I’ve never been in an “all-women” environment, however, I’m not opposed to it at all. I think it’s empowering as a woman to go to an academic environment that focuses on improving the futures and education of women. However, being a teenager, high school has been filled with girl drama. I’m not one for drama, and maybe it is just the young women in my school or out of boredom of living in a rather small town, but I was wondering if anyone knows if there is any “drama” involved in an “all women’s school”? I know there will always be drama, I’m just wondering if it’s more than usual because everyone is surrounded by other young women.
Sooooo . . . . having grown up in an all-female family, and having attended a college primarily women, I can honestly say that I’ve never seen “girl drama.”
However in places with men and women, I’ve certainly seen my share of hysterical overbearing mantrums, not that women don’t also break down sometimes.
My experience with women’s schools is that they vary in culture and personality; they are among the best LACs in the country; and there’s huge opportunity both on campus and after college if you should be so fortunate as to attend one. What they share in common, as you prob are aware, is that they were founded by people who had the bad-*ss idea that women could be educated and be leaders in whatever field they chose. They persist to this day for the same reason. Women who attend these schools tend to disproportionately go into the sciences/ engineering, and political and business leadership.
You may want to visit several to get the “feel” of them. You may also want to google and to see what sort of women graduated from that school. In a nutshell–
Simmons has a great practical vibe, IMO. A can-do, nurturing place, in Boston with wonderful cross-reg opportunities
Wellesley is highly intellectual and have a reputation of being very competitive regarding careers; and its extraordinarily beautiful campus
Smith is known for it’s more overt political stances, its country-club-like campus in the heart of Northampton, MA, a lefty-leaning Bohemian town. 5-col consortium. Individual houses as dorms. Lots of clapboard.
MoHo is part of the 5-col consortium, takes pride in being the first of the Seven Sisters, has a large, more wild-looking campus with lovely brownstone buildings, and of the Seven Sisters, has a rep for feeling more “homey.” Honor code and traditions.
Vassar has gone co-ed but retains it’s women-first feel about it, in that for example your work is seen first, before your gender. It seems a women’s school that has men, imho. Also, it’s known for its gorgeous campus, it’s sense of style, it’s sciences, theater etc.
Barnard is known for it’s association with Columbia historically, while retaining it’s own personality and mission of educating forward-leaning women. Campus is compact and modern, and it’s a completely self-sufficient school, and there’s all of NYC to be a part of.
Bryn Mawr is known as the more “intellectual” of the Seven Sisters for some reason, I’m not sure why. The campus feels like a castle and is compact. It has a close relationship with Haverford, coordinated schedules, and Swarthmore. Also UPenn is in the mix. Honor code.
Sweet Briar–gorgeous rural setting. ABET engineering, pink bicycles, horses, traditions, special clubs, tiny one-on-one tutorial classes
I know less about Hollins but it has a lot of fans. Ditto abut Spelman, but I’ve met several amazing women who graduated from this school.
Agnes Scott–great astrophysics course of study, cross reg with Emory, great mascot, lovely campus, cheaper than most schools, and a leadership program that seems awesome.
Mills–in the Bay area and accessing all that city has to offer, including start-up internships. Cross reg at Berkeley and other schools including an art school, lovely quiet campus, great public transportation throughout the area.
Scripps–I have less of a feel for this school, but my impression is that it’s highly intellectual and pre-professional, part of the Claremont consortium with like a 5-10 minute walk among the campuses.
There are several other women’s only schools. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Women%27s_colleges_in_the_United_States
the above feels like a form letter response, there isn’t more or less drama than usual, but the way in which moho succeeds is that post-freshman year, drama is essentially absent, whereas I know it continues at other schools. After freshman year, people get very serious and settle into their friend groups, so interpersonal drama is pretty rare.
I think that not having males around reduces much of the girl drama.
I think girl drama peaks in middle school.
@phoria, can you describe in more detail why you think the drama declines after 1st year? What about people who don’t find a friend group because of the drama?
