And that’s what I was told when I went to an all-girls’ high school. Instead I found greater leadership and strong women at my coed university. To each his (or her) own.
My daughter was very interested in Smith when she was applying. She thought women’s colleges would give her “more bang for her admissions buck” — i.e., she could go to a better women’s school than co-ed school with a given set of stats. She also liked the opportunities Smith offered for Stride recipients to get research jobs in the humanities (although we later learned that many of these jobs were clerical). She thought that going to an all-women’s college would be very empowering.
It seems to me that interest has picked up at women’s colleges lately. They went through a rough period that not all of them could weather remaining single sex A number of the ones that did stay all women lost a bit of their luster, I thought.
They were incredible admissions bargains as they retained the infrastructure, faculty , admissions, facilities, amenities of their earlier years even as they were not getting as many top applicants. I think the this is changing as more women are seeking them. The selectivity certainly seems to be increasing.
Here’s Meryl Streep’s answer:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gfv849HU9I4
(most relevant part starts at 11:24)
Echoing a lot of what’s already been said, I experienced a supportive community of women, while attending my alma mater, and a huge boost in confidence from being steeped in a campus culture that constantly upheld the idea that women can and do achieve at the same levels as men, when given the right atmosphere and tools for learning. That confidence carried with me into my career, and my overall attitude has been “Yes, I can” and has really helped me to be successful in I.T. a field that is traditionally, male-dominated. I also stepped in and out of single-sex education prior to college. Grades K-5 co-ed, grades 6-10 single-sex, grades 11-12 co-ed, so I was not unfamiliar with single-sex education when I made the decision to attend a women’s college.
Overall, I think it’s the “we can do it” atmosphere on women’s campuses that infuses many students who attend, and it just becomes a part of who you are. Many women’s campuses are also more inclusive for non-binary people, and LGBTQ. This was something I had almost no experience with or exposure to prior to college, and my college experience really opened my eyes, and my mind to other ways of thinking about sex and gender than what I was used to.
As an alum, I’ve benefited enormously from ongoing contact from fellow alums. This hasn’t necessarily translated into career boosts, but rather ongoing support, mentoring, and information sharing, and it’s not limited to just my alma mater, but ALL of the 7 Sister schools, and other women’s colleges. There’s a vast network out there of alums from these schools, all supporting each other, and cheering each other on. That’s priceless.
My daughter would echo the sentiments above, e.g., support, mentoring, and even a career assistance from fellow alums as well as other women who went to one of the Seven Sisters schools.
Some of the benefits of attending a women’s college may not be immediately obvious. In the age of social media, I am grateful that I attended Mount Holyoke, the first institution devoted to the higher education of women in the United States. Today, alumnae of Mount Holyoke have access to numerous closed discussion groups on Facebook. I enjoy receiving and sending posts to “Mount Holyoke over 40 – same sisterhood, more experience” as well as the groups that focus on the issues experienced by alumnae suffering from cancer, issues of caregiving, and other life problems. It is as though the ability to conduct “hallway research” continues indefinitely from the dorm throughout life. When I entered Mount Holyoke, 65% of the entering class had been in the top 5% of their high school classes. We were exceptionally intelligent but we never could have anticipated – let alone solved – all the problems and experiences we might face in the workplace or in life generally beyond the College gates. I am thankful that I am a life-long member of the “hive” that freely shares its expertise in real-time on such varied topics as how to effectively interview for a new job in a particular field or such mundane issues as how to overcome a sinus infection. I can only imagine what the student list serves must look like that I no longer am qualified to access.
Can’t answer honestly because we have sons. But I think it is wonderful that women’s college’s exist and educate and mentor.