Wellesley gets high marks on retention, graduation rate
The U.S. Department of Education recently released a College Scorecard that helps prospective college students compare schools in different categories without ranking them directly. Wellesley College exceeded the national average by a large margin in its six-year graduation rate and retention after the first year of school. Wellesley’s graduation rate for full-time students entering college for the first time was 92 percent, more than twice the national average of 44 percent. The percentage of first-time, full-time students returning to Wellesley College after their first year was 97 percent, tying Harvard University. Wellesley’s retention rate exceeded the national average of 67 percent and that of all women’s colleges participating in the College Scorecard.
Williams, UVA adopt Wellesley’s tuition calculator
Williams College and the University of Virginia recently adopted My inTuition, a online tool pioneered by Wellesley College that “is the quickest college cost calculator available to the public,” according to the College website. Students take about three minutes on average to answer six simple financial questions before receiving a personalized estimate that breaks down financial aid and costs into categories like expected work study, amount paid by the student and family, loan estimates and Wellesley grant assistance. My inTuition was created in 2013 by Economics Professor Phillip Levine, who sought to better communicate college costs, particularly to low and middle-income families.
Wellesley ranked as 20th most accessible college
The New York Times’ The Upshot created a College Access Index that is meant to service as a starting point to measuring economic diversity in top colleges. The Upshot used 2011-2015 institutional net price and Pell Grant average data from the U.S. Department of Education to create the College Access Index, which indicates the degree to which institutions attempt to increase economic diversity through large financial aid packages for middle and low-income families. In this category, Wellesley College tied Columbia University and Stanford University for 20th place.
Adele Wolfson promotes importance of science and arts in medicine
Nan Walsh Schow and Howard B. Schow Professor of Physical and Natural Sciences and Interim Dean of Students Adele Wolfson published a piece called “Science Matters” in Inside Higher Ed on August 27. In her essay, Wolfson warned against medical preparation straying too far from science while she supported a balanced education for premedical students. Wolfson, who has taught biochemistry for over 30 years, noted that “if we want knowledgeable and competent doctors who are also well-rounded and compassionate individuals, we must stop treating the arts and sciences as mutually exclusive.
Danni Ondraskova ’18 is the News Editor. She is a Russian Area Studies and Economics double major. She is an avid Chicago Blackhawks fan who enjoys her hometown’s deep dish pizza and Indian food. She can be reached at dondrask@wellesley.edu.
