Top 10 Reasons to Choose Wesleyan College
Forever First
The number one reason to choose Wesleyan College is that Wesleyan is number one. An astonishing 84 years before women could even vote in the United States, they could earn an undergraduate degree at Wesleyan. In fact, we were the first college in the world chartered to grant degrees to women. If you think that shows an extraordinary, unmatchable dedication to women's higher education, you're absolutely right. First for Women isn't just a claim to fame—it's a philosophy that separates our learning community from all others. We're anchored in tradition and guided by an innovative spirit and we take our role as a pioneer in women's education seriously. Those founding principles live on and are even stronger at Wesleyan today. We were first for women and that's forever.
Personal Attention
At Wesleyan, we focus on the individual. We put women first by developing each dynamic individual's distinct talents and goals. We give every student the personal attention she deserves to achieve her greatest success. As a first-year student, you'll be assigned a "big sister," a caring upperclasswoman who'll show you the ropes. You'll have an academic advisor, a faculty member who will act as your mentor, advising you on things like course selection, scheduling and choosing a major. Because of our 9:1 student-to-faculty ratio, all of your professors will get to know you as a person, not a number, inside and outside class. Whether it's academic, social, medical or career services you need—at Wesleyan, you'll never, ever lack for support.
Faculty
Speaking of professors, our 50-member faculty is exceptional. They are accomplished, noted scholars with the highest degrees in their fields from places like Oxford, Emory, MIT, Georgetown and Duke. More than 90 percent hold a terminal degree in their field. What's more, they really teach! That may sound obvious, but at many large public universities, classes are likely to be taught by graduate students. Not at Wesleyan. You'll get the real deal in class. Our unique seminar-styled teaching philosophy means that classes are small, focused and personal. Our close-knit community is a 24/7 exchange of ideas. Our professors truly do encourage spirited discussion and debate, challenging students to think across disciplines and to delve into moral and ethical issues.
Academics
You can choose from 29 majors and 26 minors, in everything from accounting and biology to theater and women's studies. Many students design their own, customized course of study. We offer pre-professional programs in dentistry, medicine, veterinary sciences, law and other fields. Wesleyan even offers dual-degree programs in engineering with the Georgia Institute of Technology in Atlanta, Auburn University in Alabama and Mercer University in Macon. You can declare a major anytime between the first semester of your freshman year and the second semester of your sophomore year.
Student Life
Our student body of about 700 is small enough to get to know everyone and diverse enough so there's always something new to discover. Wesleyan women come from 27 states and 34 foreign countries. Most live on campus in our seven residence halls, giving Wesleyan a rich sense of community. We offer more than 40 clubs and organizations, so there's something for every interest. Because of our affiliation with the United Methodist Church, meaningful opportunities for spiritual development are a part of daily life. Student groups like the Wesleyan Disciples set a high standard for servant leadership and inspire us to use our talents and time in purposeful ways. Plus, five NCAA Division III athletic sports and a championship IHSA equestrian program keep us cheering all year.
Campus
Our beautiful 200-acre campus, along with 30 historically significant buildings, is listed in the National Register of Historic Places, as the Wesleyan College Historic District. Classic white-columned, Georgian-styled buildings surround a main quad that is the center of many college events. Our 150-year-old trees are a beautiful contrast to our recently renovated residence halls; multi-million dollar athletic, wellness and equestrian facilities; and a new state-of-the-art science center. It's a truly inspired setting. Plus, our campus is safe, with police officers available 24/7. You can jog or bike along the maintained trails anytime with confidence. Come visit! When you want to pick up the pace, downtown Macon is minutes away. Georgia's vibrant third-largest city is a lively hub for music, entertainment, athletic events, restaurants and coffee houses. And of course, Atlanta is just an hour north.
Facilities
Our campus preserves an old-world charm, but its facilities are totally 21st century. Whiteboards, WiFi, it's all here. The brand-new high-tech Munroe Science Center demonstrates Wesleyan's long-standing championship of women in the sciences with 20 research and teaching labs, "smart" classrooms, an astronomy deck and a greenhouse. Mathews Athletic Center is a field house for sports events as well as a top-notch fitness facility. Our renowned Nancy Ellis Knox Equestrian Center is where riders of all levels (including national-competition status) can practice in a lit ring with one of our 16 magnificent horses or perhaps even board their own.
Affordability
Because we're committed to making Wesleyan affordable for every qualified woman, we've kept our tuition as low as possible while maintaining our high standards of excellence. The Princeton Review not only names us one of "The Best 371 Colleges," but also claims we're the number three best value in the nation. Wesleyan was chosen for the new 2010 edition of America's Best Value Colleges because of our "excellent academics" and "relatively low costs of attendance." Wesleyan spends millions of dollars each year for merit scholarships and campus jobs. We also award financial aid packages to 85 percent of our students, in the form of scholarships, grants and loans.
Wesleyan Women
When you enroll at Wesleyan, you join a network of amazing women. Our alumnae represent a remarkable collection of "firsts", including the first woman to earn a Doctor of Medicine degree and the first woman to argue a case before the Georgia Supreme Court. Women today still choose Wesleyan because they value a rigorous educational experience in a single-sex environment. Why a women's college? Because a small, selective school offers you all the opportunities for leadership—whether as captain of the team, chair of the committee or president of the class. You'll be free to explore and express yourself without the distractions found in coed environments. It's no surprise that four of the 10 female CEOs of Fortune 500 companies in 2006 graduated from women's colleges. We see the benefits of single-sex education every day, in the transformation of our students into wonderful Wesleyan women. Find out more about the power of women's colleges at the Women's College Coalition website.
Recognition
We're consistently recognized for all the right things—small class size, accessible faculty, affordability and diversity. Wesleyan was included in the 2010 edition of The Princeton Review's 371 Best Colleges, an honor bestowed on only about 15 percent of the four-year colleges in America. All those magazine rankings are fun, but we place the greatest emphasis on surveys and studies that measure substantive learning outcomes. Wesleyan is regarded as one of the nation's finest liberal arts colleges and is consistently recognized for academic excellence. According to the seventh annual report of the National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE), Wesleyan outperformed the top 10 percent of colleges and universities nationally in all five categories studied.