“I’m excited to see how my beliefs will change, and how my project will evolve when my presumptions are questioned.”
"It’s great to come from a place like Wellesley that has a tradition of excellence, but it can be easy to forget that every alum has gone through the same thing you are going through right now."
Pre-law Advising at Wellesley: Information for Prospective Students
The liberal arts education offered by Wellesley College prepares students for a wide range of careers and graduate studies, including law school. This resource contains answers to some FAQ about preparing for law school.
“Being offered the Watson Fellowship is similar to someone tapping you on the shoulder, looking you straight in the eyes, and saying, ‘You've shown me a small glimpse of that which you love, and while I’m not here to answer the questions you have, I can give you the time and space to chase them until next year’s horizon.’”
“I am most excited about meeting and learning from people all over the world, and observing and hearing about their connections to land and food. Everybody needs food, but everyone's experiences and perspectives are different. I can't really imagine where this year will take me, but I know it will be transformative.”
Performing Arts
Like most art disciplines, careers in theatre span widely from performance and creative roles to technical positions to administrative functions and even educational and therapeutic professions.
Study Abroad: Government, International Affairs, Law, & Public Policy Careers
Students interested in careers in government, law, international affairs, and public policy are encouraged to focus on skill development and experience. This is especially important as employers, and graduate programs in this space continue to look for commitment to understanding these industries. Below please find suggested study abroad experiences that help develop specific skills and experiences to help be competitive in these industries.
Museums and Galleries
Museums are educational organizations that collect, preserve, and present important artifacts and/or works of art for the public to view and study. Museums may be organized by their collections (art, history, natural history) or by their intended audiences (children's museums). Possible occupational titles include: museum director, curator, collections manager, archivist, museum technician, conservator, researcher, exhibit designer, educator, editor, photographer, and librarian.
Fine Art
Practicing artists support themselves by teaching, selling artwork, being awarded grants and commissions, and a wide variety of other related (and non-related) professional endeavors. Growing and maintaining an active studio practice requires both training and resources— in the form of materials, equipment, space, and exhibition or performance opportunities. Many artists refine their work and begin to connect with the world of galleries, grants, and exhibitions in a graduate program (usually an MFA program). However, this is not the only path to a career as an artist.
Fashion and Lifestyle
Fashion is a fast-paced and exciting industry for those who love clothes, designs, and trends. This international industry includes careers ranging from modeling to fabric/clothing design, from marketing to retail, from business to manufacturing, from buying to merchandising. Possible occupational titles include: fashion designer, model, photographer, fashion editor, fashion writer, fashion stylist, fashion buyer, retail merchandisers.
Design and Illustration
Design and illustration careers begin with a portfolio of client-based or self-inspired work that displays your talent, style, and creative thinking. While there are full-time positions in the field of design, there are fewer full-time opportunities for illustrators. For this reason, many illustrators work as designers and illustration is a part of their job.
Arts Administration
A career in arts administration combines interest in the arts with business expertise and fundraising skills. Arts administrators work for symphony orchestras, art galleries, museums, ballet companies, musical groups, theatres and other organizations.
Law School — College Certification
Many law schools require that a dean's or college certification or questionnaire be completed by the applicant's undergraduate institution. This certification typically requests the applicant's class rank, status on physical or emotional health, and information on matters of discipline during the undergraduate years.
Arts Education
As a field, art education spans traditional K-12 art classrooms to university/college teaching and even to more community-oriented spaces, like museums, arts centers, and educational non-profits. This field even crosses over into healthcare in the form of vocational rehabilitation and art therapy programs.
Fulbright Program (rising seniors & graduates)
Supports a year (or occasionally more) of study or research abroad in any discipline, or year-long English teaching assistantships (ETAs) abroad in programs designed by the host countries. Eligible are graduating seniors and graduates who are US citizens. Campus application deadline for Wellesley students and graduates typically in August, after an optional draft deadline in July.
Wellesley College Graduate Fellowships (WCGF—seniors & graduates)
Wellesley College offers a number of fellowships and scholarships for graduate study or research open to Wellesley seniors and graduates. Two awards are open to women graduates of any American institution (the Schimke and the Shackford). Awards are usually made to applicants currently enrolled in or applying to graduate/professional school for the following academic year; there is a single common application process for most of these awards, and the campus deadline is typically in January.
“For me, the Watson was not about a year-long adventure but about learning to see the possibilities available in the world and realizing that I am capable of pursuing any of them I want.”
Yenching Academy Scholarship at Peking University (seniors & graduates)
The Yenching Academy of Peking University builds bridges between China and the rest of the world through an interdisciplinary master’s program in China Studies for outstanding graduates from all over the globe. This initiative brings together young people who show promise to lead and innovate in their fields in an intensive learning environment where they can explore China and its role in the world — past, present, and future. The Academy aims to thereby shape a new generation of global citizens with a nuanced understanding of China and its role in the world.
Wellesley is an official Partner Institution for the Yenching Academy: campus deadline typically in November.