Why All-Women's Schools?

Colleges and Universities A-Z Smith College
161

<p>Here's a partial list of women leaders who attended all-women's schools:
(Part 1)

[quote]
Notable Graduates of Women's Colleges</p>

<p>SENATORS IN THE 109th CONGRESS</p>

<p>Hillary Rodham Clinton (NY)
Wellesley College, MA </p>

<p>Blanche Lambert Lincoln (AR)
Randolph-Macon Woman's College, VA </p>

<p>Barbara Mikulski (MD)
Mount Saint Agnes College, MD
REPRESENTATIVES IN THE 109th CONGRESS</p>

<p>Tammy Baldwin (WI)
Smith College, MA </p>

<p>Rosa DeLauro (CT)
Marymount College, NY </p>

<p>Eddie Bernice Johnson (TX)
Saint Mary's College, IN </p>

<p>Donna Christian-Christensen (VI)
St. Mary's College, IN </p>

<p>Jane Harman (CA)
Smith College, MA </p>

<p>Katherine Harris (FL)
Agnes Scott College, GA </p>

<p>Nancy L. Johnson (CT)
Radcliffe College, MA </p>

<p>Sue Kelly (NY)
Sarah Lawrence College, NY </p>

<p>Barbara Lee (CA)
Mills College, CA </p>

<p>Nita Lowey (NY)
Mount Holyoke College, MA </p>

<p>Betty McCollum (MN)
College of Saint Catherine, MN </p>

<p>Anne Meagher Northup (KY)
Saint Mary's College, IN </p>

<p>Nancy Pelosi (CA)
FIRST woman elected as Democratic whip in the House of Representatives (10/01)--the highest post ever held by a women in Congress.
Trinity College, DC </p>

<p>Allyson Schwartz (PA)
Simmons College, MA </p>

<p>FAMOUS FIRSTS FROM WOMEN'S COLLEGES </p>

<p>MADELEINE ALBRIGHT, FIRST woman to be named Secretary of State in the U.S., appointed in 1997. (Wellesley)</p>

<p>JANE AMSTERDAM, FIRST woman editor, The New York Post. (Cedar Crest)</p>

<p>EMILY GREEN BALCH, FIRST woman to receive the Nobel Peace Prize in 1946. (Bryn Mawr)</p>

<p>CATHERINE BREWER BENSON, FIRST woman to receive a college bachelor's degree. (Wesleyan)</p>

<p>EARLA BIEKERT, FIRST scientist to identify the Hong Kong flu virus. (Wesleyan)</p>

<p>CATHLEEN BLACK, FIRST woman leader of the American Newspaper Publishers Association. (Trinity, D.C.)</p>

<p>SARAH PORTER BOEHMLER, FIRST woman to be Executive V.P. of American Stock Exchange. (Sweet Briar)</p>

<p>JANE MATILDA BOLIN, FIRST African American woman judge in the U.S. (Wellesley)</p>

<p>DOROTHY L. BROWN, FIRST African American woman general surgeon in the south. (Bennett)</p>

<p>PEARL S. BUCK, FIRST to win Nobel Prize in Literature. (Randolph-Macon Woman's College)</p>

<p>ILA BURDETT, FIRST Georgia's FIRST female Rhodes Scholar. (Agnes Scott)</p>

<p>DOROTHY VREDENBURGH BUSH, FIRST woman secretary of the Democratic National Party. (Mississippi University for Women)</p>

<p>ELIZABETH PFOHL CAMBELL, FIRST woman founder of a PBS station (in D.C.) in 1961. (Salem)</p>

<p>HON. AUDREY J.S. CARRION, FIRST Hispanic woman judge Circuit Court for Baltimore City. (College of Notre Dame of Maryland)</p>

<p>RACHEL CARSON, FIRST environmentalist who awakened public consciousness through her book Silent Spring in 1961. (Chatham)</p>

<p>BARBARA CASSANI, FIRST female and CEO and of a commercial airline. (Mount Holyoke)</p>

<p>ELAINE L. CHAO, U.S. Secretary of Labor 2001; FIRST Asian-American woman appointed to a President's cabinet in U.S. history (Mount Holyoke)</p>

