Class Profile
- How many students attend Wesleyan and how many students are in a typical entering first-year class?
Wesleyan enrolls a total of approximately 3,200 undergraduate students and we currently enroll around 800 first-year students and 30 transfer students each fall.
- How many students apply to Wesleyan?
That number changes each year. We received over 14,500 first-year applications for the Class of 2026.
- How many of those applicants were offered admission?
For Fall 2022, 2,020 first-year students were offered admission to Wesleyan.
- What is the average GPA for students admitted to Wesleyan?
Wesleyan does not calculate an average GPA for admitted students nor do we recalculate high school core GPA. Our application review process is a holistic one; we evaluate your entire high school transcript, including course selection and grades achieved.
- I have a disability. Should I disclose my disability during the admission process? How do I obtain accommodations as a student at Wesleyan?
At least 18% of students at Wesleyan have identified themselves as having a disability and have requested accommodations related to academics, housing or dining. Whether to disclose during the admission process is up to you. The Office of Admission does not discriminate on the basis of disability. As is with all students, students who are admitted must meet the standards and be qualified for admission. Some students choose to share this information with admission officers. Others choose to speak only with Accessibility Services. Information disclosed to Accessibility Services staff is not shared with the Office of Admission unless the prospective student provides written permission. Students who wish to request accommodations should review the Accommodations at Wesleyan website for information about the process for requesting accommodations.
Application Process
- What applications does Wesleyan accept?
Students may apply to Wesleyan through the Common Application or Apply Coalition, Powered by Scoir.
- Will the print/paper version of the application still be available?
No, students may only apply online. Students can still print-preview an application, but the print-preview version must not be mailed to any school to which you are applying. The print-preview shown to the student is identical to the document that colleges see.
- Does Wesleyan have an admission deposit?
Yes. The Wesleyan enrollment deposit is $250. Please note: The deposit is non-refundable. If a student withdraws from their place in the class, we will not refund their enrollment deposit.
- What are Wesleyan’s requirements for teacher recommendations?
The Wesleyan admission committee wants to see two teacher recommendations. These recommendations should come from teachers who know you well and who can speak to the quality of your work in the classroom. We want to know about your academic engagement, your curiosity, and your willingness to go above and beyond minimum requirements. Wesleyan prefers that one teacher recommendation come from a math or science teacher, and the other come from an English or social studies teacher. While this is not required, we feel that this is the best representation of you as a student in different areas of the curriculum and shows your fit with the liberal arts education we offer. We also suggest that teacher recommendations be from 11th or 12th grade, if possible.
Music, art or other elective instructors may write a recommendation for you, but they do not count as one of the two academic subject teacher recommendations.
- Are interviews a part of the selection process?
Wesleyan does not offer evaluative interviews for applicants as part of our selection process.* Prospective students and applicants are encouraged to take advantage of other opportunities to engage with members of our community.
International applicants may submit an InitialView interview as an optional component of the application.
*Finalists for the extremely competitive Freeman Asian Scholarship may be invited to interview with Freeman alumni.
- Does Wesleyan consider Glimpse videos?
At this time, Wesleyan does not recommend or require Glimpse as part of the standard evaluation process; however, if an applicant chooses to submit a Glimpse video, it may be considered.
- Does Wesleyan factor in demonstrated interest?
Wesleyan does not factor demonstrated interest into admission decisions; therefore, your inability to visit campus will not have an impact on your candidacy. That said, we encourage campus visits because they are useful avenues for students and families to learn more about our resources, climate, and community.
- Are AP scores used in the admission process?
No, Wesleyan does not factor AP scores into the admission process.
- Can I receive credit for AP, IB, or college courses taken in high school?
Wesleyan awards up to two course credits for AP, IB or college courses taken prior to matriculation. While a maximum of two credits earned before matriculation may count toward the Wesleyan degree, all such credits that have been approved by Wesleyan departments will be listed on the student’s transcript. This applies to Advanced Placement (AP), International Baccalaureate (IB), and Advance-Level exams, as well as any college-level courses taught by a college teacher in a college setting, provided that the course meets Wesleyan’s transfer credit criteria. We do not offer advanced standing. Visit the Office of the Registrar for more information.
