<p>Right now, I’m trying to decide whether to commit to Dartmouth or Wellesley. I also see many other threads comparing top liberal arts institutions (like Amherst vs. Wellesley or Williams vs. Wellesley). Often times, the only (real) difference is that one is a women’s college. How does one go about choosing between two otherwise (mostly) identical colleges? How do I know whether a women’s college will be a better experience for me than a co-ed college? Basically, what types of personalities would most benefit from the experience of attending a women’s college? The shy type? The outgoing type? The eccentric type? Liberal? Conservative?</p>
<p>Would a girl who has been shy/awkward around guys throughout high school be a better fit with a women’s college? Or should she attend a co-ed college to gain the experience of constantly being around males to develop those social skills?</p>
<p>What about a more social type of girl who is used to having all or many guy friends in high school? Would she benefit from attending a women’s college?</p>
<p>Sometimes, I get the idea that at women’s colleges, everybody feels passionate about some sort of gender-related issue. What if I don’t have any opinions on any of those? Will I have a hard time fitting in? </p>
<p>By the way, there really isn’t a way that I can visit either campus because of money and the inconvenience of long-distance travel. So that’s not really an option for me. </p>
<p>What are your thoughts? </p>
<p>From what I’ve seen at my daughter’s school (Smith), it doesn’t present a better experience for any particular personality type. There are very outgoing students and very shy students, and they all seem to enjoy it. At her school it’s easy to make friends and connect with people, and this is true for all personality types. You might say that shy students may benefit from this more because it may be harder in general for them make friends, but this is likely more the school culture rather than the fact that it’s a women’s college.</p>
<p>While a lot of students chose women’s colleges specifically because they are all-women, a lot of students instead chose them for their programs, or locations, or other aspects. My daughter was in this latter camp, at least initially. There were specific programs and features of the school that put it at the top of her list; the fact that it was a women’s college played a minor role.</p>
<p>I think most women at women’s colleges are passionate about gender issues, but I don’t think you’re going be ostracized for not having opinions. However, by being in that environment, you may become more passionate about them.</p>
<p>All that said, in your situation, I don’t really think of Wellesley and Dartmouth as mostly identical. While they’re both strong academically, I actually think of them as pretty dissimilar. One’s a liberal arts college and the other is a small research university. One’s not known for partying and one has a reputation for being a party school. One’s isolated and one’s in the Boston suburbs. One has Division 3 sports and the other has Division 1/Ivy League sports. And so on.</p>
<p>@photodad Thanks! I actually thought Dartmouth was also more of a liberal arts school though (in fact, the only true liberal arts college among the Ivies).</p>
<p>I think you find every kind of woman at a women’s college like Wellesley. Honestly… you really, really, really should try to visit now that you have narrowed it down to two. It is a huge investment of time and money to make without having set foot on campus.</p>
<p>I loved Wellesley, but ultimately committed to Bryn Mawr for tennis, the consortium, and because my dad went to upenn. Women’s colleges are still extremely relevant and important, churning out strong, independent, determined women. It’s empowering to be surrounded by a diverse group of women in a supportive sisterhood-like environment, where women take up all of the leadership roles. I think it’s easier to get involved and do it all at a women’s college.
My friend loved Wellesley as well, but got into Dartmouth ED. She’s extremely quiet and introverted to most people, but to friends, she’s the nicest funniest most talkative fangirl ever. She would fit in at both schools because both schools, while they have stereotypical students, have a little bit of everyone. Women’s colleges foster passion about gender roles because you see how powerful women really are, but not everyone is liberal and not everyone is a feminist per se. Women’s colleges have those shy wallflower girls and those loud leading ladies–both can thrive there. I have a lot of guy friends and am very comfortable with them, but am looking forward to the empowering change. Women’s colleges aren’t for everyone, but everyone can find their niche there. </p>
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<p>You are correct. Dartmouth is not a full-fledged research university, with graduate departments in virtually every field. Dartmouth is in some ways the nation’s largest and best liberal arts college, with several excellent professional schools and select graduate programs attached. The focus of the institution is on undergraduate education. That is much less the case at more typical research universities. Yet D does provide more of the opportunities associated with research universities to its undergrads than elite LACs in the 2000-undergraduate range. It really occupies a unique niche.</p>
<p>Wellesley’s obvious advantage over D is its proximity to Cambridge and Boston, perhaps the greatest college town. </p>
<p>Both are great schools, with strong traditions and networks, passionate students, and devoted alumnae.</p>
<p>I am a graduate of Wellesley, and my S is a recent grad of Dartmouth. I have to say that if it were me, I would choose Dartmouth. </p>
<p>It is an enviable dilemma. :)</p>