varying degrees most people are feminist to some point, this campus is very liberal and it is sometimes very hard to be Conservative here because most people are very liberal and not as open-minded as they think they are, There is a large lesbian presence but it's in line with other school's percentages. Lesbians are more noticeable here because of the lack of guys, almost every relationship you see during the week are lesbian ones but that changes greatly on the weekend, Some girls are stuck up and uptight but thats expected from any expensive liberal arts school, almost everyone is friendly once you talk to them but sometimes it is an effort to break out your shell

Abby

The students definitely work hard here but that is expected given the quality of the school. But students also know how to have a good time when they want to. There are plenty of opportunities on and off campus to have fun. Secondly, the majority of this campus is not lesbians, although they can be very vocal. There are also many students who enjoy the company of men .

Andy

Yes

Wendy

I'll admit that I owe pearls, and have been known to wear a cardigan, but neither regularly. I think that there's a healthy balance between all ends of the spectrum - the very conservative, 1950s, proper kind of girls and those who are absolutely not at all. Likewise, I think there's a tremendous variety in sexual orientation, gender identity, relationship status... I know first years engaged to their boyfriends; I also had a House President who was engaged to her girlfriend at one point. There is, I think, I more sizeable LGBTQ community here than at other institutions, maybe, or maybe just a more open one. But I don't think that that community is a definining or even dominant group on campus. At its best, the openness and support on Wellesley's campus creates space for really great dialogues. At its worse, we're no better than anywhere else. And, of course, being a women's college, trans issues are a particuarly interesting topic, although there isn't a particuarly large trans population on campus - I think we're still more conservative than other schools, like Smith or Mt. Holyoke in that regard. And of course there are students who like booze and boys, but there are at least as many students who spend Friday night studying for an exam or working on a putting together a cultural show, or watching movies... There are students who get very down on the social life here, but I think that its actually really been a very positive experience for me - you get to choose the elements you want in your social life and exert a lot more control over who your interact with and in which settings than I think most people do in high school.

Ryan

for the most part no.

Casey

You can find them all.

Wendy

It is accurate to some extent. Sometimes it's hard not being a lesbian on campus.

anna

to an extent. those people exist, but don't make up a majority of the student population.

Julia

Most Wellesley Wendys are intense and ambitious, and many are indeed spoiled and rich, especially those in the "societies," Wellesley's equivalent of sororities. There is a vocal lesbian minority on campus, but it IS a minority, and not a bad one, either. Wellesley women do have a tendency to get too worked up over issues and sometimes forget to keep assessing the situation, in favor of ranting and raving instead. The fuck truck is oft-ridden, simply to get a social life, but it is not a rule that you will fuck if you ride the truck. And...we do not ALL like Hillary- and we will not ALL vote for just because she's an alumna.

Anne

I think they are true to some degree, as are most stereotypes, but I love Wellesley despite some of the drawbacks. All of my friends and I are extremely hard working and motivated, but we have a sense of community that is really unique. We are not competitive with one another, and actually work to help each other through whatever we are going through, academically or personally. It's a fantastic environment. As for the political scene, it does tend to be liberal (as most northeastern schools are), but there is a complete spectrum of views here. The beauty

Olivia

I mean, personally I don't think so as I don't fall into either category. I think stereotypes normally stem from some place, but really, everyone is different on this campus.

Alex

While neither of these stereotypes are completely accurate, there are kernels, perhaps grain of truth. Wellesley students are pampered by our staff, administration, and professors. During finals week, we have treats (which include cookies) and are read bedtime stories by our professors. We even have dog-therapy for the over-stressed on occasion. Yes, Wellesley is an extremely open and welcoming campus and that hospitality extends to students of all sexual orientation. However, that does not necessarily mean that coming to Wellesley makes you a lesbian. Nor should it assume that your life will be male-deprived. There are women who feel this way, but it is only because they buy into the stereotypes. By realizing the amazing women and opportunities that surround a student each day, that student will fly by these "hurdles" to make the most of their experience.

Catherine

The vast majority of women do work like crazy...a lot also take themselves too seriously, but I have never had as much fun as I do at Wellesley with my friends. They're really what get me through all the stress and massive amounts of work. As much as I look forward to graduating, I can't imagine life without them right there a few rooms over.