Wesleyan is a small liberal arts school in Middletown, Connecticut. While it was initially a Methodist boys' school, it is now both secular and co-ed. Wesleyan offers more than 47 majors to its around 3,000 students. The University has eight colleges and eight academic centers. They have great financial aid and meet full demonstrated need.
Wesleyan is an impressive school, and you might wonder, “How hard is it to get in?” Last year, Wesleyan had a 17% acceptance rate. So, it is competitive, but if you are a good candidate, you have a great shot. To be a good Wesleyan candidate, you have to do a few things, which is exactly what we want to break down today.
What are they looking for in a candidate?
Colleges publish a yearly document called the Common Data Set. This document is huge for data admissions nerds (which we def are). It has a ton of valuable information, including a breakdown of admissions factors.
Pay close attention to the columns marked “Very Important” and “Important.” These are the categories that you really want to eat in.
Rigor (and Class Rank… and GPA)
You might have noticed that “rigor of secondary school record” is the only very important factor for Wesleyan… so you really need to show it to be a good candidate. Wesleyan recommends students take 24 credits. But taking those credits isn’t enough; you also want to take them at a high level.
This looks different from high school to high school, but it could mean taking classes at the AP, IB, Honors, Accelerated, or Dual Enrollment level. You want to push yourself and have a difficult class load. This will speak directly to academic rigor.
While we are at it, let’s look at the other two factors directly linked to rigor: GPA and Class Rank. Not all schools calculate class rank, but if your high school does, you should try to be at least in the top half of the class and ideally in the top tenth.
Even if your school doesn’t rank, this data can be helpful as a thought exercise. Would you be in the top quarter of your class? Could you push yourself to be?
You also want an excellent GPA. Wesleyan doesn’t actually track average accepted GPA data because it's not a very useful metric. Some schools grade harder than others, and if you are really pushing yourself in the rigor category, your 3.8 is worth a lot more than a 4.0 in easy classes. This being said, you should have an outstanding GPA based on your school, classes, and personal achievement.
Talent/Ability and Characteristics/Personal Qualities
Eagle-eyed students will notice that there is no section of the common app called “talent” or “characteristics.” So, how do you show that you eat in these categories? Well, mainly through getting good recommendations and making sure your writing shines. Doubly, “recommendations” and “essays” are also listed as important.
You can’t really control your recommendations. We suggest asking teachers early, choosing teachers that know you the best, and filling out any brag sheets or info they ask you for with care. But other than that, it’s out of your hands. What you can control is your writing.
You want to write a great common essay. We have a ton of blogs that can help you. Though if you don’t know where to start, we think this one is a must-read. But if this is all TLDR, good common app essays do three things.
Tell a good story.
Showcase those positive characteristics that we mentioned earlier.
And is creative and/or well-written.
If you can do all of those things, you should be on the right track. And if this is all scary, reach out! We would be happy to help.
Wesleyan doesn’t have a writing supplement, but we advise being extra and sending an email to their admissions office so you can showcase more of your Personal Qualities. We have a blog on how to approach that email here.
One Note on Scores
Test scores are not the biggest deal at Wesleyan. They have been test-optional since 2014, and if you submit scores, they are only “considered.” That being said, 76% of matriculated students did submit test scores.
But should you? Well, the short answer: if they are good. You should be good if your scores are better than or on par with the ranges below. If they are on the low side or lower than the ranges below, you can most likely skip the scores on this one.
Finally, Consider Applying Early
For the class of 2026, Wesleyan had a 14% overall acceptance rate. However, this rate is actually made up of two rates. Their Regular Decision acceptance rate was 12.4%, and their Early Decision acceptance rate was 40%.
If you are a good applicant who is serious about going to Wesleyan, applying early really helps your chances here.
It’s hard to get into Wesleyan, but follow these tips, and you should be a competitive candidate. Need more help applying to schools? It's what we do! Contact us there.