Wheaton is a four-year, private, residential college focused on the liberal arts and sciences and educating students on creating innovative solutions to big challenges. Wheaton was founded in 1834 as a female seminary, chartered as a four-year liberal arts college in 1912, and became co-educational in 1988. Collaborations with faculty and staff are intended to challenge and transform students into lifelong learners with skills to become problem solvers committed to social justice and the global community.
Wheaton graduates are accomplishing great success upon completion of their degree requirements. Just six months after graduation, 95 percent of Wheaton alumni in the seven most recent classes have secured full-or part-time employment, are continuing their education in graduate or professional schools and internships, or are engaged in meaningful volunteer work. This mark outperforms the national average of 82 percent for the Class of 2020, according to data compiled by the National Association of Colleges and Employers. Since 2000, Wheaton students have won more than 260 prestigious scholarship awards, including three Rhodes Scholarships, 122 U.S. Fulbright Fellowships and 26 Watson Fellowships.
Wheaton College is consistently ranked among the nation's top liberal arts colleges by various publications, and has been named a Top 100 liberal arts college by the Wall Street Journal and Times Higher Education. According to U.S. News and World Report, Wheaton was named a top 50 best value liberal arts college. Wheaton also consistently makes The Princeton Review's Best 390 Colleges list.
About
From the School
Contact & Visit
Campus Visits Contact
Interim Vice President of Enrollment
26 East Main Street
Norton, MA 02766
Experience College Life
Mars Arts and Humanities Arts facility
Haas Athletic Center
Mary Lyon Hall (Wheaton's oldest building)
Balfour-Hood Campus Center
Much of the grounds at Wheaton College are open space and are used for outdoor events, both social and academic activities, and now include a designated outdoor classroom space.
Providence (RI)
Cape Cod and the Islands (MA)
Wrentham Outlet Malls (Wrentham, MA)
Newport (RI)
Local recreation facilities include the Xfinity Center, Patriot Place shopping center, and the world famous TPC Golf Course.
Campus Tours
Weekdays 8:30am-4:30pm; select Sat. 9:00 am-2:00 pm
508-286-8251
Dates: Year-round
Times: Varies
Average Length: 1 hour
On Campus Interview
Faculty and Coach Visits
Class Visits
Overnight Dorm Stays
Transportation
Admissions
Admissions
Overall
From The School
For first-year enrollment, Wheaton's application process offers two early decision rounds, an early action round and a regular decision round. Transfer admission is available for both the fall and spring semesters. Wheaton has been test-optional for more than 30 years.
Wheaton first-year applicants and transfer applicants are encouraged to use the Common Application or the Coalition for College Application. Wheaton does not charge an application fee. In addition to the Common Application or the Coalition or College Application, required credentials include the School Report, a school transcript, a mid-year report, and a teacher evaluation. Optional credentials include standardized test scores, writing samples, and personal portfolios. Non-U.S. citizens for whom English is not the first language must provide evidence of their fluency. TOEFL and IELTS are Wheaton's preferred English proficiency tests, however the Pearson Test of English Academic (PTEA) is also accepted.
Overview
SAT & ACT Test Scores
Testing Policies
Deadlines
Early Decision — November 15
Early Decision II — January 15
Early Action — November 15
Regular — January 15
Other Admission Factors
Rigor of Secondary School Record
Academic GPA
Application Essay
Recommendation(s)
Character / Personal Qualities
Selectivity Rating
Get a personalized plan for a competitive application from an admissions expert.
Learn MoreAcademics
Academics
Overall
From The School
Academic Programs
Wheaton offers more than 100 academic programs. In the past three years, the college has added majors in nursing, finance, marketing, design and criminal justice. Wheaton also offers 4+1 master's programs, allowing students to complete both a bachelor's and a master's degree in 5 years in the areas of business, creative industries and environmental science. Students interested in interdisciplinary study can choose majors such as math and economics or theater and English dramatic literature, or design their own majors. Dual-degree programs with Dartmouth, Emerson, and other institutions are available in engineering, integrated marketing communications, and optometry, and Wheaton faculty are available for pre-professional advising in 11 subjects, including law and medicine.
