While some students might cringe at the idea of attending a women’s college, a lot of the preconceived notions about these schools are wrong. Women's colleges are tight-knit, supportive institutions where students thrive. In fact, many graduate programs at women’s colleges are actually coeducational anyway—so yes, there will be men on campus. Women’s colleges offer so many opportunities that aren’t available at other schools, such as strong campus communities and female-dominated math and science courses. Following Women’s History Month, I researched some of the nation’s leading women’s colleges to help more students learn about and consider these amazing schools for their degrees.
1. Barnard College
Located in New York City, Barnard College offers women a rigorous liberal arts education. Founded by Annie Nathan Meyer in 1889 in response to the male-dominated Columbia University, the College focuses not only on providing a great education but enabling its students to change the world. As the alma mater of Joan Rivers, Zora Neale Hurston, and Lauren Graham, Barnard College proves itself as a college that sets women up for success.
Related: How to Know if a Women's College Is Right for You
2. Mills College
As the first women’s college in the West, Mills College has made a name for itself through its commitment to creating an inclusive campus and providing access to higher education for all students. Originally a seminary, the school was bought by Susan and Cyrus Mills in 1865 and renamed Mills College. The College devoted itself to providing academic opportunities for women, and this pledge would earn it a series of impressive firsts: It was the first women’s college to offer a Computer Science major, the first and only to reverse a co-ed decision, and the first to create a policy for admitting transgender students.
3. Mount Holyoke College
Mount Holyoke College was the first of the Seven Sisters colleges and actively remembers its past. Founded by Mary Lyon in 1837, the College faced many challenges before even opening its doors, including an economic depression and outspoken critics about women’s education. Nevertheless, Lyon persisted, fighting to ensure that the education she’d received as a chemist was available to all women. Today, Mount Holyoke is recognized internationally for its rigorous academics and educating trailblazers like Emily Dickinson while remaining rooted in tradition.
Related: Women's History Month: What You Should Know and How Colleges Celebrate
4. Simmons University
In 1902, Simmons University first opened as Simmons College and welcomed a small class of only 146 students seeking degrees in art, science, and industry. Today, Simmons educates more than 1,700 women in its undergraduate programs, continuously looking to the future while keeping students’ needs at the heart of what they do. Labeled as one of the top schools in its category and for having a notable nursing school, Simmons continues to reinforce over a century of legacy offering a prestigious and student-oriented education.
5. Smith College
Ranked regularly as one of the nation's best liberal arts colleges, Smith College fulfills the wish of its founder Sophia Smith, who inherited a large sum of money later in life and decided to devote it to giving women the same educational opportunities as men. The College proclaims the many benefits that come from attending a women’s college as well as the special type of community that exists there, as seen on their student-run blog, Smith by Smities. Smith is also a notably good place to be for future writers, boasting alumnae such as Margaret Mitchell and Sylvia Plath.
Related: All Women's Colleges and Universities in the US
Don't let the misconceptions and rumors about women's colleges deter you from considering these great institutions. If you're a woman or non-binary student, these may be the welcoming and comfortable academic homes you're looking for to pursue your higher education. And if you're a young man interested in one of these colleges, reach out to the admission department. Some women's colleges admit undergraduate men on a case-by-case basis, and you could be one of the lucky few. Good luck in your college search.
If you're not totally sold on attending a women's college, check out these other supportive Great Colleges and Universities for Women and Nonbinary Students.
