Hello blog! Summer is coming to a quick end 😞. One exciting (albeit at times stressful) indicator of the end of summer is the opening of college applications 🥳. Since college applications are open now, I want to spend the last few blogs giving you some college tips and answering some of Wellesley’s most common questions. Today, I want to talk about Wellesley as a women’s college because that’s what I get the most questions about on my tours. Of course, I can’t speak to the experience of every women’s college out there since I’ve only ever experienced Wellesley, but there are a lot of similarities in the environment at women’s colleges. Hopefully, this blog will give you some insight into the women’s college environment. So without further ado, here are some of the most commonly asked questions about being a student at a women’s college 📖
“Do you feel like you’re missing out by being at a women’s college?”
Short answer: No! If anything, I feel like I’m gaining experiences that I’ll never get anywhere else. I’ll never get to be in an environment where I’m growing intellectually, socially, mentally, and emotionally alongside people who resonate with my experience. When you’re in a women’s college environment, it’s refreshing because there are so many social and cultural nuances that you don’t have to explain or communicate to the people around you. This factor is a huge plus for me because a lot of the social and cultural nuances can’t be explained—they’re things that have to be experienced. When else are you going to be in a place where there’s a collective social relatability? I also think there’s a distinct safety and comfort you feel when you’re at a women’s college. For the majority of people, coming to college is their first time living alone. If you’re someone who’s trans, non-binary, or a woman, co-ed spaces can be daunting for a plethora of reasons. At a women’s college, that’s a worry that’s automatically struck down. This is especially true about Wellesley since the town of Wellesley, and the culture of the College, is very safe, meaning that we don’t get many alerts about things that pose safety concerns or risks for students.
“How do you meet boys?” or “What does dating look like on campus?”
People date both on and off campus! It’s important to remember that Wellesley is not monolithic in any way, and this is true when it comes to sexuality. Wellesley students date on and off campus. People will date on campus by meeting people through classes, clubs, parties, mutual friends, etc. If you’re looking to date off campus, then there are lots of options too! At Wellesley, you can cross register and participate in some clubs at four co-ed institutions: Babson, Olin, Brandeis, and MIT. Wellesley students can meet people through the classes they take or clubs they join through these institutions. Clubs at Wellesley will also hold mixers with other similar clubs in the Boston-Cambridge area (i.e. Harvard, Boston University, Boston College, etc.) All college students, Wellesley students included, take advantage of dating apps too. Dating apps are a big part of culture now, and people always find that college is the best time to try them out. Overall, Wellesley is not a bubble when it comes to dating since Boston and Cambridge are right in your backyard with over 150,000 college students.
“Was there a culture shock for you?”
Yes, but in a super refreshing way. I went to co-ed schools my entire life, so I didn’t know any other environment. I didn’t really think of Wellesley as a women’s college, and I didn’t think Wellesley being a women’s college was going to impact my college experience that much. Once I got to Wellesley, I realized that I wouldn’t want to be anywhere else other than a women’s college because of how infectious the confidence here is, and how tight-knit the community is. All of the students here are so passionate about Wellesley because we all want to leave Wellesley better than we found it. That’s why Wellesley students are so ambitious, driven, and generous. When a Wellesley student opens a door for themselves, they’re opening a door for future Wellesley students as well. That’s a type of community I had never felt before, and one that I never knew existed.
“What are the benefits of going to a women’s college?”
I know this question has kinda been answered in the previous answers I’ve given, but I think the benefits of a women’s college lies in the environment. The inclusive and supportive environment makes it such a wonderful place to come into your early adulthood. Overall, it’s a wonderful tight knit community that will stay with you for life 💖.
That’s all for today’s blog! I hope this blog persuades you to consider the women’s college atmosphere into your college decision 😊. Until next time!
Warmly,
Sofía ‘26