BOSTON – In recent years, it has had as many Rhodes Scholars as some Ivy League schools, but little Wheaton College isn’t gloating.

“It is gratifying for us to get the attention,” Wheaton President Ronald A. Crutcher said Monday, a day after senior Alexander Dewar became the third Wheaton student since 2000 to win the prestigious award.

The liberal arts school of 1,550 students in Norton, about 35 miles south of Boston, has had the same number of Rhodes Scholars during that time as Columbia and Dartmouth, as well as the renowned liberal arts schools Amherst and Williams.

This year’s 32 scholars, chosen from 903 applicants, will enter Oxford University in England next October. The scholarships fund two or three years of study.

A decade ago, Wheaton started encouraging more students to apply for Rhodes, Fulbright and Truman scholarships, among others. At that time, an associate dean was assigned to promote the opportunities and help students apply, Crutcher said.

Five years ago, chemistry major Miles J. Sweet of Fairfield, Maine, became the first Wheaton student selected as a Rhodes Scholar. His freshman chemistry professor identified him as a candidate, Crutcher said.

“This young man didn’t even know what a Rhodes Scholar was,” he said.

Last year, Carolyn Wills was selected and plans to pursue a career in medicine. And on Sunday, Dewar was chosen. The senior from Oregon plans to study environmental change and management at Oxford.

“In the Boston area, we get overshadowed at times,” Dewar said. “I’m glad [the scholarship] is bringing attention to the fact that the college is doing amazing things. There’s a real push toward self-improvement.”

Wheaton, which costs about $40,000 per year, has become more selective. The acceptance rate of 71 percent in 1999 was down to 45 percent this fall. Wheaton is an “SAT optional” school, relying heavily on grade point averages and recommendations.

“What we’re primarily looking for are students with intellectual curiosity, with potential for leadership,” said Crutcher, who is in his second year as president.

Just applying for scholarships offers valuable experience, he said.

“The application process itself encourages self-discovery,” Crutcher said. “Even for students who don’t get chosen, the application and review process will help them when they apply for graduate school, or when they interview for jobs.”

Wheaton was founded in 1834 as a women-only school. It went coed in the fall of 1988.