OHMomof2

I'm looking to get some opinions on college life from any CC women attending MIT, RPI, WPI, NYU Poly, RIT or that sort of college...where most or all majors are STEM and women are a small % of the student body.

Any here on CC?

Vladenschlutte

Women aren't a "small %" of the student body at MIT. Unless 46% female is small.

OHMomof2

Yes that's true. If any women at MIT want to comment I still welcome that, especially if they're in depts where there are fewer women.

But I am primarily looking for thoughts from women, (or parents/friends of women), at the mostly male tech colleges. Mainly about "fit" and "feel". My D is considering some of these and while I have lots of stats and she's looked at web sites, I was hoping for some more informal discussion about living and studying in such a school.

spectastic

the M/F ratios are in their favor. The job prospects are in their favor. The acceptances rate are in their favor. What's not to like?

OHMomof2

spectastic, those are precisely the reasons D is considering these schools. She loves math and science and in the tech colleges she has an admissions/scholarship advantage that she doesn't have at most LACs or selective Us.

I have some concerns about social life and the experience of being one of few women in all her classes, with perhaps few female professors.

Vladenschlutte

You may want to be major specific (or majors specific) then. Chemical Engineering or Biomedical Engineering are often 50/50 gender split, or even majority female, even in male dominated schools. Where as something like Computer Science will have far fewer females.

spectastic

chem e always has more guys. Bio related stuff has more females, but not chem e.

the girls always stick together, I don't know why but they just do. and no, they don't get hit on every two seconds just because there are more guys. We're all gentlemen (most of us). and you'd be surprised how many female professors there are. Maybe this is school specific, but affirmative action not only applies for industrial jobs, but also faculty positions.

OHMomof2

spec thanks for taking the time to post your thoughts, I appreciate it.

summerchica

is chem e or bio engineering better for females? and if you want to progress or either medical or pharmacy school? MIT the ratio is about equal, the others i think are more male dominated

cortana431

RPI has a pretty good M/F ratio for my class, i think it's 40/60. I'm male and in biomedical engineering and it is dominated by women, in my class at least ( ). I haven't had major specific classes yet but my advisor has about 20 other freshman biomedical engineering students and in our meeting i count around 5-6 males including myself. The other engineering disciplines are dominated by males except for Chem E which I think is about 40/60.

Anyway, the females here seem fine. Yes, they do tend to stick together but there are plenty of them and dont seem to be dissuaded at all by the "ratio."

As for professors, there are plenty of female professors, at RPI at least and for my classes. Not just professors but female TAs also.

OHMomof2

Thank you cortana!

nugraddad

Good morning - just wasting time in the internets before Saturday errands with wife - saw your post and thought our D's experience could help.

She was a STEM kid, and considered Purdue, and RoseHuman, which is definitley a small tech school, but decided to go to Northwestern - it was the cheapest option, and her reach. But engineering schools are all alike in that there ARE more men than women, She was a ChemE major, and yes, women are a minority, but she loved it, and her and her engineering buds still get together at least once a year.

She did have an xkcd cartoon pasted to her dorm door for the last couple of years about this very subject of women and men in Engineering: "The odds are good, but the goods are odd". Look it up and print it for your d too! She should enjoy and embrace being able to perform in what was once a field totally dominated by men. Good luck!

MaineLonghorn

Even 30 years ago, I had no difficulties as a female engineering major. I was just "one of the guys," for the most part. I DID meet my husband in grad school, though! When we met, he wore thick, black-framed glasses, along with out-of-style western shirts. He cleaned up pretty good! You have to look for diamonds in the rough, I think.

I was in the engineering building most of the time, so I was definitely in the minority. My biggest complaint was that there weren't many women's bathrooms. I'd have to go to another floor to find one. Not too big a deal.

OHMomof2

Thanks for stopping in nugraddad. That saying floated around Alaska when I'd visit my dad up there, no doubt for the same reason

Maine thanks. I sure hope the bathroom situation has changed...