Wellesley College's wording, checked October 26, 2026“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?”
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.
A structure that works
One way to shape this answer. It describes moves, not sentences: the words have to be yours.
- 1The project or situation and the people in it.
- 2The moment the difference mattered, and what you did.
- 3Why it was important to you.
- 4The lessons you will bring to Wellesley, concretely.
Where the 400 words go
| Part | Words |
|---|---|
| The moment or example | about 160 |
| What it shows or changed | about 140 |
| Why it matters, or what you bring | about 100 |
Mistakes to avoid
- Diversity as a backdrop with no working together.
- Lessons so general they fit any story.
The checklist our grader uses for this question
When you check your Wellesley answers, this answer is read against these 5 areas. Each comes back Met, Partly or Missing with a quote from your draft as evidence, and together with the 250-400 words limit they set its readiness verdict.
| Area | What a reader looks for |
|---|---|
| Answers the question | The opening sentences answer what was asked, plainly, before background or a hook; every part of a multi-part question is answered. |
| A real difference | The issue and the other person or group are specific, and the difference between their views is stated fairly. |
| How you engaged | It shows the process (listening, questions asked, what the applicant said and did), not a debate won; the applicant need not be the hero. |
| What you learned | It says honestly what changed in the applicant's thinking or way of engaging, even if neither view changed, and how they engage with others now. |
| Wellesley's ask | Covers the experience with people of different backgrounds or perspectives, why it mattered, and the lessons the applicant will bring to Wellesley. |
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Questions
More on Wellesley and this kind of question
- Harvard: A time you strongly disagreed · 150 words
- Yale: Essay: an opposing view · 400 words
- Columbia: A time you did not agree with someone · 150 words
- Duke: Difference of opinion · 250 words
- Johns Hopkins: Engaging across differences · 350 words
- Barnard: A woman who brings people together · 200-250 words