<p>Excellent food for thought! I attended a super-competitive undergrad business school, and I can see Shannon’s point that such environments prepare women for the challenges they will likely face in the worlds of business and politics. However, I think I did well in that college environment because of my innate personality - outspoken and thick-skinned. It would not have been a very hospitable place for a quieter, more sensitive person. I do not credit my college experience for molding me into the type of person who could compete in a male-dominated field. I was already that person when I arrived on campus. I have a feeling Shannon was, too.</p>
<p>I think schools like Scripps (not only all-women’s colleges, but small liberal arts colleges in general) excel at building their students’ confidence and experience (more leadership opportunities, more interaction with professors, better and more personalized advising). It is a comfortable, safe environment to try new things, rather than just extend the same activities you did in high school. Larger schools tend to be more intimidating and competitive as far as running for elections, trying out for theater productions, going out for sports teams, etc.</p>
<p>I don’t think the point of college is to replicate a “real world” situation, but to prepare the students to enter the “real world.” Different people need different things to navigate the process most effectively for themselves. I like the way that liberal arts colleges try to empower their students. I don’t think there is anything wrong with nurturing college students during these formative years to help them become more confident, better informed, more experienced, and more assertive. I would bet that both Shannon and Elisabeth have benefitted from the more personalized experience of attending small colleges. They probably have a lot more in common than they realize.</p>
<p>The women’s college aspect adds another dimension, which I feel is useful, but others may not. I think it’s helpful for young women to be aware of gender bias, the history of the struggle for gender equality, and the status of gender equality around the world. I entered the “real world” blissfully unaware of all of this, and it smacked me in the face later on, when I was denied a promotion because I was a woman (“You might be starting a family”, “You are of small stature and not intimidating enough”, etc.). I had taken it for granted my entire life that my abilities, intelligence, and accomplishments would speak for themselves. Nope. It’s also helpful for women to learn to be supportive of one another and to realize they need to work together in order to effect change. </p>
<p>Finally, I think it takes a lot of guts to choose a women’s college in this day and age. My daughter is already bracing for the backlash she will get from friends when they find out she wants to go to Scripps. I think that most students at women’s colleges probably have pretty strong backbones to go against the grain and make a choice that suits them, rather than going the more popular and more accepted (by their peers) co-ed college route. Because of this, I think you are likely to find many independent, self-aware individuals at all-women’s colleges. I sincerely doubt that Scripps is full of shrinking violets afraid of competing with men.</p>