Who Attends A Women’s College?

Identifying Unique Characteristics and Patterns of Change, 1971-2011

Linda J. Sax, Ph.D., Principal Investigator with Jennifer Berdan Lozano and Colleen Quinn Vandenboom

University of California, Los AngelesSeptember 2014

Updated April 2015

i 

TABLEOFCONTENTSLISTOFTABLES............................................................................................................................................... ii LISTOFFIGURES ............................................................................................................................................ iii FOREWORD .................................................................................................................................................... iv EXECUTIVESUMMARY ................................................................................................................................... vii ACKNOWLEDGMENTS.....................................................................................................................................xiii PARTI:INTRODUCTION ................................................................................................................................... 1 

AnEvolvingPopulationatWomen’sColleges...............................................................................................2

PARTII:RESEARCHMETHODS ......................................................................................................................... 4 

ComparisonGroups..................................................................................................................................................5

CategoriesforAnalysis............................................................................................................................................6

Analysis..........................................................................................................................................................................7

PARTIII:COMPARINGCURRENTWOMEN’SCOLLEGESWITHHISTORICALLYCOEDUCATIONALINSTITUTIONS ...... 9 Demographics............................................................................................................................................................10

AcademicSelf‐ConfidenceandEngagement................................................................................................13

CollegeChoice............................................................................................................................................................14

FinancialAttitudesandExpectations..............................................................................................................16

Educational,Career,andFamilyAspirations...............................................................................................17

LeadershipOrientation.........................................................................................................................................18

CommunityOrientation........................................................................................................................................19

ArtisticInclination...................................................................................................................................................19

PsychologicalandPhysicalWell‐Being..........................................................................................................20

Spirituality...................................................................................................................................................................20

ExtracurricularActivities.....................................................................................................................................21

PoliticalandSocialViews.....................................................................................................................................22

SUMMARYOFKEYFINDINGSANDQUESTIONSFORCONSIDERATION ................................................................ 24 CONCLUSION ................................................................................................................................................. 27 REFERENCES ................................................................................................................................................. 28 TABLESANDFIGURES .................................................................................................................................... 30 APPENDICESA‐D .......................................................................................................................................... 85  

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LISTOFTABLESTable3.1:Demographics..............................................................................................................................................31Table3.2:AcademicSelf‐ConfidenceandEngagement..................................................................................39Table3.3:CollegeChoice..............................................................................................................................................43Table3.4:FinancialAttitudesandExpectations...............................................................................................47Table3.5:Educational,Career,&FamilyAspirations.....................................................................................49Table3.6:LeadershipOrientation...........................................................................................................................53Table3.7:CommunityOrientation..........................................................................................................................54Table3.8:ArtisticInclination.....................................................................................................................................57Table3.9:PsychologicalandPhysicalWell‐Being............................................................................................58Table3.10:Spirituality..................................................................................................................................................59Table3.11:ExtracurricularActivities....................................................................................................................60Table3.12:PoliticalandSocialViews...................................................................................................................62

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LISTOFFIGURESFigure3.1:White/CaucasianStudentEnrollment............................................................................................67Figure3.2:AfricanAmerican/BlackEnrollment...............................................................................................67Figure3.3:AsianAmerican/AsianStudentEnrollment.................................................................................68Figure3.4:MedianParentalIncome.......................................................................................................................68Figure3.5:Collegeis500+MilesfromHome.....................................................................................................69Figure3.6:FatherHasaFour‐YearorGraduateDegree...............................................................................69Figure3.7:MotherHasaFour‐YearorGraduateDegree..............................................................................70Figure3.8:Father’sOccupation:Doctor(MDorDDS)....................................................................................70Figure3.9:Father’sOccupation:Lawyer..............................................................................................................71Figure3.10:Father’sOccupation:Business.........................................................................................................71Figure3.11:Father’sOccupation:Laborer..........................................................................................................72Figure3.12:Father’sOccupation:Unemployed.................................................................................................72Figure3.13:Father’sOccupation:Military...........................................................................................................73Figure3.14:ParentsDivorcedorLivingApart...................................................................................................73Figure3.15:AverageGradeinHighSchool:A+,A,orA‐................................................................................74Figure3.16:MedianHoursPerWeekinHighSchool:Studying/Homework.......................................74Figure3.17:Self‐RatedMathematicalAbility.....................................................................................................75Figure3.18:Self‐RatedAcademicAbility..............................................................................................................75Figure3.19:CollegeApplicationsOtherThanCurrentCollege:SixorMore........................................76Figure3.20:AttendingFirstChoiceCollege........................................................................................................76Figure3.21:ReasonForAttendingThisCollege:MyTeacherAdvisedMe...........................................77Figure3.22:ReasonForAttendingThisCollege:IWantedtoLiveNearHome..................................77Figure3.23:ExpecttoWorkFull‐TimeWhileAttendingCollege..............................................................78Figure3.24:PercentIndicatingMajorConcernsAboutFinancingCollege...........................................78Figure3.25:YourProbableFieldofStudy:Engineering................................................................................79Figure3.26:YourProbableFieldofStudy:Psychology.................................................................................79Figure3.27:YourProbablyCareer/Occupation:Nurse.................................................................................80Figure3.28:Goal:HelpingtoPromoteRacialUnderstanding.....................................................................80Figure3.29:Goal:InfluencingSocialValues........................................................................................................81Figure3.30:MedianHoursPerWeekinHighSchool:VolunteerWork..................................................81Figure3.31:Goal:WritingOriginalWorks...........................................................................................................82Figure3.32:Goal:BecomingAccomplishedinthePerformingArts........................................................82Figure3.33:FrequentlyFeltDepressedinHighSchool.................................................................................83Figure3.34:ExpecttoSeekPersonalCounseling.............................................................................................83Figure3.35:MedianHoursPerWeekinHighSchoolExerciseorSports..............................................84Figure3.36:BeliefthatWealthyPeopleShouldPayaLargerShareofTaxes......................................84

