Wellesley College Top Questions

How do people react when you tell them you go to Wellesley? Ha. There are so many possible responses. (1) Oh, Wesleyan? That's really cool. (2) Wait, where? (3) Oh. Ohhhhh. A women's college. Uh-huh. (4) Oh... okay. (As in, I have no idea what that is, but I'm going to pretend I know, because I have a feeling I should.) (5) Wellesley! Now THAT'S a really good school. The last response is, of course, my favorite, although I only get it from doctors and guidance counselors, strangely. And of course the reactions from other students in the Boston area vary, but they know what Wellesley is, so there's that element. The administration kind of sucks sometimes. I'm just going to put that out there. The decision making process is NOT transparent, and it's a little ridiculously bureaucratic. That said, lower level administrative departments (like, not the deans and stuff, but Residential Life, Student Activities, etc) are awesome. I love the res life staff (and in fact am going to join them as an RA next year because I think they're fantastic), and Student Activities gets us discounted tickets to all these things in Boston, and stuff like that. So, the administration at its highest levels is irritating, but you don't come up against them all that much. And the people you interact with on a daily basis are almost always wonderful. The town of Wellesley would be a great college town... if college students were rich middle-aged women. The Ville, as we call it, is full of stores that close at 5pm, and even if they stayed open later, there wouldn't be anything we could afford in them anyhow. CVS, the Gap, and Lemon Thai (Wellesley's collective favorite delivery place) are basically all we can afford. BUT that's what Boston's for! Wellesley has buses into the city on the hour (and every forty minutes, on weekends), and Boston is great and super accessible and MORE than makes up for the Ville. I think there's a lot of school pride. At least, *I'm* proud of my school! Wellesley women know that, among their peers, Wellesley may not get the recognition it deserves, but out in the real, professional world, it does. (Which may be part of the reason we're perceived as so driven and future-focused and all that.) I think a lot of us are proud to be here. The best thing about Wellesley (besides the fantastic academics, which I'll get to in the next section) is the community. We have these amazing traditions, and honestly, the people here are the sort of people I want to be friends with in any situation. It's not because there AREN'T guys. It's because there ARE women who have decided, on balance, that they can deal without guys, in the service of becoming the best, brightest, strongest person they can be. They know that Wellesley can help them do that, and they're up to the challenge.

In my opinion, the most incredibly part of the Wellesley experience is the feeling of sisterhood. There is something about having gone to an all-woman's college that links us strongly to each other and to all the alumnae who have gone before us. I never dreamed I would meet friends like the ones I have met here. I have six best friends who would walk through fire for me- and I think our strong connection stems from the fact that there are no boys over whom we compete or who demand attention in social situations. Wellesley is in the suburbs of Boston but it is incredibly easy to get into the city. My friends and I venture into Boston at least once a week. We explore Harvard square or Chinatown or the North End or Quincy market and we have come to realize that Boston is truly one of the most fascinating and college friendly cities in the country. Aside from Boston there is always the town of Wellesley. The "Vil" as Wellesley students call it, is the quintessential New England Town. There is a Talbots, a Gap, a bagel store, several high-end baby stores and of course the life-line of the students, CVS. I have probably spent more time in that CVS than I have in all the other stores combined. As far as the Wellesley administration goes, there is certainly some tension between the student body and those "higher up." The most recent controversy was over whether or not the infirmary should shut down their 24-hour service. Despite the student protests and petitions the administration went ahead with the shut-down. While this was somewhat disheartening, the administration has never done anything that wasn't in the students' best interest so it is probable that the new infirmary policy will not be detrimental to the student experience. I think the thing that is the most unusual about Wellesley is the bond that we have with alums. There isn't a lot of athletic school spirit per se, but there is an intense pride that comes with being a Wellesley Woman. We are all intimately connected with the women who graduated 100 years ago and with those who will graduate in the next 100 years.

There isn't a best thing about Wellesley. The campus is gorgeous, and looks like the stereotypical New England College. As far as dorms go, some of the first year doubles are smaller, but all dorms have gorgeous common rooms equipped with a grand piano. There are six dining halls in various dorms some specialized, like the kosher dining hall, or the peanut free one. The options are great. Most students live on campus all four years, which gives the school a feeling of being closely knit. The size of the school is great, big enough that you don't know everyone, but small enough that you don't feel anonymous. The town of Wellesley is an affluent suburb that doesn't cater to college students, but luckily it has an easily accessible CVS and Starbucks.

