The 25 Most Desirable Small Schools

Wellesley College's aim is "to provide an excellent liberal arts education for women who will make a difference in the world," and quite a few of its graduates have made good on that mission statement, including Hilary Rodham Clinton, Madeleine Albright and Diane Sawyer.  
 
One of the original "Seven Sisters" colleges, Wellesley College is among the most elite all-women liberal arts schools in the country, and its standing as one of Newsweek's most desirable small colleges (No. 17) most desirable suburban schools (No. 14) and best schools for brainiacs (No. 22) are just three of the many accolades regularly bestowed on the school, which was recently named one of U.S. News & World Report's top five liberal arts colleges in the nation.  
 
Just west of Boston and situated in a town of the same name, Wellesley offers baccalaureate degrees to some 2,300 undergrads every year. Just over a third of applicants are accepted, and Wellesley undergrads averaged a 32 on the ACT and 1465 on the SAT.