10 Women’s Colleges You Need To Consider

Considering applying to a women’s college? If you are, you’ve probably already looked into Wellesley, Barnard, and Smith College - but don’t stop there! There are 42 women’s colleges in the U.S. From producing famous alumni, such as Hillary Rodham Clinton and Madeline Albright, to fostering women to be 1.5 times more likely to study STEM majors than those in co-ed schools, here are ten that you should definitely look into!

Bryn Mawr College (Bryn Mawr, PA)

Acceptance rate: 40.5%

Enrolled Students: 1,308

Founded in 1885, Bryn Mawr College is a popular women’s college located in the outskirts of Philadelphia. Its proximity to other colleges makes it very attractive to students who would benefit from attending a women’s college but would also like to tap into the opportunities that co-ed schools provide. Bryn Mawr students can enroll in classes at Haverford and UPenn and also enjoy the social activities that Swarthmore offers.

Lynne M.: “The students and the professors are top notch. Everyone is so freakin’ smart—it was great for me to learn that there are plenty of young women as smart or smarter than I am—it was humbling and inspiring.”

Simmons College (Boston, MA)

Acceptance Rate: 52.5%

Enrolled Students: 1,308

Located in historical Boston, Simmons College is one of the few women’s colleges that offers students a taste of city life. Similar to Bryn Mawr, its proximity to other colleges and universities in its vicinity makes it comforting to those who may not want to limit themselves to a small, all-female study body. Fun fact: There’s a ship named after Simmons College. It’s the S.S. Simmons Victory ship, which was launched on April 6th, 1945.

Mills College (Oakland, CA)

Acceptance Rate: 76.1%

Enrolled Students: 917

The west coast boasts Mills College as an all-women’s college. Just a Bart train ride away from San Francisco, Mills is located in Oakland, just 9 miles from the UC Berkeley campus. Ranked one of the top “green” colleges in the country, Mills is the perfect place for students who want a  to be close to the tech scene in Silicon Valley but also tap into the offerings of other schools; Mills offers a unique undergraduate degree in Engineering in partnership with the University of Southern California located in Los Angeles.

College of Saint Benedict (Saint Joseph, MN)

Acceptance Rate: 82.1%

Enrolled Students: 2,020

Founded in 1913, the College of Saint Benedict is a Roman Catholic women’s college. Its partnership with neighboring Saint John’s University (for men) provides an interesting twist on the stereotypical image of a women’s college. The two schools share the same academic calendar and curriculum, allowing the students of CSB to obtain a co-ed experience even as they’re enrolled in a women’s college.

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Salem College (Winston Salem, NC) 

Acceptance Rate: 59.9%

Enrolled Students: 945

Salem college does not follow the traditional Jan 1st/15th application deadline, instead opting for rolling admissions. The school boasts an extremely tight-knit community with just a handle of classes accommodating over 20 students. The one-on-one experience you get with your professors permits the opportunity to learn and grow like none other. For those interested in North Carolina, Winston Salem is your ideal college location.

Agnes Scott College (Decatur, GA)

Acceptance Rate: 67.7%

Enrolled Students: 873

Further down south we have Agnes Scott, a women’s college with unique student traditions. Every student who enrolls has to go through the Black Cat ceremony - a week of orientation activities that welcomes incoming students to their community. Everyone is also required to live on campus all 4 years. Fun fact: Agnes Scott plays in 6 different sports in the NCAA Division III. 

Hollins University (Roanoke, VA)

Acceptance Rate: 56.6%

Enrolled Students: 596

Hollins University was the first chartered women’s college in Virginia. Just like Salem College, Hollins also offers rolling admissions. For a school with such a small student population, it has one of the strongest endowments in the nation, proof of just how much its alumni loved their time at Hollins. 

Alverno College (Milwaukee, WI)

Acceptance Rate: 65.2%

Enrolled Students: 1,7237

Located in the midwest, Alverno College offers a unique women’s college experience. It has a well known education program and offers majors in K-12 teaching that is often not available at bigger universities. Alverno is also on rolling admissions. It is also well known for its “service learning programs”, in which volunteer work is built in education of the students who enroll.

College is where you’ll spend 4 years of your life learning, developing critical skill sets, and expanding your social circle. Make sure you choose the school that is the right fit for you. Make an informed choice by talking to current students on our mentorship platform. Access 60,000+ successful college application files uploaded by college students (they get paid when you view them). AdmitSee is a community of students helping students. Our goal is to bring much-needed transparency to higher education.

All statistics and information provided by U.S. New & World Report Education.

About The Author

Frances Wong

Frances was born in Hong Kong and received her bachelor’s degree from Georgetown University. She loves super sad drama television, cooking, and reading. Her favorite person on Earth isn’t actually a member of the AdmitSee team - it’s her dog Cooper.