By Rachel Neglia
A few weeks ago, a large group of junior girls congregated at lunch to hear about the often unconsidered option of women’s colleges. Barnard, Mount Holyoke, Smith… these colleges offer different accommodations than the more common co-ed schools. Lyubov Kapko, a TPA alumnus, shared her experience at Wellesley, an all-women’s college.
“Wellesley is always ranked as one of the best liberal arts colleges in the United States,” Lyubov explains. “The campus is gorgeous (ranked 13th best in the nation), and the application is free. At that point, I couldn’t help but fall in love.” According to the Princeton Review, the student-to-teacher ratio is 7:1. The average freshman scholarship package is $39,129, with 100 percent of demonstrated financial need met. Wellesley’s campus contains the 17th best college library, and the Princeton Review dubs Wellesley “the best Northeastern College.”
Being located outside of Boston has its benefits. Wellesley is close to a major city, but separated just enough so that the campus is safe and the environment is conducive to study. “Only in Boston will going to museums, operas, and symphonies cost less for students than going to a movie,” Lyubov says. Students have to take an often lengthy bus ride into the city, but Lyu sees a silver lining: “Some of the best conversations I’ve had here have happened while we were stuck in traffic,” she says. A lot of the time, students don’t even have to leave campus to find something extracurricular that interests them. “Wellesley also does a good job of sponsoring a ton of events and lectures, so there’s always something to do,” Lyubov explains.
Sound good so far? Don’t worry, boys – there’s still a way you can experience Wellesley. “Wellesley students are allowed to register for undergraduate and graduate courses at MIT, as long as they have taken the necessary prerequisite courses,” Lyubov says.” The program works in the other direction, too. Students from universities in Boston like Harvard and MIT can register for Wellesley classes. They often do; Wellesley is well-known for having small class sizes and outstanding professors. Boston’s education consortium attracts many students, and is something Mrs. Moffitt refers to as “the back door into the Ivy League,” because a student can apply to Wellesley and get a degree from Harvard.
Some families are hesitant about having students apply to Wellesley; the school’s name is almost synonymous with “progressive.” Lyubov doesn’t see this as a reason to shy away from applying. “It would be a shame to go through life without learning how to address ideological differences,” she says. “At Wellesley, people are incredibly passionate, so ideological discussions tend to be eye-opening and meaningful. I couldn’t think of anything more rewarding than truly understanding your own beliefs, while being exposed to new perspectives.”
If you are interested in the prospect of Wellesley or another women’s college, Mrs. Moffitt and Lyubov encourage you to do more research. Doing so may cause you to “fall in love” with the unique opportunities that await.