| Overall Rating | Silver - expired |
|---|---|
| Overall Score | 53.20 |
| Liaison | Olivia Shehan |
| Submission Date | Dec. 24, 2015 |
| Executive Letter | Download |
Wellesley College
PA-8: Affordability and Access
| Status | Score | Responsible Party |
|---|---|---|
|
2.00 / 4.00 |
Sharon
Bort Sustainability Coordinator Sustainability |
Does the institution have policies and programs in place to make it accessible and affordable to low-income students?:
A brief description of any policies and programs to minimize the cost of attendance for low-income students:
- No loan policy for students from families with less than $60,000 income
- Need-blind admission policy for U.S. citizens and permanent residents along with guarantee to meet 100% of students’ demonstrated need
- Provide health insurance grants to students with Parent Contributions of $3,000 or less
A brief description of any programs to equip the institution’s faculty and staff to better serve students from low-income backgrounds:
There are frequent speakers and programs held open to faculty. This year there is a series called Actualizing Equity.
A brief description of any programs to prepare students from low-income backgrounds for higher education:
Wellesley support of Wellesley/MIT Upward Bound
A brief description of the institution's scholarships for low-income students:
Wellesley participates in the QuestBridge Match Scholarship Program which provides scholarships to low-income, high achieving students. QuestBridge Scholars receive a financial aid awards with $0 Parent Contributions and no packaged student loans.
A brief description of any programs to guide parents of low-income students through the higher education experience:
- Student Financial Services staff conduct college financing and affordability presentations for targeted populations of low-income students (e.g. sessions at Questbridge conferences, Joyce Ivy Conference, Diversity Day for Spring Open Campus)
- Student Financial Services staff provide free, FAFSA filing assistance at MA state events sponsored by MASFAA
A brief description of any targeted outreach to recruit students from low-income backgrounds:
QuestBridge Program participation, includes invitation by QuestBridge Finalists to apply for travel grants to attend Wellesley’s Discover Wellesley Weekend and Admission staff participation in three national conferences for QuestBridge Finalists. In every region to which Admission staff travel for recruitment purposes, staff identify community-based organizations that serve underrepresented students of color and/or students from low-income families in applying to college and attempt to visit with students from these organizations or connect with the college counseling staffs of the organizations.
A brief description of other admissions policies or programs to make the institution accessible and affordable to low-income students:
Wellesley does not require students to pay an application fee if they submit their application via the Common Application Online or QuestBridge. Wellesley offers travel grants to attend our Spring Open Campus to all admitted first-year students with Family Contributions of $5,000 or less.
A brief description of other financial aid policies or programs to make the institution accessible and affordable to low-income students:
My inTuition is a simple cost estimator that is particularly useful for low-income families in quickly determining their financial aid eligibility and demonstrating our generous aid packaging policies for low-income families.
A brief description of other policies and programs to make the institution accessible and affordable to low-income students not covered above:
Does the institution have policies and programs in place to support non-traditional students?:
A brief description of any scholarships provided specifically for part-time students:
The Davis Degree program offers non-traditional aged students a chance to fully participate in a Wellesley College education. The program offers flexible enrollment options and additional funding to Davis Degree program students with demonstrated needs.
A brief description of any onsite child care facilities, partnerships with local facilities, and/or subsidies or financial support to help meet the child care needs of students:
The Child Study Center is an onsite laboratory preschool for the Wellesley College Psychology Department, which offers preschool and daycare programs throughout the academic year. Admission is offered to the general community with preference offered to children of faculty and staff of the college and to siblings of children already attending. Childcare is provided for continuing tenured and tenure track faculty. The college also partially subsidizes backup in-home childcare for college employees to relieve them of childcare duties during school vacations, when their child is sick, and other unexpected events.
A brief description of other policies and programs to support non-traditional students:
The Elisabeth Kaiser Davis Degree program affords women beyond traditional college age who have begun but not completed a bachelor's degree the opportunity to complete their degree at Wellesley. The Davis Degree Program offers flexible options to non-traditional students who commute to the college, have families to care for, and/or work part time. In addition, the Postbaccalaureate Study Program is a non-degree, non-certificate program, open to men and women, aimed at students who are preparing for medical or graduate school, or those who are working to make a career change.
Does the institution wish to pursue Part 2 of this credit (accessibility and affordability indicators)?:
Indicators that the institution is accessible and affordable to low-income students::
| Percentage (0-100) | |
| The percentage of entering students that are low-income | --- |
| The graduation/success rate for low-income students | --- |
| The percentage of student financial need met, on average | 100 |
| The percentage of students graduating with no interest-bearing student loan debt | --- |
The percentage of students that participate in or directly benefit from the institution’s policies and programs to support low-income and non-traditional students:
The website URL where information about the institution's affordability and access programs is available:
Data source(s) and notes about the submission:
The information presented here is self-reported. While AASHE staff review portions of all STARS reports and institutions are welcome to seek additional forms of review, the data in STARS reports are not verified by AASHE. If you believe any of this information is erroneous or inconsistent with credit criteria, please review the process for inquiring about the information reported by an institution or simply email your inquiry to stars@aashe.org.