Last Updated on 09/03/2026 by Ethan Sawyer
“As someone who made the decision to attend a women’s college, I didn’t choose my college because it was a women’s college. I chose my college because I loved the location, the beautiful campus, the study abroad opportunities, and the feeling that I would get an education very different from what I saw at traditional universities. I did not fully realize the importance of the women’s college aspect until I was actually there as a student, but it was truly what made the institution and opportunities so unique. That uniqueness revealed itself through the depth of the classroom conversations, the push and support of the faculty, and the incredible women I called my friends and classmates, who also chose a nontraditional college because they wanted to do things differently as well. My experience was transformative. I became a better student and a better person.”
– Aimee Kahn-Foss, Agnes Scott College alumna
Why a Women’s College?
One of the most common questions we get asked by students, parents, and college counselors is, “Why a women’s college?” It’s important—and a little hard to answer simply. Like all colleges and universities, women’s colleges have their own DNA. They vary enormously in terms of location, student characteristics, opportunities, and atmosphere.
Women’s colleges were originally founded in the United States to give women access to higher education at a time when educating women went against the status quo. That began to change in the 1960s and ’70s, when many all-male colleges started admitting women. But Black women, Indigenous women, and women of other backgrounds continued to face exclusion from most institutions—even most women’s colleges—until the same era. HBCU women’s colleges like Spelman College and Bennett College were founded to serve these women.
Since the early 2000s, women’s colleges as a whole—37 in total—have become some of the most diverse and inclusive institutions in American higher education. Recently, interest and enrollment in women’s colleges have resurged, proving their continued relevance.
Reasons to Apply to a Women’s College
You want small, personal communities where real relationships with professors are the norm. Women’s colleges tend to be smaller liberal arts colleges (under 5,000 undergraduates) where more students live on campus all four years. Students consistently report higher rates of interaction with their professors than their peers at coeducational institutions.
You thrive when you’re learning alongside people with many different perspectives. Women’s colleges typically enroll a more racially and ethnically diverse student population than coed institutions, and consistently rank high on social mobility.
You want a global focus. Many women’s colleges prioritize intercultural awareness and study abroad. All first-year students at Agnes Scott College participate in the SUMMIT curriculum, which includes a cultural study abroad tour. St. Mary’s College has a strong Intercultural Leadership program. A third of juniors at Smith College and 45% of Wellesley students study abroad.
You want to grow as a leader. Many women’s colleges have specific leadership programs, like Barnard College’s Young Women’s Leadership Institute and Salem College’s RISE Leadership Program. Students also get to observe women in top positions: 90% of women’s college presidents are women, and 55% of faculty are women. The career outcomes are compelling too—women’s college graduates make up just 2% of all college graduates, yet account for more than 20% of women in Congress and a third of women on Fortune 1000 boards.
You want more equitable access to STEM. Women’s colleges are actively working to close the gender gap in STEM fields. Students at women’s colleges are 1.5 times more likely to major in STEM than women at coeducational institutions, and women’s college faculty are more likely than faculty at any other type of institution to involve undergraduate students in STEM research.
You want a safe, supportive space as an LGBTQ+ student. Women’s colleges have historically served as spaces of safety for marginalized groups. Many now have strong policies around gender and sexual identity and consider all applicants who identify as women. Transgender, gender-neutral, and genderqueer students often find welcoming communities at women’s colleges.
You want to feel prepared for life after college. Women’s college graduates are more likely than other college graduates to finish in four years or less, more likely to complete a graduate or professional degree, and more likely to report feeling prepared for their first job, possessing strong communication and leadership skills, and having high self-confidence.
So Who Is a Good Fit?
That’s a genuinely hard question to answer because women’s colleges aren’t a monolith. Each of the 37 institutions has its own specialties, culture, and definition of fit. They’re urban and rural, small and large, comprehensive and specialized. Some are closely affiliated with coed institutions; others are proudly independent.
Broadly: if several of the points above describe what you’re looking for, a women’s college is worth taking seriously.
Honestly, it’s worth considering for any female-identifying student before ruling it out. Challenge your assumptions. Think about the advantages before fixating on the perceived disadvantages.
We often say the best fit for a women’s college is someone who isn’t afraid to tell their friends they’re applying to one. It takes a certain courage, rebellious spirit, and individuality to be willing to say, “I’m going somewhere different because I want something different.” If that sounds like you, we encourage you to look closely.