Wheaton's full-time student-faculty ratio is approximately 11 to 1 and the average class size is 15?20 students.
With minimal requirements, the Compass Curriculum gives students the flexibility to create their own path to success, with personalized advising and professional mentorship. The curriculum encourages students to connect academics to career interests and builds on Wheaton's core principles of intellectual curiosity, global citizenship, experiential learning, social justice, diversity and inclusion, and collaborative community. Taught by faculty teams, the required First-Year Experience course combines the deep discussions, reading and writing of a traditional first-year seminar with cross-discipline discovery, encouraging students to consider complex problems and questions through multiple lenses, right from the start. Psychology, business and management, film and new media studies, biology, and English are Wheaton's most popular majors. Programs in the arts and hard sciences are also very popular.
The Center for Global Education offers more than 100 approved study abroad programs in more than 45 different nations around the world; 45 percent of students participate. Wheaton also offers a first-year study abroad program, WheaGo Global, which allows students to study abroad during their first semester at a partner institution in one of five countries.
Wheaton's academic program is coupled with The Wheaton Edge, a four-year immersive personal and professional development experience designed to lead to graduates' success. Launched in 2015, the Wheaton Edge guarantees that all students will have a funded internship, research or leadership opportunity. Connecting the deep alumni network with the dynamic students and committed faculty, the program has proved to be very popular. The college invests over $1.2 million per year to support internships, much of which is funded by donors. Connecting the deep alumni network of more than 19,000 with the dynamic students and committed faculty, the program has led to successful outcomes.
Faculty and Class Information
Graduation Rates
Majors
-
AREA, ETHNIC, CULTURAL, GENDER, AND GROUP STUDIES.
African-American/Black Studies.
American/United States Studies/Civilization.
French Studies.
German Studies.
Hispanic-American, Puerto Rican, and Mexican-American/Chicano Studies.
Italian Studies.
Russian Studies.
Women's Studies.
-
BIOLOGICAL AND BIOMEDICAL SCIENCES.
Biochemistry.
Bioinformatics.
Biology/Biological Sciences, General.
Neuroscience.
-
BUSINESS, MANAGEMENT, MARKETING, AND RELATED SUPPORT SERVICES.
Business Administration and Management, General.
-
COMPUTER AND INFORMATION SCIENCES AND SUPPORT SERVICES.
Computer Science.
-
EDUCATION.
Early Childhood Education and Teaching.
Elementary Education and Teaching.
Secondary Education and Teaching.
-
ENGLISH LANGUAGE AND LITERATURE/LETTERS.
Creative Writing.
English Language and Literature, General.
-
FOREIGN LANGUAGES, LITERATURES, AND LINGUISTICS.
Ancient/Classical Greek Language and Literature.
Classics and Classical Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics, General.
Classics and Classical Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics, Other.
German Language and Literature.
Latin Language and Literature.
Modern Greek Language and Literature.
Russian Language and Literature.
-
HISTORY.
History, General.
-
LIBERAL ARTS AND SCIENCES, GENERAL STUDIES AND HUMANITIES.
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities.
-
MATHEMATICS AND STATISTICS.
Mathematics, General.
Mathematics, Other.
-
MULTI/INTERDISCIPLINARY STUDIES.
Ancient Studies/Civilization.
Mathematics and Computer Science.
Multi-/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other.
-
NATURAL RESOURCES AND CONSERVATION.
Environmental Science.
-
PHILOSOPHY AND RELIGIOUS STUDIES.
Philosophy.
Religion/Religious Studies.
-
PHYSICAL SCIENCES.
Astronomy and Astrophysics.
Astronomy.
Chemistry, General.
Physics, General.
-
PSYCHOLOGY.
Psychology, General.
-
SOCIAL SCIENCES.
Anthropology.
Economics, General.
International Relations and Affairs.
Political Science and Government, General.
Sociology.
-
VISUAL AND PERFORMING ARTS.
Art History, Criticism and Conservation.
Dramatic/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft, Other.
Film/Cinema/Video Studies.