<p>PENNY CHENERY, FIRST woman president of Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association, racehorse breeder and owner of Secretariat. (Smith)</p>

<p>MARTHA CHRISTINZIANO, FIRST woman manager in nuclear engineering, Philadelphia Electric Company. (Georgian Court)</p>

<p>HILLARY RODHAM CLINTON, FIRST ever First-Lady to be elected to the Senate or to Congress. (Wellesley)</p>

<p>BETSY LANE COCHRANE, FIRST woman to serve in a leadership role in the North Carolina legislature; two terms in house minority leader, one term as senate majority leader, one term a senate minority whip. (Meredith)</p>

<p>FRANCES K. CONLEY, FIRST woman to become a tenured full professor of neurosurgey in the U.S. (Bryn Mawr)</p>

<p>FAYE BERRY CULP, FIRST Republican woman to serve as Majority Whip in the Florida House of Representatives 1996-98. (Mississippi State College for Women--now Mississippi University for Women)</p>

<p>ADDIE E. DAVIS, FIRST woman to be ordained in a Southern Baptist Church 1964. (Meredith)</p>

<p>SHERRY DAVIS, FIRST woman announcer for a major league baseball team. (College of Notre Dame of Maryland)</p>

<p>DIANE MULDAUR DOZIER, FIRST woman president of American Academy of T.V. Arts & Sciences. (Sweet Briar)</p>

<p>LT. SUSAN DURETT, FIRST female commanding officer of New York Port Authority Police Department. (Georgian Court)</p>

<p>MARIAN WRIGHT EDELMAN, FIRST African American woman to pass the bar in the state of Mississippi. (Spelman) </p>

<p>SUSAN ESTRICH, FIRST woman to manage a presidential campaign. (Wellesley)</p>

<p>KATHARINE FANNING, FIRST woman editor of the Christian Science Monitor. (Smith)</p>

<p>GERALDINE FERRARO, FIRST woman Vice-Presidential candidate. (Marymount Manhattan)</p>

<p>NEVA LANGLEY FICKLING, Georgia's FIRST and only Miss America. (Wesleyan)</p>

<p>BELINDA FOSTER, FIRST African-American woman District Attorney in the state of North Carolina. (Bennett)</p>

<p>CHARLOTTE FOX, FIRST American woman to climb three of the world's tallest peaks. (Hollins)</p>

<p>SARA RUTH FRASIER, FIRST woman elected to the Tennessee legislature. (Wesleyan)

[/quote]
</p>

162

<p>(Part 2) Note: some are even scientists! :eek:</p>

<p>
[quote]
SARAH FULCHER, FIRST woman and only third person to complete a 2,700 mile run around Australia. (Salem)</p>

<p>DR. MILLIE HUGHES-FULFORD, FIRST civilian woman scientist on a space shuttle mission (SpaceLab Life Sciences I). (Texas Woman's University)</p>

<p>SUSAN BREAKEFIELD FULTON, FIRST woman manager of a major metropolitan radio station. (Wilson)</p>

<p>GAIL GAMBLE, FIRST woman elected president of physicians at Mayo Clinic and of Minnesota Medical Society in 1994. (Hood)</p>

<p>MARY GARBER, FIRST woman sportswriter in the Atlantic Coast Conference, recently inducted into the U.S. Basketball Writers' Association Hall of Fame. (Hollins)</p>

<p>SUSAN BRANDEIS GILBERT, one of the FIRST woman lawyers to argue a case before the Supreme Court. (Bryn Mawr)</p>

<p>APRIL GLASPIE, FIRST woman to hold a key diplomatic reporting post with the U.S. Foreign Service in the Middle East. (Mills)</p>

<p>ELSA GOMEZ, FIRST Hispanic woman named president of a comprehensive state college. (College of St. Elizabeth)</p>

<p>RHEA GRAHAM, FIRST woman and first African-American to be named director of the U.S. Bureau of Mines (Bryn Mawr)</p>

<p>ELLA GRASSO, FIRST woman to be elected governor of a state (Connecticut) in her own right. (Mount Holyoke)</p>

<p>HANNA HOLBORN GRAY, FIRST woman president fo a major university–The University of Chicago. (Bryn Mawr)</p>

