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Summary
Wells College is a private institution that was founded in 1868. It has a total undergraduate enrollment of 507, its setting is rural, and the campus size is 360 acres. It utilizes a semester-based academic calendar. Wells College's ranking in the 2013 edition of Best Colleges is National Liberal Arts Colleges, 133. Its tuition and fees are $34,700 (2012-13).
With slightly more than 500 undergraduates, Wells College is a very small liberal arts institution in Aurora, N.Y. The school was founded in 1868 by Henry Wells, creator of Wells Fargo & Co. and American Express Co., and was an all-girls school until 2005. Today, the college is affiliated with Cornell University, a school about a half hour away, where Wells students can cross-register for courses and may be able to partake in social activities. Wells is also affiliated with the University of Rochester, Clarkson University, and Columbia University, where students can complete a joint professional degree program after three or four years at Wells. The Wells College athletic teams compete in the NCAA Division III North Eastern Athletic Conference. Notable alumni of Wells College include Pleasant Rowland, founder of Pleasant Co., which manufactures the American Girl dolls; and Frances Cleveland, former first lady when her husband, Grover Cleveland, was president.
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Wells College is a coeducational, private, liberal arts college located on a beautiful 365-acre lakeside campus situated in the heart of the Finger Lakes Region of New York State in the historical village of Aurora. True to its heritage, Wells maintains a national reputation for academic excellence. The College prides itself on offering one of the most collaborative learning environments in higher education today. This is not your ordinary education. The Wells experience is deeply personal and intensely focused on superior academic achievement. Wells offers 23 majors and over 40 minors. With one professor for every ten students, professors really get to know everyone. The average class size has fourteen students and is taught seminar-style, with discussions taking precedence over lectures. We are not your typical liberal arts school. We now offer Business and Entrepreneurship as a major that includes an Innovation Lab component. Together, these two programs allow students to be creative, take risks, and learn-by-doing. The Business course offerings at Wells are advantageous to students majoring in all fields and has proven to be a valuable addition to our school. Since 1868 we've been encouraging our students to step outside the classroom. Why? Because the best education combines traditional studies with real-world experiences. Last year, the Wells Office of Career Services coordinated internships in twenty states, the District of Columbia, France and Senegal. By graduation, 97% of seniors had completed at least one internship. Your education won't stop at the edge of campus. Recent internships include: The White House, ABC Television, Aquarium of the Pacific, Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum, Smithsonian Institution, and many more. Wells also offers an extensive study abroad program with affiliated programs in 13 different countries. Our staff will help you pursue your academic interests wherever they lead you. You might study ecosystems in Australia's Outback or work in labs, film studios or research hospitals anywhere in the world. Although the two most popular programs are in Florence and Paris, you could study almost anywhere. We also work with affiliated institutions to make sure your learning opportunities are as rich and varied as possible. For example, if you find the perfect course at Cornell University or the London School of Economics, we'll do our best to get you there. There are many opportunities for you to develop your leadership skills through over 40 different organizations including a literary magazine and newspaper, music and drama groups, and political organizations. Wells is a Division III member of the NCAA with intercollegiate women's teams in basketball, cross-country, field hockey, golf, lacrosse, soccer, softball, swimming, and tennis and intercollegiate men's teams in basketball, cross-country, golf, lacrosse, soccer and swimming. Wells students are intellectually curious, open-minded, and creative. They are comfortable expressing themselves, listening to others and sharing ideas. They are caring citizens of the world, eager to travel beyond the campus and outside their comfort zones. Wells students love to learn. If you love learning, you'll love the Wells experience. |
General Information
| School type | private, coed college |
| Year founded | 1868 |
| Religious affiliation | N/A |
| Academic calendar | semester |
| Setting | rural |
| 2011 Endowment | N/A |
Applying
When applying to Wells College, it's important to note the application deadline is March 1, and the early action deadline and the early decision deadline are December 15 and December 15, respectively. Scores for either the ACT or SAT test are due March 1. The application fee at Wells College is $40. It is selective, with an acceptance rate of 62.7 percent and an early acceptance rate of 70.5 percent.
For more information about the tests, essays, interviews, and admissions process, visit the Applying to College knowledge center.
| Selectivity | selective |
| Fall 2011 acceptance rate | 62.7% |
| Application deadline | March 1 |
| SAT/ACT scores must be received by | March 1 |
Academic Life
The student-faculty ratio at Wells College is 10:1, and the school has 89.0 percent of its classes with fewer than 20 students. The most popular majors at Wells College include: Psychology; Social Sciences; Visual and Performing Arts; English Language and Literature/Letters; and Biological and Biomedical Sciences. The average freshman retention rate, an indicator of student satisfaction, is 71.0 percent.
Student Life
Wells College has a total undergraduate enrollment of 507, with a gender distribution of 31.4 percent male students and 68.6 percent female students. At this school, 89.0 percent of the students live in college-owned, -operated, or -affiliated housing and 11.0 percent of students live off campus. Wells College is part of the NCAA III athletic conference.
| Total enrollment | 507 |
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| Collegiate athletic association | NCAA III |
Campus Info & Services
Wells College offers a number of student services including nonremedial tutoring, women's center, health service, and health insurance. Wells College also offers campus safety and security services like 24-hour foot and vehicle patrols, late night transport/escort service, 24-hour emergency telephones, lighted pathways/sidewalks, student patrols, and controlled dormitory access (key, security card, etc). Of the students at Wells College, 50 percent have cars on campus. Alcohol is permitted for students of legal age at Wells College.
| Students who have cars on campus | 50% |
| Health insurance offered | Yes |
| Students required to own/lease a computer | No |
More About Campus Info & Services
Paying for School
At Wells College, 88.6 percent of full-time undergraduates receive some kind of need-based financial aid and the average need-based scholarship or grant award is $23,656.
Paying for college doesn't have to be difficult or devastating. Go to the Paying for College knowledge center to get advice on raising cash and reducing costs.
| Tuition and fees | $34,700 (2012-13) |
| Room and board | $11,900 (2012-13) |
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* Overview details based on 2011 data
