During her senior year of high school, Katie Curran’s classmates in AP biology were not impressed with her science skills. They didn’t even think she belonged in the class. Why were her classmates so disapproving? It wasn’t her grades or her ability. Katie says it was her gender. She was one of only two females enrolled in the course. The mostly male class, she says, thought a woman in an advanced science class was unrealistic.
“When I told them I wanted to be pre-med in college, they started putting pressure on me,” she says. So when it came time to choosing a college and a major, Katie considered the classmates who told her a woman shouldn’t major in chemistry or apply to medical school. “I didn’t want that influence,” she says. “I had known for years I wanted to study science and medicine.”
Seeking an environment that was both challenging and supportive to women in the sciences, Katie enrolled in an all-women’s college, Barnard College in New York City.
Katie’s choice of an all-women’s college instead of a coed school is not uncommon. Students like Katie say choosing an all-female college is not choosing a continuation of an all-girls high school experience. There are no uniforms, no strict rules, no boys-are-bad lectures. Regardless, deciding to attend a men-free college can be a big decision. In exchange, students say applicants to a women’s college can expect much from a single-sex campus.
EXPECT: THE SUPPORT OF OTHER WOMEN Instead of spending four years around critical classmates, Katie found herself sharing lab equipment with bright, energetic women. “You walk into a chemistry classroom that’s traditionally male, and you’re met with women who are passionate and curious about the subject,” she says. “You stop focusing on being a woman in a traditionally male field, and you start focusing on the material. You master the material.”
Katie’s experience at Barnard helped her stomp out any insecurity she had towards accomplishing her goals. “The school is very empowering and encourages you to rise to your potential,” she says. “It allows you to set continuous goals for yourself.” Katie recently interviewed for medical school at Columbia University and was confident one of the coveted spots would be given to her.
“I knew I belonged,” she says. “I knew from my experience I would do well.” The admissions officers agreed—Katie is now a first-year medical student.
EXPECT: TO GAIN CONFIDENCE Similar to Katie’s confidence during medical school interviews, many students at women’s colleges say they have also developed a strong sense of assurance. Lawal Wornek, a junior at Bryn Mawr College in Pennsylvania, feels an all-women’s college has given her confidence. “I’ve become confident as a woman, and that will carry over into the rest of my life,” she says.
Lawal says students considering a women’s college can look forward to finding their voice and using it often. “You can expect to gain a lot of confidence and have really intense working relationships,” she says. Students at women’s colleges say they have also developed confidence in their academic abilities.
Elaine Stoll, a junior at Smith College, says the academic atmosphere is both supportive and challenging. “It’s very empowering to be surrounded by so many intelligent, ambitious women,” she says. “The amazing women I work with push and inspire me.”
Students believe their newfound confidence will be beneficial when they enter the working world. “When you leave, you feel comfortable achieving your goals,” says Katie. “Confident you can hold your own and make positive contributions in whatever field you choose.”
EXPECT: OPPORTUNITIES Students seeking leadership positions will find women’s colleges have a wealth of opportunities. “Every leadership position is held by a woman,” says Elaine. “There are so many opportunities for leadership inside and outside the classroom.”
Elaine, editor in chief of the school newspaper, recently had the opportunity to report for the local newspaper in a summer internship. “Smith helped me get an internship,” she says. “I think when I graduate, I’m going to have a leg up on other graduates.”
Katie also thinks women can gain valuable leadership experience through women’s colleges. At Barnard, for example, students can receive a grant to launch their idea for an outreach program or seminar. Katie co-founded a series of conferences headlining specialists on women’s health issues. “It drew a crowd of 250 people,” she says. Besides hosting a successful conference series, Katie has also interned at a children’s hospital in London.
EXPECT: YOUR NEEDS TO BE MET With no boys on campus, women’s issues reign at women’s colleges. “Our public safety is very catering to our needs as young women,” says Lawal. If students at Bryn Mawr, for example, find themselves off campus at night in a potentially dangerous situation, they can call a cab and the women’s center will pay the fare. “That way, students don’t have to take the train at night,” Lawal explains.
Students at women’s colleges can also expect women’s health information to be discussed and shared. “There are a lot of publications and hotlines about women’s health information and contraceptives,” says Lawal. At women’s colleges, issues normally considered off-limits are often discussed and celebrated.
Bryn Mawr, for example, has a student publication that discusses relationship issues. “It makes it easier for people to talk about things,” Lawal says.
EXPECT: MORE THAN "NO BOYS ALLOWED" If the thought of no boys in English 101 seems like a great sacrifice, students say a women’s college is not for you. However, they say there are many benefits to having a women-only environment. “There are many more advantages to a women’s college than I ever realized,” says Elaine. “The fact that Smith is a community of women is an advantage over coed schools. When I graduate, I know I will be prepared for whatever jobs await me.”
WHAT YOU WILL FIND... … Are some activities and traditions available only at women’s colleges: TEA TIME. Most women’s colleges boast a small class size. That means professors not only know your name, but they also show up at social activities. Bryn Mawr has an afternoon tea for students and faculty. “You are very close with your professors as well as your dean,” says Lawal. CLINIQUE-FREE CLASSES. Some coed campuses have classes that rival fashion shows. At most women’s colleges, the attitude is more laid-back. Many students attend classes without make-up or snazzy outfits. MOUNDS OF ALUMNI SUPPORT. Women’s colleges can produce very proud alumni. That means you get a great support network for job hunting. Lawal, for example, is confident her alumni connections will help her land a job in public relations. BEAUTIFUL DORMS. When the Princeton Review ranked the best college dorms, 40 percent were at women’s colleges. Some women’s colleges even step beyond the traditional dorm setting. At Smith, students live in on-campus houses instead of dorms. “They can have few or many people, but they usually have a living room, dining room, study and laundry room,” says Elaine.
I HEARD THAT..., Women’s colleges are often the target for untrue stereotypes. “I think the fact that women’s colleges are all women is sometimes overemphasized,” says Elaine. “I was drawn to the high academic standards, location, financial aid, small class size and course offerings.”
To help you separate fiction from fact, students at women’s colleges respond to rumors that you may have heard: I heard the women are desperate for men. Not true says Lawal, who has seen men show up on campus in hopes of meeting man-starved students. “We’re too busy with studying and activities to notice,” she says. But, Lawal says women’s colleges are not barricades separating its students from men. “There are plenty of opportunities to meet men,” she says.
I heard only lesbians attend women’s colleges. There is no evidence proving gay women dominate women’s colleges. Regardless, students say they aren’t focused on the sexuality of their classmates. “You can be whoever you want to be here,” Elaine says about Smith. “People will probably be more interested in whether you’ve read The Aneid or The Republic than who you date.”
I heard women’s colleges don’t prepare for the real world. Attending a women’s college does not mean zero interaction with men. Most women’s colleges are affiliated with men’s colleges, and students often find themselves signing up for courses at their brother school. “You can be sheltered and use it as a crutch, but you can do that anywhere,” says Lawal.
I heard students at women’s colleges couldn’t get in elsewhere. Many women’s colleges have higher academic standards than most coed schools. In fact, many students at women’s colleges are accomplished and motivated scholars. “One girl in my dorm started an outreach program to educate communities about health insurance,” says Katie. “Another ran a daycare for children of homeless parents.” Not exactly slackers!