<p>PRISCILLA PERKINS GREW, FIRST woman awarded the American Geological Institutes Ian Campbell Medal; FIRST woman to teach science at Boston College; FIRST to head the California Department of Conservation; FIRST non-industry person; FIRST woman on the California mining and Geology Board; FIRST woman named state geologist for Minnesota. (Bryn Mawr)</p>

<p>CYNTHIA HALE, FIRST woman, FIRST African American, and youngest person nominated as associate minister general in the Disciples of Christ Church. (Hollins)</p>

<p>MARY KERR MOREHEAD HARRIS, FIRST female judge in the South. (Peace)</p>

<p>BERNADINE HEALY, FIRST woman to become Director of the National Institutes of Health in 1991. (Vassar)</p>

<p>RACHELLE HENDERLITE, FIRST woman ordained minister of Presbyterian Church, U.S. (Agnes Scott)</p>

<p>KATHARINE HEPBURN, FIRST and only person to have won four Academy Awards for acting. The American Film Institute voted her the nation's leading screen legend of the 20th century. (Bryn Mawr)</p>

<p>BRIGADIER GENERAL ELIZABETH P. HOISINGTON, USA retired, FIRST woman general of the U.S. Army. (College of Notre Dame of Maryland)</p>

<p>GWEN IFILL, FIRST African- American woman to serve as moderator and managing editor of PBS' Washington Week in Review. (Simmons)</p>

<p>ANTOINETTE JENNINGS, FIRST woman president of the Florida senate. (Wesleyan)</p>

<p>KAREN JOHNSON, FIRST woman judge, U.S. Fourth Circuit. (Columbia)</p>

<p>JUDITH S. KAYE, FIRST woman to be appointed as the state's chief judge. FIRST woman to serve on the state's highest court, the Court of Appeals in 1983. (Barnard)</p>

<p>CHARLENE PAYNE KAMMERER, FIRST woman to be ordained Bishop of the Southeastern Jurisdiction of the United Methodist Conference in 1996. (Wesleyan)</p>

<p>JEANE KIRKPATRICK, FIRST woman to serve as U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations. (Barnard)</p>

<p>DOROTHY KLENKE, FIRST woman neurosurgeon in the U.S. (Bryn Mawr)</p>

<p>MARGARET MORROW, FIRST woman president of the State Bar of California. (Bryn Mawr)</p>

<p>ELIZABETH J. PATTERSON, FIRST woman elected to U.S. Congress from S.C. (Columbia)</p>

<p>NANCY PELOSI, FIRST woman elected as Democratic whip in the House of Representatives (10/10/01)-- the highest post ever held by a woman in the U.S. Congress; member of the 107th Congress for the state of California. (Trinity, D.C.)</p>

<p>FRANCES PERKINS, FIRST woman appointed to a Presidential Cabinet post. (Mount Holyoke)</p>

<p>AULANA PHARIS PETERS, FIRST African American woman appointed Commissioner of Securities and Exchange Commission. (College of New Rochelle)</p>

<p>SHIRLEY DANIEL PETERSON, FIRST woman commissioner of the Internal Revenue Service. (Bryn Mawr)</p>

<p>SUSAN PHILLIPS, FIRST woman to chair a Financial Regulatory Agency. (Agnes Scott)</p>

<p>LENORE LOVING PRATHER, FIRST woman Chancellor in the State of Mississippi. (Mississippi University for Women)</p>

<p>GLENDA COPES REED, FIRST woman elected president of an NAACP chapter. (Smith)</p>

<p>ALICE MITCHELL RIVLIN, FIRST director of the Congressional Budget Office (‘94-‘96); recipient of a MacArthur Foundation "genius grant"; served as the vice chair of the Federal Reserve System's Board of Governors and directed the White House Office of Management and Budget. (Bryn Mawr)</p>

<p>SR. MARY JOSEPHINE ROGERS, founder of FIRST missionary order of Catholic women in U.S., Maryknoll Sisters. (Smith)</p>

<p>NETTIE STEVENS, FIRST person to observe that the X and Y chromosomes determine sex. (Bryn Mawr)</p>

<p>KELLY SMITH TUNNEY, FIRST woman General Manager for the Associated Press. (Cottey)</p>

