I've witnessed the stares and baffled expressions; I've heard the questions, comments and "concerns" of many people throughout my college application and decision process. From the moment I started talking about applying to women's colleges, I was bombarded with "what!? why?"s and "are you sure you'll be able to handle all that estrogen?"s. To ease your mind once and for all, I'm going to answer some of the most frequently asked questions regarding why I chose my school, and - in particular - why I opted for a women's college over larger, co-ed institutions.
Behold, one of my favorite images of my beautiful school, Salem College. I could talk about Salem itself for days, but I'll leave that for another post. Onto the FAQs:
What part of going to a girl's school is so appealing? For me, literally every part of going to a women's college is appealing. During my college tour process, a tour guide told me: "Girl's schools exist because parents put their daughters there. Women's colleges exist because women want to be educated in fair, intellectually stimulating environments." In my opinion, this could not be more true (and it's also why I get fairly defensive of the 'women's college' term). Women's colleges are much smaller than other co-ed schools, which makes for a more personal learning environment. As an online student, a small class size makes for an easier transition. Everyone I've met at my school in particular is incredibly sweet: faculty members will go a thousand extra miles for students, and the student body itself is a tightly knit community.
You'll lose out on the male-to-female interaction! This is not a question, and it's also not true. Nearly 25% of women in Congress attended women's colleges; 33% of Fortune-1000 female board members also attended. I've seen first hand the intelligence and communication skills that stem from students at Salem and other women's colleges, and I'm more than excited to be joining them. In case you're still worried about me, there are plenty of co-ed schools around Salem to visit.
How is the learning environment at Salem/women's colleges different? Aside from the tiny, tiny class sizes (my biggest class this coming semester only holds ~25 students!), the one-on-one attention from going to a small school cannot be matched. Even before I sat down for my scholarship interview at Salem, the Dean of Students knew exactly who I was. My advisor knew my high school records by heart and felt confident in my capability to succeed both in- and outside of the classroom. The professors I've met during my visits to Salem are passionate about what they teach, and you just don't find that everywhere.
So you're basically going to become a feminazi? I would be lying to say that my decision to attend Salem/a women's college was not based at least a little bit on feminism. But do not fear, the type of feminism that stems from Salem is empowering, not dominating. I believe in the phrase "Women's Rights are Human Rights", and I believe that the general "feminist vibe" at Salem agrees.
Won't your pool of connections be smaller at a small school? Not necessarily! Attending a small school increases my chances of building relationships and connections on a more personal level, which, in reality, increases the connection "pool." I've already experienced this first-hand at Salem through attending alumni lunches and speaking with professors, and I haven't even started classes yet.
My parents and I talked endlessly about different types of schools, their programs, their environments, and everything in between during my college application process. From August to March, there were hour-long conversations regarding everything under the sun. It wasn't until I actually visited Salem's campus that I was 100% convinced a women's college was right for me. Obviously, everyone's opinion is different, and this is just my experience, but I would encourage every female high schooler to do their research before turning their nose up.
I'm beyond excited to join the Class of 2018 at Salem College on August 21st!
Keep not settling,
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