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FOREWORD

nits2010StrategicPlan,theWomen’sCollegeCoalitionsetoutto“enhance

thepowerandinfluenceofwomen’scollegesasthoughtleadersand

educationalinnovatorsbyadvancingitsmembers’sharedmissiontopromote

thewell‐beingandsuccessofwomenandgirls.”

CentraltothisstrategicplanistheCoalition’sresearchagenda,whichseeksto

provide“compellingdataandanalysisoftheeffectivenessofawomen’scollegeeducation

thatilluminatesthefactorsthatcanimpedeorenhancethewell‐beingandsuccessof

womenandgirlsbefore,during,andaftercollege.”Atatimeofrapidanddisruptivechange

inhighereducation,thisresearchagendaisdesignedtoprovideCoalitionmemberswitha

well‐groundedandmulti‐dimensionalanswertothequestion“WhyDoestheWorldNeed

Women’sColleges?”

TheCoalition’sresearchagendaismulti‐facetedandhierarchical.Asafirststep,the

CoalitionengagedUCLAProfessorLindaSax,authorofthegroundbreaking2008bookThe

GenderGapinCollege:MaximizingtheDevelopmentalPotentialofWomenandMen,to

conductatwo‐phasestudyofstudentsandfacultyatwomen’scolleges.

PhaseOne,whichisthesubjectofWhoAttendsaWomen’sCollege?Identifying

UniqueCharacteristicsandPatternsofChange,1971‐2011,isaself‐assessmentthat

describesforty‐yeartrendsinthewomen’scollegepopulationbyexamininghowthe

backgrounds,characteristics,andpredispositionsofwomen’scollegeattendeeshave

shiftedoverthepastfourdecadesandhowtheseshiftscomparetowomenat

coeducationalinstitutions.

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PhaseTwo,whichwascompletedinsummer2013,identifiesdifferencesbetween

women’sandcoeducationalcollegesinprofessors’approachestoteachingandstudent

engagement.

Whilewomenhaveoutnumberedandinsomecasesoutperformedmenon

coeducationalcollegecampusesformorethantwodecades,therearelargegapsinwhat

weknowaboutstudentsuccessbygender.ThekindofresearchtheCoalitionhas

commissionedinPhaseOnehasneverbeenundertakenbefore.

Therearemanysimilaritiesinthetrendsamongwomenatwomen’scollegesand

womenatcoeducationalinstitutions.WhoAttendsaWomen’sCollege?IdentifyingUnique

CharacteristicsandPatternsofChange,1971‐2011focusesonthosetrendsthatshow

significantdifferences.Thisreportnotonlyprovidesdatatohelpusbetterunderstand

whostudentsatwomen’scollegesareandhowtheyhavechangedovertime,butitalso

servesasafoundationandheuristicforfurtherresearchthatwillyielddatatoilluminate

thefactorsthatinfluencewomen’ssuccessincollege,helpwomen’scollegesservestudents

better,andpositionwomen’scollegesasthoughtleadersinpreparingwomenforsuccess.

WhoAttendsaWomen’sCollegerevealssomestrikingtrendsinthebackgroundsand

attitudesofwomen’scollegestudentsinsuchareasas:

Demographics

AcademicSelf‐confidenceandEngagement

CollegeChoice

FinancialAttitudesandExpectations

Educational,CareerandFamilyAspirations

LeadershipandCommunityOrientation

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ArtisticInclination

PsychologicalandPhysicalWell‐Being

Spirituality

ExtracurricularActivities

PoliticalandSocialViews

Itisimportanttonotethatthisreportdescribesinaggregatethepopulationof

womenwhonowattendwomen’scollegesandwhohaveattendedwomen’scollegesinthe

past.Itdoesnotreflectthevariationbetweenwomen’scollegesinthecharacteristicsof

theirstudentstoday.Thedemographicprofileofanyparticularwomen’scollegemaylook

verydifferentfromtheaggregateprofiledescribedintheresearch.