<p>LAURA D'ANDREA TYSON, FIRST woman to head White House Council of Economic Advisors, appointed in 1993. (Smith)</p>

<p>ANN UCCELLO, FIRST woman mayor of capitol American city (Hartford) in 1967. (College of St. Joseph)</p>

<p>LISA VALK, FIRST woman publisher of TIME-LIFE. (Hollins)</p>

<p>ROSLYN WALLACE, FIRST woman to receive Scientific Achievement Award for cancer research. (Brenau)</p>

<p>REAR ADMIRAL LOUISE WILMOT, FIRST woman to command naval base and highest ranking woman in U.S. Navy. (College of St. Elizabeth)</p>

<p>KAREN JOHNSON WILLIAMS, FIRST woman appointed to a judgeship in the U.S. Fourth Circuit. (Columbia)</p>

<p>RACHEL GARDNER HODGES, South Carolina's current FIRST Lady. (Columbia)

[/quote]
</p>

163

<p>"As far as how many women go to the Seven Sisters after being accepted by the Ivies, the numbers are definitely very low. The same holds true with Amherst and Williams so there is nothing to be offended about."</p>

<p>This is an obvious, yet misleading, statement. Obviously people who apply to Ivy League Schools plan on going to them if admitted. The average person admitted to an Ivy will almost certainly choose Harvard/Yale/Princeton over any other school, whether it a Seven Sister, Amherst, Williams, or UC Berkeley (a University that cellardweller praised in a previous post for its supposedly abundant undergraduate research). If you didn't want to go to Ivy Leagues to begin with, why bother applying? Due to the competitive nature of the schools, one almost certainly would have to spend more time on an Ivy application than any other application. There is simply no point in wasting your time. In fact, why bother applying to ANY reach school when your number one choice is easier to get into? </p>

<p>Take me, for example. I personally have no intention of going to an Ivy League school (even if I got into one) so I won't even apply. However, I know that one of the schools I will apply to is Smith. In that regard I am choosing Smith over an Ivy. However, since I won't apply to an Ivy, and hence I can't get into one, I'm not going to be included in any statistic. This is why cellardweller’s comment, while technically true, is misleading.</p>

<p>As for the same being true with Amherst/Williams, etc, I have encountered someone who chose Amherst over the Ivies.</p>

164

<p>Arrianeag..another bright Smithie who can see through the cloud of dust put forth by other posters. Cellardweller's comment was very misleading, and quite a no-brainer if you ask me. I think he/she might be running out of rants about Smith?? ;) My D is in the same boat as you; picked Smith over applying to an IVY. Her friend on the other hand was admitted to Yale, and still choose Smith. :)</p>

165

<p>I think he/she might be running out of rants about Smith?? ]]</p>

<p>I have one for her/him. Parking is a pain by Starbucks.</p>

166

<p>"Arrianeag..another bright Smithie who can see through the cloud of dust put forth by other posters. Cellardweller's comment was very misleading, and quite a no-brainer if you ask me. I think he/she might be running out of rants about Smith?? My D is in the same boat as you; picked Smith over applying to an IVY. Her friend on the other hand was admitted to Yale, and still choose Smith. "</p>

<p>Well, actually, I'm not a Smithie. I'm still a junior in high school, but Smith is, as of now, my 1st choice.</p>

167

<p>And the wait at Sylvester's is too long; even if the food is wonderful! ;)</p>

168

<p>
[quote]
Well, actually, I'm not a Smithie. I'm still a junior in high school, but Smith is, as of now, my 1st choice.

[/quote]

Well...even more kudos to you! Let me ask you as a high school junior...Why an all-women's school?</p>

169

<p>Please, do not demean those of us who choose to go to women's colleges by saying they are an alternative to those who could not gain admission into the ivies. This fact could not be farther from the truth. Many of us who have chosen to go to Wellesley, Smith, and other women's colleges turn down merit scholarships from places like Johns Hopkins and Tufts, offers of admission from Ivy League schools like Columbia, Cornell, and Yale, and top LAC's like Williams and Amherst. Why? Because for once in our lives we want to be given the same amount of attention that men have recieved all their lives. Example: how many people show up to support your high school girl's basketball team? Now, compare that to the number of people that show up to support the boys. The same goes (whether you notice it or not) with academics. There is a very observable difference between women who have graduated from elite all women's colleges and those who have graduated from other prestigious institutions; a confidence and leaderships ability that co-ed institutions do not provide in the same way. (See: list of female CEO's of Fortune 500 Companies). Many of us pass up oppurtunities to attend top universities and co-ed LAC's to experience the completley unique education that only a women's college can provide.</p>