The best thing about Wellesley is the intimacy. It feels more community like aside the colleges that have some 25,000 students. I think the only thing I would change is increasing the size of the library. Wellesley feels right. Everything is within walking distance. It may feel small at times, but when I think about it, if it were bigger, then it becomes difficult to get to places and it doesn't feel as safe. I get two reactions when I tell people I go to Wellesley: awe because they know Wellesley is prestigious and either admiration that I chose an all women's college or sympathy that there are no men. Half of my time is in class/at work/meetings. I would say the other half is spent in my dorm or at the library. What college town? There is a little ville outside the campus about five minutes walking. That's where the shops and restaurants are. Due to some recent events, I am thinking there is some disorganization in the funding committee for lectures and cultural events. But aside from that, I have had a good experience with the dean's office, admissions, and financial aid. The most recent controversy would probably be that a Wellesley student attempted to murder her ex-boyfriend at a nearby college. There is definitely a lot of school pride! "Wellesley women who will" is a popular phrase often used to motivate students. When it comes to unusual things, I think it would be that Wellesley goes out of its way to keep controversies such as the one mentioned, quiet. Also I hear that there have been suicides, but the college has kept that quiet as well, kind of sweeping it under the rug. One thing I will always remember is going into the lake as initiation. It was cold and I almost lost my shoes! The "Wellesley bubble" is the biggest complaint. The Wellesley bubble is a term used to mock Wellesley's "everything is happy happy happy, let's not talk about the suicides that just happened la la la" attitude.

When telling people I go to Wellesley, it is usually met with blank stares or recognition as they cry, "Oh! My nephew played ice hockey there!" When assured that it is a women's college, and they still don't know what it is, I relent and ask them, "Have you ever seen the movie Mona Lisa Smile?" It seems that adults are more aware of the relevance and "name" of the school. During the week, I hardly notice that I go to a women's college. In fact, males are in a majority of my classes as students from Babson, MIT, and Olin can cross register. Nonetheless, the presence of a male on campus, particularly in the dining hall on the weekend, is met with stares and various degrees of shock. While Wellesley as vacillated between encouraging more of a social scene on the weekends for students, such as the infamous Dkye Ball or the newly introduced Remix, most students go into Boston for their free time. Wellesley students are usually readily accepted to join MIT frat parties or Harvard Final Clubs. While it is difficult to find a group of friends off campus, the myriad options of fun to be had in Boston make every weekend fun. There seems to be a dichotomy between the administration and the students. Certain aspects of college, such as wireless internet access, cable tv, or an accessible infirmary, which seem a natural part of any college life are null at Wellesley. It seems that years of protecting "Wellesley's women" from the big bad world has left the administration reluctant to change with the times. This would certainly be one of the most frequent student complaints. Nonetheless, changes are being made. For instance, the new Athletics Director, Bridget Belgiovine, is making huge strides in increasing pride for athletics and the school in general. Without a football team, it is easy to forget about athletics. Yet as a varsity field hockey player I have noticed a marked difference since Bridget's arrival as athletic accomplishments are met with more fanfare and support.

What I like best about being a Wellesley woman is the relaxed atmosphere. Of course we are always nervous about that upcoming midterm, but we have no problem taking time out of our day for a quick round of frisbee. We are all hardworking and passionate about the various events from around the world, especially when it comes to justice for women. One of the things I would like to change about Wellesley are the stupid steps outside of the Hazard Quad on the way to the Science building. They aren't even steps anymore, more like a trip/fall/concussion hill. Personally, I think the school size is perfect, we are large enough not to know every single person's name and background, but when I walk to class I can still say hi to twenty people who know me. When I tell people about Wellesley, I get one of two reactions: Never heard of it, or stunned silence because we all how amazing Wellesley is. I am from a small town in Wisconsin, so most of those reactions are oblivious to the level of Wellesley. I am sure out here on the East Coast, more people are aware of Wellesley and its reputation, but I have not really had the chance to talk to people outside of Boston who all know Wellesley. Wellesley is located in a really QUIET town. We have cute shops and places to eat, but it is a typical rich little town.

Perfect size great sports, open, accepting. A great place to go to college fr girls who are serious about academics and friendships. Because it is not a very social in terms of perties school, we get to focus on what really matters: friendships, and through these we can go out and do the "normal college" thing. It is always nice to know you have a quiet place to go back to though.

The best thing about Wellesley: everyone expects you to not only do your best, but that your best be awesome. I would change the dining hall food, it's beyond pathetic. The school size could actually be a little smaller. Most people down south don't even know about Wellesley, but outside of that, most recognize it as that women's school. I spend the most time in my room. While Boston is a college town, Wellesley is not. Wellesley is a rich person's town, everything here is expensive, from the Gap on main street to the Chinese delivery food. Wellesley Admin is okay, although their financial aid department sucks overall. They are very disorganized for a school with so much money. There's a love-hate relationship for Wellesley students with the college. Most here are proud that this is such a good school, but you get the feeling that many would much rather be at an Ivy, just because of its name.