Wellesley Acceptance Rate: Class of 2030 Admissions Statistics

Wellesley College’s Class of 2029 reported an overall acceptance rate of 13.70%, admitting 1,192 out of 8,700 applicants. For the Class of 2030, Wellesley has yet to release detailed breakdowns of its Early Decision (ED) and Regular Decision (RD) results.

In this blog, we’ll review Wellesley’s most recent overall acceptance rate, along with the latest available data on ED, RD, waitlist, and transfer admissions, and examine how these numbers have evolved in recent years.

• Wellesley Acceptance Rates
• Wellesley Early Decision Acceptance Rate
• Wellesley Regular Decision Acceptance Rate
• Wellesley Transfer Acceptance Rate
• Wellesley Waitlist Acceptance Rate
• Frequently Asked Questions
• Takeaways

Wellesley Acceptance Rates

Wellesley’s overall acceptance rate for the Class of 2029 declined slightly to 13.70%, compared with 14.05% for the Class of 2028. While the change may appear modest, it reflects the college’s continued move toward greater selectivity.

For the Class of 2028, Wellesley received 8,714 applications and admitted 1,224 students. The following year, the Class of 2029 drew 8,700 applicants, with 1,192 students admitted. Although the applicant pool remained nearly the same, the college offered 32 fewer admission spots, which contributed to the lower acceptance rate.

Here’s a complete picture of how Wellesley’s acceptance rate has changed in recent years:

Note: All data has been compiled from Wellesley’s Common Data Set.

Wellesley has seen steady growth in applications over the past decade, rising from 5,666 applicants for the Class of 2021 to about 8,700 for the Class of 2029. The number of admitted students has remained relatively stable, generally ranging between 1,100 and 1,300 admits each year.

As application numbers have increased while admission capacity stayed fairly consistent, Wellesley’s acceptance rate has gradually declined, making admission more competitive. The highest acceptance rate in this period was 22.08% for the Class of 2021, while the lowest was 13.57% for the Class of 2026.

Wellesley Early Decision Acceptance Rate

The most recent ED data comes from the Class of 2028, when 1,033 students applied and 308 were admitted, resulting in an ED acceptance rate of 29.82%. This represents a slight decrease from the 30.23% ED acceptance rate for the Class of 2027. Despite this small change, the ED rate remains significantly higher than Wellesley’s overall and RD acceptance rate.

Wellesley Early Decision acceptance rate trends

Wellesley’s early admission data reveal a steady rise in competitiveness over the past decade. Here’s a breakdown:

Note: All ED data has been sourced from Wellesley’s Common Data Set.

Wellesley’s ED acceptance rate has fluctuated as application volume increased while the number of available spots remained relatively stable. The rate reached a high of 40.10% for the Class of 2025 and a low of 29.20% for the Class of 2026.

Over the same period, the ED applicant pool grew from 642 applicants for the Class of 2024 to 1,033 for the Class of 2028, while the number of admits generally held steady at about 250 to 300 students each year.

Wellesley Regular Decision Acceptance Rate

For the Class of 2028, Wellesley received 7,681 RD applications and admitted 916 students, resulting in an RD acceptance rate of 11.93%. This marks a slight increase from the 11.70% RD acceptance rate for the Class of 2027, though the change is relatively small and falls within typical year-to-year variation.

Despite these minor fluctuations, Wellesley’s RD round remains significantly more competitive than ED.

Wellesley Regular Decision acceptance rate trends

Here’s how Wellesley’s RD acceptance rates have decreased over time:

Note: RD figures are estimates derived by subtracting ED data from overall totals in Wellesley’s Common Data Set.

Wellesley’s RD applicant pool has grown from 4,952 applicants for the Class of 2021 to 7,681 for the Class of 2028. Over the same period, the number of admitted students declined from about 1,100 in earlier cycles to roughly 850 to 900 in recent years.

As applications increased while admission offers fell, the RD acceptance rate tightened, ranging from a high of 20.25% for the Class of 2021 to a low of 11.70% for the Class of 2027.

Wellesley Transfer Acceptance Rate

The most recent available Wellesley transfer data comes from Fall 2024, with an acceptance rate of 9.59%. Here’s the breakdown:

Note: Fall 2024 transfer data is from Wellesley’s Common Data Set for 2024-2025, the same reporting year that includes Class of 2028 first-year admissions data.

Because most seats are filled through first-year admissions, only a small number of transfer spots become available each year, making transfer admission especially competitive. For Fall 2024, the college received 386 transfer applications and admitted 37 students, resulting in a 9.59% acceptance rate. This is lower than Wellesley’s overall acceptance rate of 14.05% for the Class of 2028.

Wellesley Waitlist Acceptance Rate

The most recent waitlist data, from the Class of 2028, shows a 2.62% waitlist acceptance rate. Here’s the breakdown:

Note: Waitlist data is gathered from Wellesley’s latest Common Data Set.

For the Class of 2028, 2,495 applicants were placed on the waitlist, and 1,299 chose to remain on it. Of those who confirmed their spot, only 34 students were ultimately admitted, resulting in a 2.62% waitlist acceptance rate.

Wellesley’s waitlist acceptance rate of 2.62% is far lower than its overall acceptance rate of 14.05% for the Class of 2028. As a result, the waitlist primarily serves as a contingency if spaces open after the initial admissions cycle.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. What is Wellesley’s current acceptance rate?

The most recent overall acceptance rate for Wellesley College is 13.70% for the Class of 2029, with 1,192 students admitted from a pool of 8,700 applicants.

2. Is it easier to get into Wellesley through Early Decision or Regular Decision?

ED applicants generally have higher admission rates than those applying through RD. For the Class of 2028, Wellesley had an ED acceptance rate of 29.82%. By contrast, the RD acceptance rate was 11.93%, showing that the early round offers a statistical advantage, though the applicant pool is typically very strong.

3. How hard is it to transfer to Wellesley?

Transfer admission to Wellesley is highly selective. For Fall 2024, the college reported a 9.59% transfer acceptance rate. This rate is lower than Wellesley’s overall acceptance rate of 14.05% for the Class of 2028.

4. What are my chances of getting off Wellesley’s waitlist?

Waitlist admission at Wellesley is rare and varies from year to year. For Fall 2024, the college reported a 2.62% waitlist acceptance rate, showing how limited and unpredictable admission from the waitlist can be.

5. Why is Wellesley’s acceptance rate so low?

Wellesley’s acceptance rate is low largely because applications consistently exceed the number of available seats in the incoming class. With around 1,200 students admitted each year and strong demand from high-achieving applicants worldwide, the college has become increasingly selective over time.

Takeaways

• Wellesley’s acceptance rate has become increasingly selective over the past decade, declining from 22.08% for the Class of 2021 to 13.70% for the Class of 2029.
• Applying through ED can provide a meaningful statistical advantage. For the Class of 2028, Wellesley admitted 29.82% of ED applicants, compared with 11.93% in the RD round. Still, the early applicant pool is typically filled with highly prepared and committed candidates.
• Other pathways are even more competitive. For Fall 2024, Wellesley reported a 9.59% transfer acceptance rate, while its waitlist acceptance rate was just 2.62%.
• Given this level of competition, submitting a carefully crafted application is essential. Working with a college admissions expert can help you present a compelling academic story, showcase meaningful achievements, and stand out in Wellesley’s highly selective admissions process.