Enrollment: 2060
Average SAT: 547
Average ACT: 24
Most Popular Majors: Nursing/Registered Nurse (RN, ASN, BSN, MSN),Psychology, General,
Regular Application Deadline: 02/01
Student Faculty Ratio: 13:1

Undergraduate Receiving Need-Based Financial Aid: 11
Average Freshman Total Need-Based Gift Aid: $13,369.00

Scotch and Soda, Hold the Scotch
Stone-Cold Sober Schools

School Says - General Information
In 1899, decades before women in America gained the right to vote, Simmons College was founded on a revolutionary idea, that women should be able to earn independent livelihoods and lead meaningful lives. Today, Simmons provides a strong liberal arts education for undergraduate women that is integrated with professional career preparation, interdisciplinary study, and global perspectives. Simmons encompasses the many benefits of a small university, including renowned coeducational graduate programs and the world's first MBA designed specifically for women.

Simmons's interdisciplinary approach offers many great advantages: a broad education and view of the world; personalized plans of study; and a chance to develop a range of professional skills and strengths needed for graduate school and an increasingly competitive job market. Every student explores a variety of subjects while gaining an in-depth theoretical and practical understanding of her major. First-year core courses emphasize critical thinking and writing skills, while integrating two or more subjects, which range from bioethics and Buddhist studies to computational linguistics and visual communication.

Students fulfill their independent learning requirement through internships, fieldwork, and research projects. In doing so, they develop skills, confidence, and a network of professional contacts. Many spend one or more semesters interning for businesses and organizations, ranging from Boston Public Schools and The Boston Globe to the Museum of Fine Arts, Smash Advertising, and the World Affairs Council. Simmons's Longwood Medical Area partnerships provide exceptional clinical opportunities at some of Boston's world-renowned hospitals. On campus, students conduct research with state-of-the-art equipment, in areas such as materials science, gene splicing, and computer modeling. Moreover, professors frequently invite undergraduates to collaborate on professional research projects, articles, and presentations.

Acquiring a global outlook is integral at Simmons, including an understanding of languages, cultures, and international politics. Programs such as Africana studies, East Asian studies, international relations, and modern languages offer a direct route to cross-cultural immersion. Simmons encourages students to spend an entire semester or year abroad and also offers short-term courses that brings students to another locations for three weeks typically following the spring semester. Students also participate in local and international service learning projects, ranging from education initiatives in Boston to health care in Nicaragua.

Above all, Simmons offers a learning experience that is highly collaborative and much more personal than that of large universities. A 13:1 student/teacher ratio ensures that each student receives individual attention. The Simmons faculty includes noted researchers, authors, and experts in their respective fields who passionately uphold their primary obligation to teach. The Simmons community encourages dialogue, respect, and collaboration which makes the Simmons experience as thoughtful as it is thought provoking. Students say the small classes, intellectual focus, and welcoming environment contribute to their confidence and success.

Approximately 90 percent of traditional first-year undergraduates live in college housing, two blocks from the main campus. The "quintessential New England" residence campus features nine residence halls and a private, landscaped quad, as well as Bartol Dining Hall, the state-of-the-art Holmes Sports Center, a student-run café, and the campus health center. From campus, it's a short stroll to nearby shops, cafes, clubs, museums, movie theaters, parks, and public transportation. Students say they love the fact that they can easily access the city's rich social and cultural resources, and then come home to a safe, friendly campus.

School Says - Student Body
Simmons has more than 50 student organizations and academic liaisons, including ten NCAA Division III varsity teams, honor societies, cultural organizations, volunteer programs, a literary magazine, and more.

School Says - Academics


Simmons offers a strong liberal arts education integrated with professional preparation, interdisciplinary study, and global perspectives. A minimum of 128 semester hours is required for graduation. Students must demonstrate competence in math and foreign language, complete a core curriculum in the liberal arts and sciences (40 semester hours), complete the courses required for the selected major/s (20 to 40 semester hours for each major depending on the program), fulfill an independent learning requirement (8 to 16 semester hours), and round out their program with appropriate electives.

Students may select interdepartmental programs, declare double majors, or participate in an undergraduate-to-graduate degree program. Other special academic opportunities include Simmons's outstanding honors, service learning, and study-abroad programs. The Dorothea Lynde Dix Scholars option is available for women who are 24 years or older, or who hold a previous bachelor's degree.

School Says - Admissions
Although there isn't one "type" of Simmons student, there are common qualities. Simmons women are intellectually motivated and open-minded. They are serious about their personal and professional goals, and they are determined to make a difference in the world. With this in mind, the Simmons admission team reviews applications to see not only what applicants have accomplished, but also who they are and what kind of person they hope to become.

The admission team also evaluates high school performance, SAT or ACT scores, recommendations, and the application essay. If English is not the applicant's first language, TOEFL or IELTS scores are required. Additional English language proficiency exams are accepted on a case-by-case basis.

Simmons welcomes applications from prospective freshmen, transfer students, international students, and students who are beyond the traditional college age.