However,whiletherearesignificantinstitutionalvariationsamongwomen’s

colleges,studentsinthewomen’scollegesectoroverallareinmanywaysabellwetherfor

womeninhighereducation.ThefindingsoftheCoalition’sresearchagendawillprovidea

basisforunderstandingandultimatelyimprovingtheexperiencesofallwomenatalltypes

ofinstitutionsofhighereducation.

TheWomen’sCollegeCoalition

September,2014

vii 

EXECUTIVESUMMARY

cholarshiponwomen’scollegesoftenreferencesthefactthatthese

institutionshavediminishedinnumberovertheyears.However,an

understandingofthissectorinvolvesmorethancountingthesheer

numberofinstitutions;itrequiresunderstandingwhoattendstheseinstitutionsand

whethersuchpopulationshavechangedovertime.Suchknowledgewouldenable

scholars,administratorsandotherinterestedpartiestoconsidertheroleofwomen’s

collegesinthecontemporaryhighereducationlandscape,andwouldassistthese

institutionsintheireffortstobetterservetheirstudents.Assuch,thisstudyusesnational

dataonenteringcollegestudentstoaddressthefollowingmajorquestions:

1. Howdothecharacteristicsandpredispositionsofcurrentwomen’scollege

attendeescomparewiththoseobservedamongwomenenteringcoeducational

institutions?

2. Howhavethesetraitsshiftedoverthepastfourdecadesrelativetotrends

observedforwomenatcoeducationalinstitutions?

Thisstudyrelieson“FreshmanSurvey”datacollectedoverthepastfourdecadesby

theCooperativeInstitutionalResearchProgram(CIRP),thenation’slargestandlongest‐

runningempiricalstudyofAmericanhighereducation.TheCIRP,housedatUCLA’sHigher

EducationResearchInstitute,collectsawiderangeofinformationonincomingcollege

students,includingdemographicbackgrounds;self‐confidence;collegechoice;career

aspirations;leadershipandcommunityorientation;andpsychologicalwell‐being.Since

1966,theCIRPhascollecteddataonmorethan10millionstudentsatmorethan1,600

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collegesanduniversities,including49thatwerewomen’scollegesin2011(theend‐point

forthisstudy).Forthisreport,weanalyzedtheresponsesof262,722femalestudentswho

enteredthese49women’scollegesbetween1971and2011.Theirresponseswere

comparedtothoseofover4.4millionwomenenteringnearly1,000historically

coeducationalinstitutionsduringthesametimeperiod.Thereportdocumentsthe

trajectoryofwomen’scollegestudentsovertimerelativetostudentsattendingpublicand

privatefour‐yearcollegesanduniversities.

KeyFindings

Demographics

o Women’scollegescurrentlyenrollamoreraciallyandethnicallydiverse

populationofstudentsthananyofthecomparisoninstitutions.Justoverhalf

ofthestudentsattendingwomen’scollegesinoursampleidentify

themselvesasWhite,followedbyoveroneinfourwhoisAfricanAmerican,

almostoneinsixwhoisChicana/Latina,andoneinninewhoisAsian

American.

o Trendsshowthatstudentsattendingwomen’scollegesintheearly1970s

camefromfamilieswiththehighestmedianincomerelativetothe

comparisongroups,butthetrendhassinceshiftedtothepointtowherenow

studentsenteringwomen’scollegeshailfromfamilieswiththelowest

incomes(about$84,000comparedtoabout$100,000ormoreatthe

coeducationalcomparisongroups).

ix 

AcademicSelf‐Confidence&Engagement

o Studentsenteringwomen’scollegesareamongthemostlikelytorate

themselves“aboveaverage”or“highest10%”comparedtotheaverage

persontheirageincomputerskills(33.8%)andinintellectualself‐

confidence(55.4%).However,self‐ratingsofmathematicalandacademic

abilityarelowestamongwomenenteringwomen’scolleges,withonly33.9%

ofstudentsratingthemselvesinthesetoptwocategories.

o Womenenteringwomen’scollegesaremorelikelythanthoseatthe

coeducationalcomparisoninstitutionstoexpecttocommunicateregularly

withtheirprofessors(60.3%)ortoworkonaprofessor’sresearchproject

(41.1%).

