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Wellesley College: What It's Like and Who Thrives There

By the Lens team · Updated October 20, 2026

Campus of Wellesley College
Photo: John Phelan · CC BY-SA 3.0 · via Wikimedia Commons
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Wellesley College is a private women's liberal arts college in Wellesley, Massachusetts, with about 2,300 undergraduates. It admitted 14.1% of applicants for fall 2024. It is a women's college near Boston, and students can cross-register at MIT.

What makes Wellesley different

  • A women's college near Boston. A lakeside campus with Boston a short trip away.
  • Cross-registration with MIT. Students can take classes at MIT and other nearby schools.
  • Test-optional. About 45% of enrolling first-years have applied without testing.

What Wellesley students study

The most common bachelor's degrees (class of 2024): econometrics and quantitative economics (67), computer and information sciences (49), psychology (42), political science (36), neuroscience (33) and biology (31). Source: IPEDS Completions, first majors only.

You may thrive at Wellesley if…

  • You want a women's college close to a big city.
  • You're drawn to economics, the sciences, political science or the humanities.
  • You'd like access to MIT's courses.

Worth asking about

  • How does cross-registration with MIT work?
  • What's the difference between Early Decision I and II at Wellesley?

How Wellesley compares with other liberal arts colleges

Wellesley admitted 14.1% of applicants for fall 2024 and is one of four women's colleges in this group. See how these 20 liberal arts colleges compare.

FAQ

What is Wellesley College's acceptance rate? 14.1% for fall 2024: 1,224 of 8,714 applicants were admitted.

Does Wellesley have early decision? Yes. Wellesley offers binding early decision in two rounds: Early Decision I (November 1) and Early Decision II (January 5). Source

Does Wellesley require the SAT or ACT? No. Wellesley is test-optional for students applying for fall 2027. Source

Does Wellesley charge out-of-state tuition? No. Wellesley is private, so published tuition and fees are the same for students from any state: $67,176 a year before aid. About 73% of first-year students came from outside Massachusetts.

How much is Wellesley tuition per semester? About $33,588 a semester, half the published $67,176 a year, before aid.

How many students go to Wellesley? About 2,300 undergraduates (fall 2024).

What is Wellesley known for? Its women's college community, its campus near Boston and MIT cross-registration.

How much does Wellesley cost? Published tuition and fees are $67,176 a year before aid, and the total cost of attendance is $86,290. Students who received aid paid $23,052 a year on average.

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