Wellesley asks one Wellesley-specific essay of 250-400 words: an experience working with and alongside people whose backgrounds or perspectives differ from yours, why it was important to you, and the lessons you will bring to Wellesley.
The question opens with "Wellesley students actively seek ways to build bridges and to change the world for the better", so the best answers show you doing both on a small scale already.
Wellesley's questions at a glance
| Question | Limit | Who answers it | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| Working alongside people different from you | 250-400 words | Required | Disagreement and dialogue |
How to plan the Wellesley supplement
- 1Pick one experience of real collaboration across difference, ideally where something got done.
- 2Leave room for the last part: the lessons you bring to Wellesley.
1. Working alongside people different from you
Wellesley's wording · 250-400 words · Required“Wellesley students actively seek ways to build bridges and to change the world for the better. Tell us about an experience working with and alongside people of different backgrounds and/or perspectives from your own. Why was this important to you, and what lessons from this will you bring with you to Wellesley?”
What it is really asking. One experience of working alongside people of different backgrounds or perspectives, why it mattered to you, and the lessons you will bring to Wellesley.
How to approach it
- 1Set the scene: who, what you were working on, what was different.
- 2Show a moment where the difference mattered and how you handled it.
- 3Say why it mattered to you, then name the lessons and where they will show up at Wellesley.
Mistakes to avoid
- Diversity as a backdrop with no working together.
- Lessons so general they fit any story.
Full guide: How to Write the Wellesley Supplemental Essay
What our grader checks in your Wellesley answers
Every answer is judged against a checklist for its kind of question plus one check written for Wellesley's own wording. Each area comes back Met, Partly or Missing, and those verdicts (with the word limit) set the answer's readiness: Ready, Nearly there or Needs work. There is no score out of 100.
| Question | Wellesley's own check |
|---|---|
| Working alongside people different from you | Covers the experience with people of different backgrounds or perspectives, why it mattered, and the lessons the applicant will bring to Wellesley. |
The type checklists are on the supplemental essay grader page.
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