Top Ten Facts About Wheaton
1. Competitive admissions
The excellence of Wheaton's academic program attracts a very talented and accomplished applicant pool. Record numbers of applicants seek admission to the college each year.
2. Championship students
Wheaton students have won more than 100 prestigious national scholarships recognizing their academic accomplishments since 2000. They include three Rhodes (only one liberal arts college in the country has produced as many in that time), two British Marshalls, two Goldwaters, one Beinecke, one Mitchell, five Watsons, five Trumans, 34 Fulbrights (fourth in the U.S. for number of Fulbright Scholars), six Rotary Ambassadorial scholarships, a Boren National Security Fellowship, four Udall, two James Madison Fellowships and an American Council for International Education scholarship.
3. Championship athletics
Wheaton's athletic program is ranked among the top 20 percent in the country by the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics (NACDA). In the last 10 years, Wheaton teams have garnered eight national championships; two teams rank in the top 20 nationally. Wheaton has won 77 NEWMAC regular season and tournament titles. Over a dozen athletes have signed professional sports contracts or competed for places on U.S. Olympic teams.
4. Very selective, but not standardized
Wheaton students are a select group of academically accomplished students with diverse backgrounds and interests, creating a vibrant residential college experience. For the Class of 2012, 3,827 students applied for 400 available spots. Thirty-nine percent of applicants were accepted. The mean grade point average (G.P.A.) of accepted applicants to Wheaton's class of 2012 was a 3.50 on a 4.0 scale. Wheaton is committed to an optional standardized test policy, valuing a student's academic achievement first and foremost. Approximately 40 percent of the applicant pool did not submit standardized test scores.
5. Student satisfaction
Project DEEP, a recent national study of the college student experience, identified Wheaton as one of 15 institutions of excellence. The research team's final report said that "many other colleges and universities will benefit from learning about Wheaton's policies and practices." Key among the study's findings: Wheaton's spirit of innovation and creativity and the faculty's commitment to undergraduate teaching and mentoring. Our students rave about the Wheaton experience, as do the guide books. The Princeton Review college guide gave Wheaton four stars
6. The Wheaton Curriculum
The Wheaton Curriculum emphasizes the breadth and depth of the liberal arts and sciences. The college's unique Connections program allows students to study subjects from multiple academic perspectives, enabling them to see the relationships among seemingly disparate fields. Students enjoy great flexibility in course selection, while honing the critical thinking skills that are necessary to succeed in an increasingly complex world.
7. Faculty/student partnerships
Wheaton's educational programs begin with a 10:1 student-faculty ratio and an average class size of 15-20 students. Students collaborate regularly with professors working in the sciences, social sciences, humanities and the arts. Our Wheaton Research Partnership program offers students part-time employment opportunities as research assistants to professors in a wide variety of disciplines.
8. The world brought to Wheaton
Wheaton's year-long calendar of special events brings a roster of distinguished visiting lecturers, scientists, artists, musicians and actors to campus. The college's Boston/Providence Connection program, which offers regular trips and discount tickets to world-class entertainment, helps connect students to the rich array of resources around them in the Boston and Providence area.
9. Real life experience, here and abroad
Wheaton's Filene Center for Work and Learning enriches students' academic endeavors by facilitating experiential learning opportunities through fellowships, community and public service, jobs and internships. Each year, the college dedicates more than $350,000 for students' research, travel and internships. The Center for Global Education helps students achieve global perspectives and learn in a stimulating international environment, providing more than 30 programs around the world.
10. Ideally located
Wheaton is located on a classic, brick-and-ivy-covered campus originally designed by the renowned architect Ralph Adams Cram, who also designed Princeton and West Point. Our more than 400 acres are conveniently located between Boston and Providence, providing students with myriad opportunities to pursue intellectual, cultural and social experiences.