cantaloupe101

I recently visited Wellesley and it seemed that everyone is always stressed. Is this true?
Also, do people usually take 4 classes? Is there anyone who ever takes only 3 classes?

advantagious

I wouldn't say people are always stressed, but it does tend to be the kind of place where people like to talk about how stressed they are a lot. It's sort of a family joke, if you will--I have so much work! No I have so much work!--etc etc. Of course there's a grain of truth--there is a lot of work and people do get stressed--but no, people are not always stressed.

4 classes is the normal courseload. You need to take 32 to graduate, so if you have no outside credit you will graduate in 4 years taking 4 classes every semester. However you can take 3 classes without any special permission and it definitely is done, especially among thesis-ing seniors.

cantaloupe101

Do the distribution requirements take a long time to satisfy?
Also, are the classes especially difficult at Wellesley due to the grade deflation?

advantagious

I don't think the distribution requirements are too hard to fulfill; the categories are open enough that you can usually find things you're interested in anyway to fulfill requirements without going out of your way. One thing that is helpful is to be done or on your way with the foreign language requirement when you enter Wellesley as that is the most arduous requirement.

I don't think classes are *especially* difficult at Wellesley. From my perspective the grade deflation didn't really affect me (not that I always got As, far from it!). It's also worth noting that the grade deflation only affects 100 and 200 level classes with at least 10 people, plus professors can move to override the B+ target median grade if they feel they have an exceptional class. I majored in math and econ though and those subjects were never particularly inflated as far as I know. Like any excellent school, you will work hard and probably will not achieve the same sort of GPA you had in high school, but that's how it goes for most of us, deflation or not.