Application Instructions

You can use the following applications to apply to a number of schools, including Wellesley.

Friendly reminder: it’s free to apply to Wellesley.

Common ApplicationCoalition Application

Specify your decision plan.

When you register with the Common Application or the Coalition Application, indicate that you are applying as a transfer student. (Check our dates and deadlines page for more information.)

Use your legal name throughout.

Be sure to be consistent and use your legal name (as it appears on your passport or other legal documents) on all of your application materials. This may sound obvious, but it’s really important! If you go by another name, list that as your “preferred name” on the application and that’s the name we’ll use when we get in touch with you.

You’ll need to write a personal essay and a shorter, Wellesley-specific essay. See our application tips for advice on writing your essays.

The personal essay

For your personal essay, you may choose from the prompts below or write on a topic of your choice. The essay should be between 250 to 650 words.

Current Common Application & Coalition Application essay prompts

Please provide a statement that addresses your reasons for transferring and the objectives that you hope to achieve in doing so.

The Wellesley-specific essay

This required writing supplement asks you to respond to the following topic.

The Wellesley essay prompt

When choosing a college community, you are choosing a place where you believe that you can live, learn, and flourish. Generations of inspiring women have thrived in the Wellesley community, and we want to know what aspects of this community inspire you to consider Wellesley. We know that there are more than 100 reasons to choose Wellesley, but the “Wellesley 100” is a good place to start. Visit The Wellesley 100 and let us know, in two well-developed paragraphs, which two items most attract, inspire, or energize you and why. (Not-so-secret tip: The “why” matters to us.)

Supplemental question

Within the Common Application and Coalition Application, you will be directed to provide a short answer to the following prompt:

Provide a brief description of your educational path since leaving high school including any reasons for interruption

The following credentials can be submitted online through the Common Application or Coalition Application. Once you have selected your current institution, you can list and save the names of your recommenders in the “School Forms” section. Instructions will be emailed to them with information on how to submit the forms online or offline in print.

High school transcript

Submit an official final transcript from the high school from which you graduated. If you received a high school certificate of equivalency, official G.E.D. scores and/or a high school transcript for the years you attended, they are required and will be considered in conjunction with your performance at the college level. An official secondary school final transcript must be sent directly from the high school with school seal or stamp affixed. Although we require your final high school transcript, we do not need the School Report.

College transcript

Submit official transcripts from all colleges and universities you have attended. The form for requesting this information should be sent to the registrar of the colleges you attended. You should check with the school for procedures and fee information before requesting a transcript. Transcripts must be sent directly from the college. Student or online copies are not accepted. Please arrange for the college(s) to send official copies directly to Wellesley’s Board of Admission.

College Report

Please provide a College Report completed by your academic advisor or dean. This report tells us if you are in good standing at your current or most recent institution. The college report form can be found in the Common Application or Coalition Application.

College instructor evaluation

Two evaluations/recommendations are required. Please send a Common Application or Coalition Application evaluation form to each person you intend to use as a reference. Recent academic evaluations are more useful to the Board of Admission. If you have been out of school for several years and are therefore unable to obtain academic evaluations, you may submit one from an employer or a supervisor in community activities where you have worked. Evaluations/recommendations from friends and relatives are discouraged.

Mid-term report

The mid-term report must be completed by any applicant who is currently enrolled in courses. Please list the courses that you are taking in the current semester on this form and return it to our office immediately following the midpoint of the semester (November 20 or March 20). The form gives us a sense of how you’re doing in your current coursework, so ideally it would be filled out closer to midterms. If you turn in a form with no grades, it will not be considered in your file.

Applicants are required to send us their scores if their current school required them. Community college students are not required to submit scores. There is no need to sit for an exam if you have not done so already as a traditional applicant. Results must be released to Wellesley College from the testing agency. The College Board school code for Wellesley is 3957. The ACT school code for Wellesley is 1926.

If you applied to Wellesley within the last two years, you do not need to resend your scores.  

If relevant to your application, submit these optional credentials.

Interview

An interview is highly recommended but not required. Learn more about scheduling an on- or off-campus interview.

Arts, music, or theatre supplement

If you have a special talent in the arts, you might want to submit an arts supplement.

Our art, music, and theatre studies department will accept electronic submissions of portfolios, recordings, or presentations. The appropriate department will review your material.

Wellesley College does not have a dance department and does not review creative writing materials. Please do NOT submit any dance and/or creative writing supplements as they will not be evaluated.

To submit an arts supplement:

• You must submit your portfolios, recordings, or presentations electronically using SlideRoom.
• Follow the guidelines and instructions as outlined by Wellesley’s art, music, and theatre studies departments.
• Start a SlideRoom account at any time after September 1.
• If you are using the Common Application, you must first submit your application to Wellesley before submitting the SlideRoom supplement. An error message will appear on SlideRoom if you try to submit your supplement before submitting your Common Application.
• Wellesley does not accept the Common Application arts supplement form. Please do not mail any materials to the Office of Admission. Submissions sent by mail will not be reviewed or returned.

Athletic supplement

If you are interested in competing in varsity athletics at Wellesley (Division III), submit a recruiting form to the head coach of your sport.