@CheddarcheeseMN , D20 experienced a certain kind of ‘girl’ drama in MS, but the drama that has impacted her at MHC is different. I don’t think she would call it ‘girl’ drama or (per @MADad ) would agree that the lack of males decreases the drama.
I’d like a clearer definition of what we are discussing.
Those are some interesting observations @Dustyfeathers. Do you work in private counseling or similar position?
I’m interested in this discussion because my D has not loved MHC as much as she expected to and it is largely because of the social interactions she was thrown into in her first semester. I don’t think she would call it “girl drama” though.
When I think about “girl drama” I think about Rosalind Wiseman’s books (“Queen Bees and Wannabees.”) I don’t think my D would say that that sort of MS/HS drama is prevalent at MHC but I think there are things about certain female centered cultures that don’t work for everyone. MHC is known as being nurturing, but that can manifest itself as focusing on anxieties and can attract a disproportionate number of people who are good at (stereotypical) female interactions. Some people thrive in that environment, but it can be hard for students who haven’t developed those skills. I’m not saying it is everywhere at MHC, I just think it’s disproportionate. D loves the womens college aspect of the school, but, oddly, would probably be better off at one of the schools that is less nurturing and more hard core feminist. (At least one of D’s older friends had a similar experience, which makes me more willing to see it as a pattern and not just D’s experience.)
There also appears to be a certain amount of drama that is specific to the LGBTQ populations that probably has more to do with the fact that there are enough of them that they can break themselves into subgroups and see an us/them aspect that would not be the case in a smaller group. It could happen at any school, I would think. D is just on the edge of this and happened to mention it lately. I thought I would throw it out there in case anyone knew more or found it relevant.
I can imagine these issues could sort themselves out over time as the students either solidify in their social groups or learn how to navigate challenging social interactions. But it can be exhausting for a student who isn’t used to it (but cares how other people see them).
The other “Sisters” were found as women’s liberal arts colleges, basically the female equivalents of Amherst College. BMC was one of the last “Sisters” to be established, and it was intended to follow a different model.
In the 1870s, Johns Hopkins was founded as the first American research university, and it made a huge impression on the contemporary academic scene. BMC was supposed to be the women’s research university, basically the female Johns Hopkins. The idea was that the top scholars from all other women’s colleges would go to BMC for the PhD.
Obviously BMC never became a major research university. This is largely because Hopkins (and then other schools) proved willing to accept women into their graduate programs (undergraduate programs remained largely segregated for another century). However, BMC was historically the only “Sister” that granted the PhD, and they still have a number of small PhD programs even today.
yeah, “girl drama” is a sexual stereotype and it really doesn’t apply. I’m sure if you go looking for “girl drama” you’ll find it but I haven’t need any.
There isn’t any kind of inescapable drama at MHC, any more than at the co-ed college I was at for the first two years. (I’m a transfer). If anything, I’ve found less drama at a women’s college than at a co-ed school. Drama is a human thing, not a female one. It’s going to exist at any school you choose; just choose not to involve yourself in it, and you’ll be fine.
Im probably going to get grief for saying this but here it goes… My daughter (MHC '17) really only felt girl drama her first year. Some of it was probably magnified by her own feelings of insecurity and trying hard to fit in. Some it was on MHC’s (at the time) lack of structure for first years. I think the school needs to do better with integrating first years. I know they have made many steps in this direction and heard it’s better. And now for the part that will piss-off some people…the LBGT factor. I do think, because I saw on the few occasions I visited my daughter, that the LGBT contingent can be bit over bearing and exclusionary, especially first years, who, I assume are enjoying a newfound freedom and only wish to associate with other LGBT students. Truth be told, the overwhelming majority of students at MHC are straight–and it can be kinda weird for them to be marginalized by small contingent of vocal LGBT students. On occasion my daughter did feel marginalized–until she realized what was going on–why she wasn’t invited to certain things ect. After, a few months, the novelty wears off, posturing decreases and real friendships develop. From what I hear, the same occurs at co-ed schools–alot of ridiculous behavior which leads to alot of hurt feelings and avoidable drama. Most of this fizzles out when the real drama of papers, exams and grades takes over…