My D was interested in women’s colleges and looked closely at Mt. Holyoke, Barnard and Scripps.
Barnard is very "go go’ and the student she hung ut with (the daughter of a family friend) said there’s not as much ‘hanging out’ there and more ‘let’s have coffee’ interactions. Tends to attract ‘edgy’ kids ready to change the world. Very diverse, but one interesting comment from the student we knew was there were a lot of students from wealth and a lot on full or almost need-based aid – not so many middle/upper middle class. Of course, that was just her impression. Access to Columbia and being in NYC is a huge part of the experience. They don’t offer merit aid.
Mt. Holyoke is pretty well-balanced student body – very pretty campus and really cool traditions. Easy to find your niche kind of school. Lots of support from the college to pursue your interests. My D’s friend goes there and LOVES it. They have focus on international students too and they offer good merit.
Scripps has the west coast, chill vibe. Some students skateboard around. The women we met said it didn’t feel as much like a women’s college – and they liked that. When we ate at the Scripps dining hall it was about 25% male b/c all the Claremont Colleges students share dining and other facilities. And Scripps students usually take one or two courses (out of 4) each term at one of the other colleges. Very racially/ethnically diverse. Offer some nice merit, but I don’t think to that many students. You can take light rail into LA in about an hour which is cool.
Just our impressions – good luck!!