- Acceptance rate: 14% for fall 2024
- SAT, middle 50%: 730–770 reading and writing, 730–790 math
- ACT, middle 50%: 33–35 composite
- Average net price: $21,501 a year (2022–23)
On this page · 7 sections
How does your GPA compare?
Don't know your GPA? GPA calculator
Where you standEnter your GPA
Add a test score to compare it with what Wellesley College reported: an acceptance rate of 14% for fall 2024 and an ACT middle 50% of 33–35.
Weighted GPAs above 4.0 can't be compared directly. Many colleges recalculate on their own scale, so use your unweighted GPA here.
A guide based on reported data, not a prediction. Wellesley College reviews each application.
Wellesley College GPA requirements
Wellesley College doesn't require a high school GPA from first-year applicants but considers one if it's submitted, according to what it reported to the U.S. Department of Education for fall 2024.
Federal data doesn't include GPA averages, and Wellesley College hasn't published one we could verify, so this page doesn't list an average GPA.
Wellesley College acceptance rate
Wellesley College admitted 1,224 of 8,714 first-year applicants for fall 2024, an acceptance rate of 14%, according to what it reported to the U.S. Department of Education.
Wellesley College is a private nonprofit 4-year college in Wellesley, Massachusetts, with 2,407 undergraduates.
SAT and ACT scores
Scores of the first-year students who entered Wellesley College in fall 2024 and submitted them. Half of them scored between the 25th and 75th percentiles:
| Test | 25th percentile | Median | 75th percentile |
|---|---|---|---|
| SAT Reading and Writing | 730 | 750 | 770 |
| SAT Math | 730 | 770 | 790 |
| ACT Composite | 33 | 34 | 35 |
| ACT English | 34 | 35 | 36 |
| ACT Math | 29 | 32 | 34 |
The U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard estimates an average SAT score of 1520 for admitted students.
Admission requirements
What Wellesley College looks at when it decides on first-year applicants, as it reported to the U.S. Department of Education for fall 2024:
| Admission factor | Status |
|---|---|
| High School RecordYour transcript: the courses you took and the grades you earned. | Required |
| RecommendationsLetters of recommendation from teachers, counselors, or other mentors. | Required |
| Essay or Personal StatementA personal statement or essay written for your application. | Required |
| High School GPAYour cumulative high school grade point average. | Considered if submitted |
| High School Class RankYour ranking relative to other students in your graduating class. | Considered if submitted |
| College Preparatory ProgramCompletion of a college preparatory curriculum in high school. | Considered if submitted |
| Test ScoresSAT or ACT scores. | Considered if submitted |
| Demonstration of CompetenciesEvidence of specific skills through portfolios, auditions, or other demonstrations. | Considered if submitted |
| Work ExperiencePaid or volunteer work. | Considered if submitted |
| Legacy StatusWhether a parent or other relative attended the college. | Considered if submitted |
| Other TestsOther admission tests, such as the Wonderlic or WISC-III. | Not considered |
AP credit
Wellesley College awards college credit for Advanced Placement (AP) exams, according to what it reported to the U.S. Department of Education for 2024–25. The college decides which exams and scores earn credit.
It doesn't award credit for life experience.
Average net price
First-time, full-time undergraduates who received grant or scholarship aid paid an average net price of $21,501 a year at Wellesley College in 2022–23, according to the U.S. Department of Education.
Net price is the full cost of attendance minus grants and scholarships.
Frequently asked questions
How selective is Wellesley College?
Highly selective: fewer than 1 in 4 applicants got in. Wellesley College admitted 14% of first-year applicants for fall 2024.
What GPA do you need to get into Wellesley College?
Wellesley College doesn't require a high school GPA but considers one if submitted, according to its filing with the U.S. Department of Education for fall 2024. It hasn't published an average GPA we could verify, so we don't list one.
How important is GPA for getting into Wellesley College?
It's one factor among several: Wellesley College requires high school record, recommendations and essay or personal statement. It considers high school GPA, high school class rank, college preparatory program, test scores, demonstration of competencies, work experience and legacy status if you send them. It doesn't consider other tests. That's what it reported to the U.S. Department of Education for fall 2024.
How many applicants get into Wellesley College?
Wellesley College's acceptance rate was 14% for fall 2024: it admitted 1,224 of 8,714 first-year applicants, according to what it reported to the U.S. Department of Education.
Does Wellesley College require the SAT or ACT?
No. Wellesley College is test optional: it considers SAT or ACT scores if you send them, as it reported to the U.S. Department of Education for fall 2024. Of its fall 2024 first-year students, 43% sent SAT scores and 18% sent ACT scores.
What SAT and ACT scores do Wellesley College students have?
The middle 50% of Wellesley College's fall 2024 first-year students who sent scores had SAT 730–770 in reading and writing and 730–790 in math; ACT composite 33–35, according to what the college reported to the U.S. Department of Education. A quarter scored below that range.
Do I have a chance at Wellesley College with a 3.5 GPA?
GPA alone can't tell you here. Wellesley College admitted 14% of first-year applicants for fall 2024. It considers a high school GPA but hasn't published an average we could verify, so there's no admitted-student GPA to compare a 3.5 against. Your transcript and test scores are the clearer guide.
Does it matter at Wellesley College if a parent went there?
Yes. Wellesley College considers whether a parent or other relative attended, though it isn't required, it said in its report to the U.S. Department of Education for fall 2024.
Can you get college credit for AP scores at Wellesley College?
Yes. Wellesley College awards college credit for Advanced Placement (AP) exams, according to what it reported to the U.S. Department of Education for 2024–25. The college decides which exams and scores earn credit.
What do students pay at Wellesley College after grants?
First-time, full-time undergraduates who received grant or scholarship aid paid an average of $21,501 a year at Wellesley College in 2022–23, according to the U.S. Department of Education. Net price is the cost of attendance minus grants and scholarships.
Before you apply, check Wellesley College's official admissions site: requirements can differ by program and change from year to year.
Sources
- College Navigator: Wellesley CollegeU.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, IPEDS (2024–25 provisional data): admissions, test scores and admission factors for fall 2024, undergraduate enrollment for fall 2024, net price for 2022–23 and credit policies for 2024–25.
- College Scorecard dataAverage SAT: an estimate by the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard (June 10, 2026 release).
Similar colleges in Massachusetts
With a similar acceptance rate and size.
- Babson CollegeHard · 17% admitted
- College of the Holy CrossHard · 18% admitted
- Williams CollegeVery hard · 8.2% admitted
- Amherst CollegeVery hard · 9% admitted
- Smith CollegeHard · 21% admitted
- Tufts UniversityHard · 11% admitted
See all colleges in Massachusetts →