170

<p>IRvirtuoso...where have you been all this thread? Great post!<br>

[quote]
Because for once in our lives we want to be given the same amount of attention that men have recieved all their lives. Example: how many people show up to support your high school girl's basketball team? Now, compare that to the number of people that show up to support the boys. The same goes (whether you notice it or not) with academics.

[/quote]

I have posted many times, especially in the beginning of this thread, about the inequality of the educational system. The facts do not lie, and it is reassuring to hear from someone who has witnessed it first-hand.<br>

[quote]
There is a very observable difference between women who have graduated from elite all women's colleges and those who have graduated from other prestigious institutions; a confidence and leaderships ability that co-ed institutions do not provide in the same way.

[/quote]

Because these schools are designed for women, focused on women, and provide leadership for women ONLY!! There has to be a difference.</p>

171

<p>"Well, actually, I'm not a Smithie. I'm still a junior in high school, but Smith is, as of now, my 1st choice."</p>

<p>Given the huge historical advantage in admission rates for ED at Smith, will you apply ED if it is your first choice?</p>

172

<p>As for whether or not I will apply ED, that depends on whether or not I like any other the other schools I'm planning on visiting. I still hope to see the Claremonts, the Bryn Mawr/Swarthmore/Haverford area, and some UCs (I'm from California, very close to the UC Berkeley campus. My mom is a professor at Berkeley and used to work for Carol Christ, but that's another story). On paper, however, Smith is probably my first choice. We'll see. There's also the SAT goof issue ---- i.e. Due to registration issues, I'm probably not going to take the SAT reasoning test until the beginning of next school year. If I goof on the SAT then, I'll have to retake it even later, in which case it will be too late to apply ED. Grrrrr. Furthermore, if I apply ED and get in, I'm worried that I'll feel bad about it. Applying to many schools and getting in to more schools means that I'll be forced to look even more carefully (more overnights, attending more classes, etc.). Somehow that will make me feel more comfy with my choice. Dunno. Any suggestions?</p>

<p>As for the previous question of "why an all women's school?", I'm struggling with the same question. I've attended coed schools since preschool, and I've honestly felt happy about my experiences. However, I feel like something can be gained by spending several years in a single sex environment. Will I participate more in class? Will I gain self-confidence? Will I feel more comfortable socially? I don't know. I have a feeling the answer is "yes" to at least some of the questions, but how will I ever settle the question without trying? Hopefully 4 good years at a women's school will supplement 13+ good years at coed schools. If I don't like it...well, at least I've learned a lesson.</p>

173

<p>
[quote]
However, I feel like something can be gained by spending several years in a single sex environment. Will I participate more in class? Will I gain self-confidence? Will I feel more comfortable socially? I don't know. I have a feeling the answer is "yes" to at least some of the questions, but how will I ever settle the question without trying?

[/quote]

Arianneag...I must congratulate you and your parents, as you sound like a very mature young lady. I'm sure you read many of the previous posts leading up to this point, and there is much research provided that supports exactly how you feel about all-women's schools. They do support women in ways that coed schools do not; after all, they are formed to educate young women such as yourself. Is that an advantage? To those who choose to attend these schools, I believe it is. Something can and will be gained by attending a single-sex school, and you mentioned some of them above in your quote. I really am interested in the Carol Christ story though?? ;)</p>

174

<p>I, like arianneag, am a current junior whose first choice is Smith. BJM8 asked why she'd choose an all-women's school and while I'm not arianneag, here's my take.</p>

<p>I didn't start out thinking that I wanted to go to an all-women's school but the prospect never bothered me; in eighth grade, my parents considered sending me to the local private all-girl's Catholic school and I was delighted that they'd spend so much money to give me a good education when our local public school is the top school in the area. I figured that I'd get my life in order first before worrying about the guys. When I first began looking at colleges, my top choices has been (not all at once ;)) Stanford, Tufts, Johns Hopkins, Georgetown, and Smith.</p>

