Academics

Wellesley is hard. A lot of rumors go around about grade deflation, but the truth is that the classes aren't killer, they just demand that you actually put in a huge effort--the kind of effort that teachers talked about in high school but wasn't actually necessary to get good grades. Here a B is something to be proud of, but people still get As.

Wellesley College is committed to the pursuit of knowledge at the highest caliber, and with this pursuit comes intense academic rigor. Courses are small, ranging from 4 to 35 students on average per classroom, and 100% of classes are taught by full-time professors. Classes consist of lively, provocative discussions, in which students are encouraged to speak up and ask questions of both their professors and peers. Though each course comes with a medium to heavy workload, professors are each so passionate about their respective subjects, and fellow students are so committed to academic excellence, that this work seems more of an enjoyable task than an obligation. Professors make an effort to be available for their students to help them approach their workload, to assist them in understanding the course material as thoroughly as possible, and to serve as a mentor. Professors encourage students to attend their office hours and arrange additional meetings if necessary.

Wellesley College's academic rigor cultivates an atmosphere of passionate students - who will debate and discuss their favorite subjects everywhere from a classroom to a dining hall - and incredible professors - whose dedication to students and passion for their research and course material inspires students to indulge in all that a liberal arts education has to offer.

I have not had a single course more difficult than any other. Despite your academic strengths and weaknesses, each course is taught at a steady pace, based on student feedback and participation. Though professors are usually easy to work and negotiate with, Wellesley courses call for a lot of the student's time and attention. There is, of course, still time for great fun and games. Work hard, play hard.

Classes are challenging and rewarding

Wellesley College demands a lot from their students. It is widely recognized that it is harder to get and A at Wellesley than it is to get and A at Harvard. The college does have grade deflation, a policy that makes it difficult, but not impossible, to maintain a GPA over 3.5.

Definitely what Wellesley is known for: almost killing you. But! It pays off a ton. You end up one of the best! There is no grade inflation, so if you earn a B, you get a B. You feel less bad about doing alright. The help is there if you need it. There's countless resources from office hours from professors to help rooms.

No basket-weaving classes here. Professors are reluctant to give out top grades unless students truly deserve them. This keeps students on their toes to do their best, and it maintains the Wellesley name as an academically respectable one. Although the schoolwork definitely piles up, Wellesley has a lot of academic and tutoring resources for students. Students are competitive with themselves, but not cutthroat with each other. And despite their challenging coursework, Wellesley women feel free to take risks like learning new languages or performing scientific research for credit.