- How important is class rank? What if my school does not calculate it?
Class rank helps us to put your classroom achievement into your school’s context. While we would prefer that class rank be reported, we understand that many schools' policies differ and we do not penalize students who are not ranked.
- What if I change my mind after submitting my Common Application or Apply Coalition, Powered by Scoir?
Students will need to contact the Wesleyan Admission Office directly, in writing, on or before the application deadline: November 15 for ED1; January 1 for ED2 and Regular Decision. Be sure to include your full name and Common Application or Scoir ID. Send your request to admission@wesleyan.edu.
- Disciplinary History
Wesleyan University is committed to an application process that treats everyone—including those who have a disciplinary record at their school or schools, as well as those who have a history in the judicial system—with the opportunity to be considered as individuals who have learned from their life experiences.
At Wesleyan, we believe in second chances. We are sensitive to the deep concerns many have about the fairness of our justice system and whether it equitably serves all members of our society. We know that higher education can be an important engine of social and economic mobility. Additionally, higher education can enable individuals to make positive contributions to society.
Wesleyan University uses the Common Application and the application for the Scoir, along with the QuestBridge application as a function of our long-standing partnership.
In our commitment to honoring each person’s potential, we will no longer take into account any answer to broad questions about past criminal or disciplinary offenses. Instead, in the absence of clear, objective studies about the predictive value of such questions, Wesleyan has substituted its own narrower questions about convictions or disciplinary actions in the Wesleyan-specific part of the application.
We believe these narrower questions strike a better balance between giving people a second chance through higher education and providing the University with information that may have an impact on our community. Answering “yes” to these questions is not an automatic bar to admission: Admission officers won’t see an applicant’s answers to these questions until the preliminary assessment of the application—based on academic merit—indicates that the applicant’s candidacy will receive further consideration.
We review all candidates for admission holistically. While academic qualifications are the primary consideration in this evaluation process, our individual assessments also include analysis of each applicant’s extracurricular accomplishments, work experience, letters of recommendation, essays, personal characteristics, talents, and life experiences.
Our Admission Process
In keeping with our commitment to treating those with a disciplinary or judicial-system history with dignity and respect, Wesleyan’s policy beginning with the 2018-19 admissions cycle (for admission in fall 2019) will be:
- To ignore the questions on the universal section of the Common App or other applications: Wesleyan will ignore any answers that applicants provide to the questions in the main section of the Common Application regarding criminal and disciplinary history because we believe them to be too broad. Instead, we ask two more sharply focused questions that we think are more relevant to the issues of living in a learning community on a residential campus.
- First reading without information about disciplinary history: All applications for traditional undergraduate admission are initially reviewed by admission officers without knowledge of whether students have “checked the box” in the section of the application indicating a criminal or disciplinary history.
- Second Review: Applications that receive a positive first review and are deemed competitive for admission will move forward in the evaluation process. At this time, the applications of those who indicated either disciplinary or criminal history—or both—will be studied to fairly assess whether a past offense does or does not indicate their readiness to join the Wesleyan community of learners. The admission officers will be particularly interested in the individual’s ability to frame the past incidents in context, as well as provide a perspective indicating emotional growth and willingness to engage in self-reflection.
Ours is a highly selective, competitive process and, in the spirit of holistic review, there is no formula or any single number, grade, test score, or experience that guarantees admission. All candidates are expected to help the admission committee learn their personal narratives, the context in which they have been living and learning, along with an understanding of what each might contribute to the Wesleyan community.
Standardized Tests
- Why did Wesleyan decide to become standardized test-optional in the admission process?
Research released in February 2014 and the upcoming revisions of the SAT and ACT prompted the change beginning for those who file applications for matriculation in 2015. We are unconvinced that standardized test scores accurately reflect college potential for all students, and believe that test scores unfairly advantage some applicants. Individualism and student choice are core values at the University; this policy extends that choice to applicants.
