Chiming in to say that when I was considering schools 3-4 decades ago, I wouldn’t even consider a women’s college. But when I went to my co-ed college, I found myself gravitating towards an all-female extra-curricular, which was a life-saver for me in that environment. Recently, I accompanied my mother at her umpteenth reunion at her 7 Sisters school, and it suddenly dawned on me that the incredibly supportive environment I saw there across all reunion groups was like what I had found myself seeking in my single-sex extracurricular. I’ve gone from thinking I would never consider a single sex school to thinking I will suggest my daughter investigate same when the time comes.
And, FWIW, while we were there, we encountered a full range of alumnae, recent and otherwise, from the super duper traditionally feminine who talked about meeting their husbands at whatever they call mixers these days to individuals for whom I wasn’t sure I was using the correct pronoun. They all seemed happy to have been there. It’s a big tent.
@veruca Salem College is a beautiful campus with strong history and art history departments. Easy to do internships at Old Salem, the Museum of Early Southern Decorative Arts, and the Children’s Museum, all in walking distance. It has about one-third minority and foreign students as well as a growing number of older students. Is there something in particular you are curious about?
Thanks, @yauponredux we are going for a visit at the end of the week. I was wondering about the feel of the school and how diverse it is. I think you covered the diversity part. I was also wondering how hard it is to get merit aid.
Back from a visit to Salem. My D really liked it. It wasn’t a particularly good time to go- campus was dead -but we knew that going in. We got a personal tour and a long session with an admissions representative.
Beautiful campus. Nice tour. Facilities are for the most part old, class sizes tiny. It seemed a very nurturing kind of place.
They also meet need - which was something I didn’t know. If anyone has any questions about the visit I would be happy to answer.
I’m going to chime in as someone who is going to a lesser known women’s college- Russell Sage College. I never thought I would end up at a women’s college but from my first visit I fell in love. Everyone is so nice, welcoming, and open minded. It’s definitely more racially and ethnically diverse than my high school and more liberal as well, but you just get the feeling that everyone is accepted for who they are. I personally love the feminist aspect of it- founded by a woman and it was even the location of speeches by Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Elenaor Roosevelt. As for the pronoun “issue”, there are a couple students who use they/them. Everyone seems really open to it and respectful. And for the boy “issue” it’s located near a majority male college and there is a co-Ed sibling college not far away either. " I’m so excited! Plus a lot of women’s colleges have wonderful traditions!
Thanks! I’m going to put Russell Sage on my list to look more closely at. Salem seems really nice, but too far south for my lovely child. Agnes scott sadly is too, and it seems like a real gem. Maybe I can convince her to look further south . . . .
Headed off to Wesleyan in a couple of weeks - was not seeking out a women’s college, but became interested in this one. It’s also close to home.
I fell in love with the community environment - I think of the other women I’ve interacted with as extended family and I can’t wait to be matched to my “Big Sister” (mentor program, and very useful to those of us from families with little college experience).
Note: I did not pour blood, sweat, and tears into receiving a generous (and competitive) scholarship, as well as working and saving and scraping together enough money for college just to go learn “how to flirt” with college guys. Jesus! I am paying for my education on my own (because my single mom has little money to offer), therefore, my education, not my sex life, is much more important to me.
Here’s what I like best about women’s colleges and their students: It’s called Ambition.