How to Write the Wellesley College Essay 2024-2025
For the last century and a half, Wellesley has been at the forefront of education, with a new class of prepared and independent women graduating annually. Wellesley women take pride in the work they’ve accomplished and are go-getters who are constantly thinking about ways to make waves in their respective fields.
Wellesley students have unique opportunities, including the ability to take classes at surrounding Bostonian institutions such as MIT and Brandeis. Because of the school’s boundless opportunities, women from all over the world apply to the college each year. The selectivity of admissions means that it is imperative that your supplemental essay is humanizing and shows your commitment to the Wellesley community.
Read this Wellesley College essay example written by a real student to inspire your own writing!
Wellesley College Supplemental Essay Prompt
Wellesley students actively seek ways to build bridges and to change the world for the better. Tell us about an experience working with and alongside people of different backgrounds and/or perspectives from your own. Why was this important to you, and what lessons from this will you bring with you to Wellesley? Please limit your response to two thoughtful paragraphs. (250-400 words)
This prompt is a take on the Diversity essay, in which you’ll reflect on your own identity, as well as those of others, and discuss the ways in which they have intersected. You could write about an experience in school, in your community, or even within your family. The key is to reflect on why this experience mattered to you and how it has influenced your thinking.
The prompt also asks you to link these lessons to your potential engagement with the Wellesley community, to show how you will contribute to and benefit from the diverse environment on campus.
Here are some questions to help you brainstorm a starting point.
- Have you ever been part of a team, group, or organization where you worked with people from different cultural, socioeconomic, or ideological backgrounds?
- Did you ever have a conversation or experience that significantly challenged your preconceptions or broadened your perspective?
- Can you recall a situation where you had to mediate or facilitate understanding between people with differing viewpoints?
- How did this experience change your outlook or approach to collaboration and leadership?
- What specific aspects of Wellesley’s community, culture, or programs appeal to you, and how do you see yourself engaging with them based on your past experiences?
As you develop your idea, try to pick something personal and unique, that will really show your personality, interests, and best qualities. Think creatively about what might constitute a difference between you and another – it could be a difference of race, culture, sexuality, or gender, but it could also be a difference of hobbies, passions, values, or family structures.
This essay is also a great opportunity to flesh out a concrete connection to Wellesley, which won’t come across anywhere else in your application. If you have a specific major, club, or group that you know you want to join, you can make the link that way. Alternatively, you could talk about Wellesley’s values of diversity, social justice, and global citizenship.
Finally, an especially effective essay will demonstrate growth. You don’t want to just state that you have certain positive qualities today, but also give admissions officers a sense of how you developed them. Showing a capacity to change and adapt is crucial, as college is all about changing and adapting as you enter young adulthood.
Let’s look at an example of a good response.
“I still remember the day in freshman year when I saw red blood cells moving through the shining tail of a goldfish under a microscope. It sparked a passion for biology that became all-consuming. The summer before my junior year, I was thrilled to secure an internship at a research lab focused on genetic engineering, where I could get a taste of what it might be like to be a real-life biologist. Our team was a microcosm of the world’s diversity—scientists from different continents, religious backgrounds, and academic traditions all converged in our lab. Early on, I realized that our discussions about bioethics were often colored by our diverse perspectives. During one heated debate on CRISPR technology, I found myself deeply challenged by a colleague from a more conservative background who questioned the moral implications of gene editing. Initially, I was frustrated by our differing viewpoints, failing to understand how a fellow scientist could be limited by what I saw as parochial concerns.
As the summer progressed, though, I learned more about these colleagues, grew closer to them, and began to appreciate the value of these discussions. They forced me to think critically about my own beliefs and to consider the broader societal impacts of our work. I realized that my definition of ‘the greater good’ is not the only one, and that while scientific discovery is hugely important, the human factor is what drives innovation and makes it the best it can be. This experience taught me that science is not just about data and experiments. More importantly, it’s about the ethical and cultural contexts that shape how we apply our knowledge. A good scientist doesn’t just learn from microscopes and bacterial cultures, but from every part of the world around her. At Wellesley, I’m eager to bring this holistic approach to the Science Center, where I know diverse perspectives are not only welcomed but are essential for innovation. I look forward to contributing to discussions in ‘WGST 212: Feminist Bioethics,’ where I can continue to explore these complex issues with students who share my passion for science and ethics, through the new lens of feminism. Overall, the collaborative and inclusive environment at Wellesley is the perfect place for me to grow as both a scientist and a global citizen, who is committed to making a truly positive impact in the world.”
In this essay, this student shows us her passion for biology, her altruistic nature, and her willingness to learn from others. She courageously owns her initial negative impression of her coworkers, before describing how their disagreement was ultimately a growth experience, and how she is now ready to actively seek similar opportunities at Wellesley.
She anchors the essay with specific, vivid details, from the goldfish tail to her specific ideas of what she wants to do on Wellesley’s campus. Between these details and her thoughtful reflections, the admissions team can clearly imagine her as a future Wellesley student.
Where to Get Your Wellesley Essays Edited For Free
Do you want feedback on your Wellesley essays? After rereading your essays countless times, it can be difficult to evaluate your writing objectively. That’s why we created our free Peer Essay Review tool, where you can get a free review of your essay from another student. You can also improve your own writing skills by reviewing other students’ essays.
Need feedback faster? Get a free, nearly-instantaneous essay review from Sage, our AI tutor and advisor. Sage will rate your essay, give you suggestions for improvement, and summarize what admissions officers would take away from your writing. Use these tools to improve your chances of acceptance to your dream school!