<p>The main reason why I'd like to attend Smith is that the girls WANT to be there. Many of my peers would never dream of going to an all-women's college because "that doesn't sound like fun." I figured that those who do attend do so because of the intense academics and the focus on educating a woman. At the college level, it's difficult for a parent to pick a college because it's a good school and force their child to go there like it is possible with high school. Most of all, it seems that most of the Smithies WANT to be there and care about learning rather than seeing eduaction as a means to make lots of money. The statistics that show that most seek to fulfill the requirements for Latin Honors despite the school having but one graduation requirement also tells me that most girls aren't so specialized that they don't have breadth in their education. Yes, that is the point of a liberal arts education but something's just that much more special when people knowingly go after it themselves without having anyone hold a gun to their head. The daughters of the posters here sound exactly like the people that I would hang out with; if there are 2500 other smart, young women like that to go to school with, why not? It creates a unique academic environment that I love. I'm not saying that that can't be found elsewhere, but it's just one of the biggest things I noticed about Smith.</p>

<p>I'm not sure if I wanted to go to an all-women's school as much as I found my dream school and it happened to be all women. Of course, when people ask why I would go to an all-women's school, I jokingly reply that I can party at Amherst and come home and still find all the toilet seats down. ;)</p>

175

<p>I jokingly reply that I can party at Amherst and come home and still find all the toilet seats down.]]</p>

<p>Boy, next years applicants certainly are going to be a very bright bunch.</p>

<p>LOL--Thats a great line. </p>

<p>And you can let them trash their dorms and rooms, not yours. :)</p>

176

<p>
[quote]
I figured that I'd get my life in order first before worrying about the guys.

[/quote]

WOW!!!! Now, that's a bit mature for a H.S. junior. Good for you.

[quote]
The daughters of the posters here sound exactly like the people that I would hang out with; if there are 2500 other smart, young women like that to go to school with, why not? It creates a unique academic environment that I love. I'm not saying that that can't be found elsewhere, but it's just one of the biggest things I noticed about Smith.

[/quote]

Theothermuse and arianneag are inspirations for us all, gives us hope for the younger generation. This level of the thought process and maturity simply moves me (do I sound like Paula Abdul?) If Smith is lucky enough to grab the two of you, they will be the better for it. I can't wait to welcome you to Smith next year!</p>

177

<p>NATIONAL CENTER FOR EDUCATION STATISTICS
U.S. Department of Education
Office of Educational Research and Improvement NCES 97-982
Findings from
THE CONDITION OF EDUCATION 1997
regarding Women in Math and Sciences</p>

<p>Here are some excerpts from this important study done in 1997. I have been introducing many of these findings throughout this thread: I think it speaks volumes as to why women's colleges are both necessary and valuable for the young women who choose to attend these institutions, as well as taking a hard look at the inequities that do exist in middle and secondary schools. Enjoy:

[quote]
Research studies suggest that many factors contribute to the attitudes,access, and achievement of young women in mathematics
and science: encouragement from parents, preparation of mathematics
and science teachers, interactions between teachers and students, curriculum content, hands-on laboratory experiences,
self-concept, attitudes toward mathematics, high school achievement
in mathematics and science, availability of mentors, and
resources available at home.3 This essay reviews the most current
data on women’s progress in mathematics and science achievement,
attitudes, course-taking patterns, and college majors. The
final section summarizes earnings differences between women
and men who majored in mathematics and science in college.

[/quote]

  • A gender gap in science proficiency scores begins to appear at age 13.
  • Men score higher than women on the SAT mathematics and science Achievement Tests, as well as on the mathematics and science Advanced Placement (AP) examinations.
  • Data from the late 1980s and early 1990s indicate that 7th- and 10th grade boys and girls are equally likely to say that they enjoy mathematics and science. Among 12th-graders,however, a gender gap emerges in science.
  • A gap in the career aspirations of boys and girls in science or engineering exists as early as eighth grade.
  • While male and female high school seniors are equally likely to expect a career in science or mathematics, male seniors are much more likely than their female counterparts to expect a career in engineering.
  • Male first-time college freshmen were more likely to choose engineering as an intended field of study, while female first-time freshmen were more likely to choose professional fields, education, and social sciences.
  • At the postsecondary level, women are less likely than men to earn a degree in mathematics, physical sciences, and computer sciences and engineering. The exception is in life sciences degrees.
  • The salary differential between women and men in comparable scientific jobs is still evident.
  • a gender gap still exists with respect to mathematics and science, and it widens as students climb the education ladder.
  • Even though women make up about half of the labor market, they are both underrepresented in jobs in scientific fields and are paid less than men. Some of these differences can be explained by differences in the field chosen, level of experience, and level of education. Overall, there are still substantial differences between women and men in mathematics and science fields, and these differences appear as early as middle school.</p>
178

