<p>Webster:</p>
<p>First, I'm a grad student who only took one year off after undergrad, and I didn't spend that time in a traditional work environment. Second, not a science student. I did go through eight years of single-sex education, though, and my major/minor/grad program are all in traditionally male-dominated fields, so I'll contribute what I can :)</p>
<p>I wound up at single-sex schools sort of by fluke...not due to radical feminist beliefs, timidity, social awkwardness, etc. In high school, it was just the best academic option available to me, all-girls aspect notwithstanding. Later, Scripps was the only women's college to which I applied, because I loved the single-sex atmosphere of my HS, but was ready for a more mixed environment (social choice, not academic). In other words, I went to single-sex schools because they were great schools and good fits for me, not because of any specific beliefs re: the benefits of single-sex education (although there are plenty). This seemed to be true of many of my HS and college classmates, as well--some were there because, some were there in spite of, but most were just there. </p>
<p>Scripps is indeed a good college because of its small size, emphasis on undergrad teaching, personal attention, and the other qualities that LACs in general tend to have going for them. As far as special benefits of going to a women's college, I believe that there are some, but I'll leave discussion to other posters for now. Coming from an all-girls HS and having the schedule/interests that I did, my Claremont experience always felt relatively co-ed. I imagine that the single-sex aspects were more salient to those coming from co-ed high schools or studying in female-dominated fields. </p>
<p>I did not feel coddled by my professors--certainly no more so at Scripps than at the other Claremont schools (and I took multiple classes on all five campuses). My impression is that all Claremont students generally have easier access to professors, closer relationships with them, greater flexibility, etc. than students at larger universities, but I definitely wouldn't equate this with "coddling." It's just a perk of LACs (though not necessarily exclusive to them, I realize). </p>
<p>My classes were not full of shrinking violets and/or strident feminists (I would have gone crazy). Every seminar class, at Scripps as well as anywhere, will have its share of both quiet and outspoken types. The most diverse class that I took (one which I assumed, based on topic, would be full of ultra-liberal feminists) had students from all 5Cs, multiple students from the Claremont School of Theology, multiple students from the Claremont Graduate University, multiple adult/continuing education students from Pitzer (including a Jordanian priest and a mother of three), and at least one outspoken conservative. I'm not too sure of how to answer this question more generally. My classes were full of normal college students. They were bright, interesting and accomplished, tending towards the left, often very multi-dimensional, but overall, just normal college students. There were always a few nuts, but that was true on the other Claremont campuses, as well. A visit to campus should very quickly dispel the sort of stereotypes that concern you. For every shrinking violet and strident feminist, you'll find a dozen 'regular' kids who happened to choose a single-sex school (and in my experience, a student who has the open-mindedness to consider a single-sex school even in the face of stereotypes is a good student to be around). </p>
<p>As for any rude awakenings, I haven't been in the type of situation you're looking for, but I'm very sure that if I encounter any such roadblocks, it won't be due to having been misled at Scripps. From HS to college and then from college to grad school, the transition from all-female classrooms to co-ed classrooms never phased me. If anything, I suppose I prefer male-dominated classrooms to balanced classrooms, because I'm used to the assertiveness and openness. Transitioning from a small LAC to a major university was a bigger challenge, because I'm not used to the red tape, danger of being 'lost in a crowd', etc., but I've been fine with that change, as well, though not naturally a go-getter. </p>
<p>Having gone to a small single-sex HS and then a small single-sex college, and now being at a large co-ed university, I feel that I was shaped primarily by the single-sex aspect of my HS and by the small, personal setting of Scripps. In no way do I want to diminish the single-sex atmosphere of Scripps or the ways in which its being a women's college bears on students and campus life, but it's only one aspect of the school, and probably not as dominating of a quality as some people imagine. </p>
<p>Best of luck to your daughter, and feel free to PM :)</p>