Womens Colleges
Opportunities & Benefits

What do Madeleine Albright (former U.S. Secretary of State), Rachel Carson (author), and Hillary Rodham Clinton (U.S. Senator), all have in common? They all graduated from a "women's college" in the United States.

Many high school students are unaware of the benefits of attending a women's college. Other students simply refuse to consider the possibility. Only about 2% of young women nationwide say they chose their school specifically because it was a women's college. That means that many students who enroll at women's colleges are doing so for other reasons. What could these reasons be?

When compared to women who attend co-educational institutions, research has shown that women who attend a single-sex college tend to

• participate more in class,

• develop leadership skills and hold positions of leadership on cam- pus,

• develop a stronger sense of self-esteem, and

• go on to greater career success after college.

Graduates of women's colleges also tend to pursue advanced degrees at a much higher rate than women who attend co-educational institutions. Nearly 50% of the women who have graduated from women's colleges have gone on to earn masters or doctoral degrees. In fact, women's college graduates are more than twice as likely to earn doctoral degrees and complete professional degrees such as law or medicine.

Achievement after college isn't everything, however. It is just as important to know that women's colleges strive to provide access to a wide range of students. Many women's colleges offer significant financial aid to students to help make their college education possible. The combination of institutional scholarships and grants, plus Federal and state aid, makes attending a women's college an attractive and an affordable option.

In addition, students at women's colleges often find themselves being encouraged to pursue fields that they might not try otherwise. A much higher proportion of students at women's colleges complete majors in the sciences, mathematics, computer science, and engineering. As a result, they tend to enjoy much higher salaries after graduation.

Women's colleges also tend to promote a higher level of self-confidence and self-sufficiency in students. When asked what she thought the greatest benefit of attending a women's college was, Jenifer Kilpatrick (Hood College, class of 2000) said "Confidence, definitely. Particularly in the classroom, but it carries on afterwards." Jenifer is currently an Associate Director of Admissions at Hood.

That level of confidence is something that many young women lack when they enter college. After years of being ignored in classrooms or overshadowed by male students, it is often refreshing to be in an environment where women's thoughts and learning are the focus. Many students don't even realize the difference in the classroom environment until they have been enrolled for two or three semesters.

Women's colleges often have a rich history of campus traditions. The development of a close community is important, and students will find that women's colleges are very welcoming and friendly places. Women's colleges also tend to be smaller than many coeducational universities, with student enrollments ranging from about 500 students to about 2,500 at the larger schools. The ability to develop close working relationships with professors, and to meet and learn from other students, is a real advantage. With class sizes of five to 30 students, it is difficult to be anonymous at a women's college.

If you are currently looking for colleges, it is well worth your time to investigate the option of attending a women's college. The benefits you will receive—focus on learning, leadership skills, and achieving your goals—will last a lifetime.

Editorial provided by Susan Hallenbeck, Ph.D., Dean of Admissions, Hood College, in Frederick, Maryland.