Fine/Studio Arts, General.
Music, General.
Students Say
Degrees
Career Services
Alumni Network
Alumni Services
Classes
Interest Inventory
Internships
Regional Alumni
Experiential
Internship
Notable Faculty
Prominent Alumni
Academic Rating
Careers
Graduation Rates
Career Services
Alumni Network
Alumni Services
Classes
Interest Inventory
Internships
Regional Alumni
Experiential
Internship
ROI & Outcomes
Students Say
Tuition & Aid
Tuition & Aid
Overview
From The School
Financial Aid
Through a comprehensive financial aid program, Wheaton has maintained its commitment to helping students attain their educational goals. Eligibility for all aid from the college is based on a combination of financial need and academic performance. Wheaton does not offer aid based solely on athletic ability. The majority of Wheaton students receive some form of financial assistance; awards can range from $5,500 to $65,000. Financial aid is in the form of a "package" that includes need-based grants, merit scholarships, loans and work opportunities. Wheaton administers more than $100 million in student financial aid annually, including more than $74 million in funding from the college directly. Generous scholarships worth up to $45,000 (renewable annually) recognize students for high academic achievement, regardless of financial need. Scholarships include a stipend to help support internships.
Dates
Required Forms
FAFSA
Forms CSSProfile
Forms Divorced Parent
Financial Aid Statistics
Expenses per Academic Year
Available Aid
Need-Based College/University Scholarship or Grant Aid from Institutional Funds
Need-Based Federal Pell
Need-Based Private Scholarships
Need-Based SEOG
Need-Based State Scholarships
Direct Subsidized Stafford Loans
Direct Unsubsidized Stafford Loans
Financial Aid Rating
Student Body
Student Body
Overall
From The School
The college's diverse student community represents 50+ countries and 40 states and U.S. territories, with approximately six percent of the student body being international students. Approximately 26% have a multicultural background and 21% are first generation college students.
The college offers a variety of programs to its student body in order to enhance the student experience. New student orientation is offered to all first-year and transfer students and their families to make the transition to college life as seamless as possible. The Office of Student Activities, Involvement and Leadership (SAIL) serves in an advisory role to student groups, providing students with resources for event planning, leadership development and student club information. Currently, Wheaton has more than 100 student organizations and more than a dozen club sports. Students can get involved with cultural and religious clubs, student government, community service and social justice to name a few, or they can also start their own club. Students unwind at the Balfour-Hood Center, which offers a caf?, dance studio and sun deck for afternoon study breaks. Spring Weekend features the Head of the Peacock race, where students build vessels (no boats allowed) and race them across the pond, as well as live bands and outdoor barbecues.
Wheaton is a NCAA Division III school and participated in the formation of the New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) in 1998. NEWMAC is an association of 11 selective academic institutions that includes Babson College, Clark University, Emerson College, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Mount Holyoke College, Smith College, Springfield College, U.S. Coast Guard Academy, Wellesley College and Worcester Polytechnic Institute. There are also six associate members that include Simmons College, Massachusetts Maritime Academy, Catholic University, Maine Maritime Academy, Merchant Marine Academy and Norwich University. Wheaton is also a member of the Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) and the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation. Wheaton women and men play competitively on 13 and 11 varsity teams, respectively.
Wheaton offers a wide and growing variety of coeducational intramural sports, including basketball, water polo, flag football, floor hockey, softball, soccer and table tennis, among others. Wheaton also sponsors 13 club sport teams with more than 250 participants, including rugby, ice hockey and an equestrian team.
Student Body Profile
Demographics
Students Say
Campus Life
Campus Life
Overview
From The School
Location
The college is located in Norton, Massachusetts, approximately halfway between Boston, Massachusetts and Providence, Rhode Island, with convenient access to public transportation. Its 400-acre campus blends historical buildings with modern structures and is set among beautiful lawns and shaded trees. The upper and lower parts of the campus are separated by Peacock Pond in the middle.