- If I don’t send my scores, will it count against me? Will there be an assumption that a student who hasn’t submitted their scores has “low” scores?
No and no. Wesleyan believes students should have the power to decide how best to present themselves to the admission committee and whether—or not—their standardized test results accurately reflect their academic ability and potential. If scores are present in the application, we will consider them, and if they are not included, then we will not factor them into our admission decision.
- What is your score cutoff for admission?
There is no cutoff or minimum score at Wesleyan. The admission committee uses a personal, reader-driven, holistic review process which has always considered every applicant’s complete application, regardless of test scores. Every complete application is read in its entirety by an admission officer.
- Why does the Common Application PDF preview say that my self-reported test scores will not be displayed even though I indicated I wanted my scores considered in my Wesleyan application?
Regardless of your answer to the question about the use of your standardized test scores, Wesleyan will suppress any scores you have entered from appearing on the PDF Common Application file. Please be assured that if you chose to have your standardized test scores included with your application, even though the PDF will read "No test scores to submit," we will receive this score data via the data file that is sent to Wesleyan from CommonApp and they will be added to your file.
- How do you gauge if a student’s scores will be competitive (and whether they should submit them or not)?
If your scores fall below the 25th percentile of those Wesleyan typically admits (see class profile), your scores are unlikely to make you a more competitive applicant to Wesleyan. If you have further questions about how your scores may be considered, we encourage you to reach out to our admission staff.
- If I choose to submit scores, is ACT or SAT preferred?
There is no preference for ACT or SAT scores. Last year about 60% of all applicants submitted SATs, 20% submitted ACTs and 20% submitted both.
- If I submit my scores, do you superscore?
Yes, Wesleyan will use the best evidence-based reading, writing, and math scores across any testing dates, and will use the best of each section of the ACT to recalculate a new composite score.
- Does “score-optional” mean that my grades are even more important? If I don't have any required testing, which part of my application will be more emphasized now?
The best predictor of any student’s success is their day-to-day work in a rigorous curriculum, which has always been at the heart of Wesleyan’s holistic review process.
- How do students tell the admissions committee whether or not and /or what scores they want to be considered?
Students need to answer the question on the Wesleyan University pages in the Common Application. There are seven options reflecting combinations of scores to be considered and the option to not have any standardized test scores considered as part of the application. The options are:
- ACT only
- SAT only
- SAT and SAT Subject Tests
- SAT Subject Tests only
- SAT and ACT
- ACT and SAT Subject Tests
- No scores to be submitted
- The website says that I would need to submit scores if I matriculate, but what if I didn’t take any tests at all? Can I still apply and/or enroll?
Yes. Wesleyan will not require any matriculating student who did not take an ACT, SAT, or SAT Subject Tests to take exams prior to enrolling.
Additional Questions
- Is it possible to defer enrollment at Wesleyan for one year if I am admitted?
Yes. Typically, 20 to 25 admitted students in each class are granted deferred enrollment. The $250 non-refundable enrollment deposit must first be paid to secure matriculation. Upon approval, the Wesleyan Office of Admission will allow students to postpone matriculation for one year. In order to obtain approval, applicants must fill out and submit a plan for their “gap year.” The required deferred enrollment request form must be received by February 1 for Early Decision I, May 1 for Early Decision II, and June 1 for Regular Decision. Requests will be reviewed upon receipt and students will be notified of their outcomes within a couple of days of the previously mentioned deadlines. It is important to note that students granted deferrals cannot submit any admission applications to other institutions or enroll full-time at any other institution of higher education. Once students’ requests for deferment are received and approved, formal letters acknowledging their deferred status will be sent. An essay, briefly describing deferral activities and reaffirming intention to enroll at Wesleyan, is required by January 15 of the deferral year.
- Are Wesleyan employees mandated reporters?
Yes - All Wesleyan employees, including Admission Office representatives are considered Mandated Reporters (concerning abuse, neglect or injury to minors) pursuant to Connecticut law.