<p>Women's Colleges and Student Satisfaction
Paper and Discussion
<a href="http://www.ed.gov/pubs/WomensColleges/chap2fin.html%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://www.ed.gov/pubs/WomensColleges/chap2fin.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p>

<p>
[quote]
Emily Langdon presented her paper "Who Attends a Women's College Today and Why She Should: An Exploration of Women's College Students and Alumnae." In her paper, Langdon analyzed two sets of data collected by the Cooperative Institutional Research Program (CIRP). She found women students satisfied with their classroom experiences, the facilities, services, and the climate at women's colleges more than women who attended comparable coeducational institutions. This satisfaction was not only present at graduation, but also five years later. Langdon noted that women who attended women's colleges had different reasons for attending college in the first place when compared to their peers at coeducational institutions. Women who chose women's colleges stated that they did so because they wanted to be a more cultured person or because a role model encouraged them to go on to higher education. Langdon interpreted these responses as evidence of a more "holistic" view, a look at the long-term effects of attending college, a consideration for the special atmosphere of a women's college. Langdon concluded by summarizing that the data she saw on women who attended women's colleges indicated that they would attend a women's college again if they were making the choice today.</p>

<p>There was discussion about assessment of student achievement in higher education in relation to student background, and how some researchers have dismissed successful educational outcomes at women's colleges as being related to the socioeconomic backgrounds of the women attending these institutions. Participants raised concerns about these perceptions of student achievement at women's colleges, and noted that researchers generally do not discount positive results at prestigious coeducational institutions because these schools attract students with higher socioeconomic backgrounds. Participants wondered why women's colleges were being judged differently in this regard.</p>

<p>Participants also raised concerns that women of nontraditional age were often ignored in research on women at women's colleges. One participant asked if, when considering issues such as student satisfaction, researchers have looked at different age groups. In her work she has found that only twenty-five women's colleges have a student population of 80 percent or over of traditional-age student population. Women of nontraditional age at women's colleges are a minority, but a significant minority. The research on these women is qualitative, usually involving stories of changes in their lives through their experiences at women's colleges. Participants discussed how there could be further research on these women, perhaps through the gathering of statistics.</p>

<p>Langdon reported that her statistical study had been based on women of traditional student age. But in reviewing literature and studying the institutions, she had found that women's colleges are leaders in responding to the needs of women re-entering higher education. She concedes that the database she used in her research, CIRP, is focused on the traditional-aged student. The surveying takes place during orientation, and since a lot of nontraditionally-aged students do not go to orientation, they do not get surveyed. CIRP does not include women who attend "weekend college" programs. Langdon concluded that researchers are missing a large group of women.</p>

<p>One participant discussed the issue of lifelong learning by pointing out that some women's colleges have expanded the career planning office into things such as a "lifetimes" center, providing services to alumnae. There was agreement that in the areas of career planning and alumnae services there are various ways women's colleges have been responsive to the needs of women graduates over their lifetimes.

