Women\'s College for the Past One Hundred

¶ … Women's College

For the past one hundred years, women's colleges have been helping young women achieve their intellectual ambitions. Indeed, graduates such Madeleine Albright, Emily Dickinson and Hilary Rodman Clinton have gone on to pursue distinguished careers in their chosen fields. Many of the seeds of their various achievements have been sown in the various women's institutions of their youth.

For me, going to Name College is taking part in this long tradition of achievement. One reason women's institutions endure is because they offer a good, quality education. In addition to its excellent programs, I believe that the smaller class sizes create an environment that is more conducive to learning. Students can participate more fully in lectures and develop stronger relationships with their professors and peers.

These smaller class sizes only serve to complement the outstanding education young women receive at schools like Name College. Though most traditional colleges no longer restrict the admission of women, I believe that institutions like Name College are still in a unique position to address the educational needs of many young women.

Studies have shown that a single-sex learning environment is often beneficial to women because such an environment "values their contributions more." Though I have never been in an all-women's environment, I am inclined to believe that this is true. I went to high school and two years of college at coeducational institutions and have observed how many young men easily take charge of discussions. The teachers themselves unwittingly treat their students differently, often treating women's comments more casually while being more challenging to male students.

To make matters worse, many women often unintentionally place limits on their own participation.

Many women in my classes hardly ever spoke and were reluctant to make their voices heard. However, this was obviously not the case with women like Geraldine Ferraro and Brigadier General Elizabeth P. Holsington, who both obviously benefited from being in an environment that encouraged and valued women's contributions.

A plan to major in Biology, a field of study which, like most of the physical sciences, still remains the enclave of men. I am particularly interested in studies that have shown how women can receive better science and math education in single-sex colleges. Researchers have found that women in coeducational schools generally take less math and science to begin with, because of a "cultural climate" that discourages many women from taking such subjects.

In contrast, I am struck by how institutions like Name College generally graduate women with math and science degrees at 1.5 times the rate of women at co-educational colleges and universities. Furthermore, students at women's institutions pursue doctorates in math, science and engineering at much high rates.

Obviously, schools like Name College are doing something right. I believe that your institution provides an excellent grounding in the sciences and an atmosphere that makes it conducive for young women to learn. It is therefore no surprise that in survey after survey, institutions like Name College rank in the upper tiers in terms of quality education as well as the number graduates who go on to graduate school. Many more conquer the worlds of politics, commerce, art and science, making inroads for the next generations of women.

Aside from the excellent education, I believe that women like me will also benefit tremendously from being a part of the Name College community. There is much more to college than academic education. Many graduates credit the years they spent at Name College derived greater satisfaction from their college years and experience more personal and intellectual growth. Compared with most female graduates of co-educational institutions, the women's college alumna has more confidence in her knowledge and skills.

This is because colleges such as Name College strive to provide a learning environment that is more attuned to the needs of women. In addition to academics, Name College also provides young women with female role models, through mentoring programs, distinguished guest speakers and by fostering closer relationships with faculty members. I believe that such extra-curricular activity is an essential part of college learning, one that is unfortunately often neglected in bigger co-educational institutions.