The town of Norton provides students with myriad service opportunities. Students and faculty collaborate with a wide variety of local organizations—from public and private schools to businesses and human service organizations—providing volunteer energy to residents while advancing the college's learning and research goals. The college is proud to partner with schools and municipal agencies as well a number of local organizations, including the Attleboro Council of Churches, Crystal Springs Farm, Foxboro Hugs, Homes with Heart, Norton Head Start, the Norton Land Preservation Society, Rhode Island Food Banks, and the Salvation Army.
Wheaton students also play in the Great Woods Symphony Orchestra, a full-sized concert ensemble that plays a wide range of classic and contemporary music at one of the region's most popular concert venues, which is conveniently located in the neighboring town.
Campus Facilities & Equipment
Wheaton guarantees residence hall housing to all students for four years, with 96 percent of students living on campus. The college has 18 residence halls, plus a new 175-bed, energy-efficient residence for first-year students that opened in August 2019. In addition there are 16 student-run theme houses on campus. Students can choose from traditional residence halls, single-sex housing, wellness housing, a 24-hour quiet hall, or a variety of theme houses. In these special interest houses, students can explore themes that connect with their academic pursuits or their future aspirations, from science and music to gender equality and environmental activism.
Wheaton's innovative academic opportunities include small, interdisciplinary courses that look at big issues from many perspectives; access to innovation spaces featuring cutting-edge technology, including VR/AR, computer-connected machinery and a digital jacquard loom; vibrant social entrepreneurship programs; and a curriculum that gives students the flexibility to adapt their learning to their interests and career goals. The newly renovated Diana Davis Spencer Discovery Center serves as the home for the business and management and psychology departments, the social entrepreneurship programs, and the Fab Lab makerspace as well as the Life and Career Design Institute. The center also features Wheaton's Nursing program, including state-of-the-art classrooms, skills labs, a clinical simulation center, and other essential resources for education and training.
Off-Campus Opportunities
The college is located in Norton, Massachusetts, approximately halfway between Boston, Massachusetts and Providence, Rhode Island, with convenient access to public transportation. Its 400-acre campus blends historical buildings with modern structures and is set among beautiful lawns and shaded trees. The upper and lower parts of the campus are separated by Peacock Pond in the middle.
The town of Norton provides students with myriad service opportunities. Students and faculty collaborate with a wide variety of local organizations—from public and private schools to businesses and human service organizations—providing volunteer energy to residents while advancing the college's learning and research goals. The college is proud to partner with schools and municipal agencies as well as a number of local organizations, including the Attleboro Council of Churches, Crystal Springs Farm, Foxboro Hugs, Homes with Heart, Norton Head Start, the Norton Land Preservation Society, Rhode Island Food Banks, and the Salvation Army.
Wheaton students also play in the Great Woods Symphony Orchestra, a full-sized concert ensemble that plays a wide range of classic and contemporary music at one of the region's most popular concert venues, which is conveniently located in the neighboring town.
Campus Life
Housing Options
Disabled Student
Dorms Coed
Dorms Female
Other
Theme Housing
Wellness Housing
Students Say
Special Needs Admissions
Special Need Services Offered
Student Activities
Sports
Basketball
Cross Country
Diving
Lacrosse
Soccer
Swimming
Tennis
Track Field Indoor
Track Field Outdoor
Cross Country
Diving
Field Hockey
Lacrosse
Soccer
Softball
Swimming
Synchronized Swimming
Tennis
Track Field Indoor
Track Field Outdoor
Volleyball
Student Services
LGBT Support Groups
Minority Support Groups
Army ROTC Offered at cooperating institutions: Stonehill College
Sustainability
The Jeanne Clery Act requires colleges and universities to disclose their security policies, keep a public crime log, publish an annual crime report and provide timely warnings to students and campus employees about a crime posing an immediate or ongoing threat to students and campus employees.
Please visit The Princeton Review’s page on campus safety for additional resources: http://www.princetonreview.com/safety
The Princeton Review publishes links directly to each school's Campus Security Reports where available. Applicants can also access all school-specific campus safety information using the Campus Safety and Security Data Analysis Cutting Tool provided by the Office of Postsecondary Education of the U.S. Department of Education: https://ope.ed.gov/campussafety/#/