Although not required, an interview is highly recommended. This gives admission officers better perspective about an applicant's abilities, interests, and personality, and at the same time, allows the applicant to evaluate Simmons and decide if it's the right place for her.

Students may apply online or submit a print application. The Common Application, Universal Application, or a Simmons College Application are all welcome. Applications should be submitted along with the $55 fee and all supporting credentials. Simmons waives the application fee for students who use an online application. For freshman the early action deadline is December 1 and is a nonbinding deadline; the regular decision deadline is February 1. Transfer students are evaluated on a continual basis; the preferred filing date for fall enrollment is April 1. All students applying for the semester beginning in January should apply by November 15.

Simmons encourages prospective students and their families to attend an admission event or request an individual visit. They are welcome to tour the campus, sit in on a class, talk to current students, or speak with a professor, department chair, or program director.

For further information, contact:

Office of Undergraduate Admission
Simmons College
300 The Fenway
Boston, MA 02115
Telephone: 800-345-8468 (toll free)
Fax: 617-521-3190
E-mail: ugadm@simmons.edu
Website: www.simmons.edu


School Says - Campus Life
According to students, Simmons offers the best of both words, an intimate college environment in the heart of a vibrant city. The historic, tree-lined campus is located in Boston's eclectic Fenway neighborhood, which is alive with music and fine arts, medical care and research, action and activism, and the resounding cheers of baseball fans at legendary Fenway Park. Considered by many to be the best college town in the nation, Boston has more than 50 colleges and universities and approximately 300,000 students. Compact, historic, charming, and clean, the city is easy to get around on foot or via the T, Boston's public transportation system.

School Says - Cost Aid
Tuition and fees for the 2008-2009 academic year are as follows:

Undergraduate tuition and fees: $29,120
Room and board: $11,500
Total: $41,490
Graduate tuition costs vary by program.

More than 90 percent of Simmons students receive financial aid. Scholarships, grants, loans, and federal work-study are determined by the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). Simmons also awards academic merit scholarships, ranging from $2,000 to $15,000 awards, renewable for four years. To apply for financial aid, students must complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).

Students Say - Academics
Simmons College, an "all-women's college located in the Fenway area of Boston," provides students with "lots of opportunities to work closely with faculty and [to] interact with local Boston communities." The school excels in pre-professional programs in nursing and physical therapy, each of which capitalizes on the school's location to "give students opportunities to do internships/clinical placements at world-renowned hospitals that are only a few blocks away (e.g. Children's Hospital Boston, Brigham and Women's, Mass General)." Students also rave about Simmons' offerings in psychology, biology, pre-dental sciences, economics, and management, and they praise the school's "excellent facilities, including an amazing new library" and the "large career resource department." Small classes here "allow great discussions, because those who want to participate have the opportunity to do so," which can be both a blessing and a curse. At Simmons "If you work hard, you get out of it what you put in." One drawback is the study-abroad program. One undergrad gripes, "There just aren't enough choices! And if there are, they are all usually around the same time, making it quite difficult to choose."

Students Say - Campus Life
Life at Simmons College "is more academic in nature: The classes are teaching-based, and life on campus revolves around schoolwork." One student agrees, "Simmons is pretty much where students go to school. We go elsewhere to have fun/party/live." With downtown Boston outside the school's front door, the options are plentiful. There are museums ("great things to do in the area" include "free gallery talks at the Museum of Fine Arts"), "shopping on Newbury Street," and "eating great food in the North End." Public transportation means "getting around is easy, and exploring the city is amazing." When students seek a party, they typically "go to other local colleges…like MIT, Harvard, Boston University, and Northeastern." On-campus fun is more subdued. There's "a lot of random friendly girl-time things going on, like decorating our doors for the holidays, making paper chains, or watching television. For entertainment here, you really have to turn to your friends, because almost nothing worth attending happens on campus," a female student notes. Most see this as a boon; writes one student, "What's nice about living at Simmons is that it is a peaceful and nice place to live, but when you want to go to a party, Northeastern and BU are just minutes away. After spending a night there, you realize how thankful you are for clean dorms and the lack of boys."

Students Say - Student Body
The student body at Simmons is "mostly middle- to upper-class women who hail from all over the United States and many other countries. The school is predominately white, but a range of ethnicities are represented." One student reports that her study group consists of "an orthodox Jew, a Saudi Arabian, an African American, a Cambodian, an Indian, and two Caucasians. The UN could take lessons from us." Politically, "most students are liberal and involved with their community." Left-leaning politics dominates to the point that "it can be challenging to express conservative viewpoints." Sexual orientation "tends not to be a question, and it is very common for girls to be open about being straight, gay, or bisexual." While "there are a lot of lesbians here," they are "not at all the majority." Simmons hosts a conspicuous butch subculture. As one women explains, "Even though you know going into it that Simmons is an all-women's college, you may be shocked to see some guys walking around attending your classes...until you realize that they are girls! It's great that everyone is cool with everyone else and the people who are narrow-minded stick to themselves."

Boston University
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