[/quote]

It appears that women are nor being treated fairly and equally at coed colleges as well. Not because the institution purposefully neglects women, (I know of none that would purposely do that) but because they do not have the same knowledge of how women learn as all-women's colleges. Women who were satisfied with their education at women's colleges were also concerned with issues such as faculty diversity and books by women included in the curriculum. Increasing faculty diversity and increasing the visibility of women in the curriculum are ways coeducational institutions can better serve their female students.
The third paragraph of this introduction struck me vividly, as Smith has a great ADA program for just those types of women. A very important aspect of that community.</p>

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<p>Theothermuse, it's awesome that we're in a similar situation. I happen to agree with a lot of the things you said about Smith. I did get a very strong sense of enthusiasm among the student body. I remember my tour guide said that she spend time studying abroad in Easter Europe to hear the "other side of the story" about communism in the Cold War. I was amazed by her genuine concern for the accuracy of what's she is being taught ---- that's NOT something you'll find at very many other schools. </p>

<p>Another point: Coming from the West Coast, people always warn us about East Coast intellectual "snobbiness". As a consequence, I had some negative expectations about Smith and other schools on the East. However, when I visited, I did not get any sense of "snobbiness" at Smith at all. I felt very welcome there. In fact, the first student I talked to was a friendly girl at the admissions office who was VERY excited to find out that I came from the Bay Area. On top of that, three different students came right into the office and starting talking to me on the couch. I never could have asked for a more pleasant and welcoming first impression of the campus. And BJM8, thanks for making me feel even more welcome!</p>

<p>If you had asked me 5 years ago, I would never have considered a women's college. This is largely because of the fact that my aunt hated Wellesley. However, after talking to a girl who's at Wellesley and LOVES it there, I figured that times have changed and decided to be more open-minded. I threw in some women's colleges with the coed bunch on my "research" list, and sure enough I became interested in Smith. Now it's my 1st choice.</p>

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<p>For Cellardweller:

[quote]
When was the period "back in that day" that MIT treated women so poorly, that you refer to? You may not know that MIT always was coed while the Ivies happily rejected every female applicant.

[/quote]

Since you asked, I got the answer from your own alma mater. In 1999, as I'm sure you know, MIT did a self-study on the Status of Women Faculty in Sciences at MIT. Here are some excerpts from MIT:

[quote]
In 1995 the Dean of Science established a Committee to analyze the status of women faculty in the six departments in the School of Science. The Committee submitted a report of its findings in August, 1996 and amended reports in 1997 and 1998. The Committee discovered that junior women faculty feel well supported within their departments and most do not believe that gender bias will impact their careers. Junior women faculty believe, however, that family-work conflicts may impact their careers differently from those of their male colleagues. In contrast to junior women, many tenured women faculty feel marginalized and excluded from a significant role in their departments. Marginalization increases as women progress through their careers at MIT. Examination of data revealed that marginalization was often accompanied by differences in salary, space, awards, resources, and response to outside offers between men and women faculty with women receiving less despite professional accomplishments equal to those of their male colleagues. An important finding was that this pattern repeats itself in successive generations of women faculty. The Committee found that, as of 1994, the percent of women faculty in the School of Science (8%) had not changed significantly for at least 10 and probably 20 years.

[/quote]

Now I don't know as much about MIT as you, but I do know that this would not exist at Smith or any other all-women's college. To MIT's credit, they have established a committee of women faculty in the dept. of sciences, and have made progress. :)

[quote]
In the summer of 1994, three tenured women faculty in the School of Science began to discuss the quality of their professional lives at MIT. In the course of their careers these women had come to realize that gender had probably caused their professional lives to differ significantly from those of their male colleagues. Interestingly, they had never discussed the issue with one another and they were even uncertain as to whether their experiences were unique, their perceptions accurate. This situation was about to change dramatically. It was soon clear to the women that their experiences formed a pattern. Curious to know whether other women in the School of Science shared these experiences, they drew up a list of all the tenured women faculty in the School of Science in order to conduct an informal poll. </p>

<p>The three women faculty were surprised to discover how easy the polling would be. This was because in the summer of 1994, there were only 15 tenured women faculty in the six departments of the School of Science, vs 194 men. These numbers had remained essentially unchanged for 10-20 years.

[/quote]

[quote]
"This proposal has been developed by the tenured women faculty in the School of Science. It speaks to our serious concerns about the small number of women professors at MIT, and about the status and treatment of the women who are here. We believe that unequal treatment of women faculty impairs their ability to perform as educators, leaders in research, and models for women students...

[/quote]

[quote]
We believe that unequal treatment of women who come to MIT makes it more difficult for them to succeed, causes them to be accorded less recognition when they do, and contributes so substantially to a poor quality of life that these women can actually become negative role models for younger women...

[/quote]

So, that's where I got the information. Any more questions?</p>