CollegeChoice

o Whenaskedtoindicatewhytheychosetoattendtheircurrentinstitution,

thetopfivereasonsnotedas“veryimportant”forwomen’scollegeattendees

arethatthecollegehasaverygoodacademicreputation(78.4%),the

graduatesgetgoodjobs(66.8%),theywereofferedfinancialassistance

(64.2%),theywantedtoattendaschoolofthissize(58.9%),andhaving

visitedthecampus(56.8%).Thesereasonsarealsoamongthemost

frequentlycitedbystudentsfromcoeducationalinstitutions.

o Women’scollegestudentsaresignificantlymorelikelythanstudentsfrom

coeducationalcollegestochoosetheircollegebecauseofencouragement

fromhighschoolcounselors(13.2%),privatecollegecounselors(7.8%),

teachers(8.5%),andrelatives(7.4%).

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FinancialAttitudes&Expectations

o Morethanhalf(56.4%)ofthestudentsenteringwomen’scollegesplanon

gettingajobtohelppayforcollegeexpensesandtwo‐thirds(66%)have

takenoutloans(bothfiguresaresignificantlyhigherthanatthecomparison

institutions).

Educational,CareerandFamilyAspirations

o Nearlytwo‐thirds(64.5%)ofentrantstowomen’scollegesplantoearnpost‐

baccalaureatedegrees;women’scollegeattendeesarethemostlikelyofall

groupstoplantoearnaPh.D.(27.3%).

o Themostpopularcareeraspirationsforstudentsenteringwomen’scolleges

areinmedical/healthfieldssuchasnursing(11.7%),medicine(10.2%),and

thehealthprofessions(9.5%).

CommunityOrientation

o Studentsenteringwomen’scollegesaremorelikelythanwomenattending

coeducationalcollegestovaluehelpingotherswhoareindifficulty(81.7%),

influencingsocialvalues(53.8%),helpingtopromoteracialunderstanding

(50.7%),becomingacommunityleader(45.5%),participatingina

communityactionplan(43.9%),andbecominginvolvedinprogramstoclean

uptheenvironment(33.8%).

o Theyalsoreportthehighestlevelofengaginginvolunteerworkbythetime

theyentercollege,anaverageof3.7hoursperweek.Thistrendhas

increasedfasterforstudentsenteringwomen’scollegesrelativetothe

coeducationalcomparisongroups.

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ArtisticInclination

o Studentsatwomen’scollegesaremorelikelythanstudentsentering

coeducationalcollegestovalueartisticgoalssuchaswritingoriginalworks

(20.6%),becomingaccomplishedinoneoftheperformingarts(20.4%),and

creatingartisticworks(19.7%).

Psychological&PhysicalWellbeing

o Comparedwithwomenattendingcoeducationalinstitutions,thosewho

enrollinwomen’scollegesaretheleastlikelytoindicatehighself‐ratingsof

theiremotionalhealth(43.0%)andphysicalhealth(40.7%),andarethe

mostlikelytoreportthattheyfrequentlyfeltoverwhelmed(42.4%)or

depressed(11.4%)intheyearpriortocollege.

o Women’scollegeattendeesarealsothemostlikelytoexpecttoseekpersonal

counselingincollege(16.3%),atrendthathasrisenovertime.

Political&SocialViews

o Women’scollegeattendeesaresignificantlymorelikelytoexpressthegoalof

wantingtoinfluencethepoliticalstructure(23.7%)andarethemostlikelyto

haveworkedinalocal,state,ornationalpoliticalcampaign(12.1%).

o Studentsenteringwomen’scollegesarealsomorelikelytosupportgun

controllaws(81.5%),taxingthewealthy(73.7%),anationalhealthcareplan

(73.8%),andgivingstudentsfromdisadvantagedsocialbackgrounds

preferentialtreatmentincollegeadmissions(46.7%).

Whilethereportshowsthatwomen’scollegesare,asagroup,onauniquetrajectory

intermsofthestudentstheyadmit,sometrendsforwomenareuniversalregardlessof

xii 

whattypeofcollegetheyattend(e.g.,growingfinancialconcerns,increasingstress,and

declininglevelsofself‐reportedemotionalhealth).Nevertheless,women’scollegesmaybe

seenashavingauniqueopportunitytodemonstratehowbesttoeducateanincreasingly

diversecollegestudentpopulation. Further,theeducationalclimateatwomen’scolleges

maybenefitfromthefactthattheseinstitutionstendtoattractstudentswhoareespecially

ambitious,intellectuallycurious,creative,andsocialchange‐oriented.

xiii 

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

Thisreportwasmadepossiblebytheeffortsofseveralindividualsand

organizations.TheHigherEducationResearchInstituteatUCLAwasinstrumentalin

providingthestudentdatathatwereessentialinconductingthisresearch.Wearealso

gratefultotheWomen’sCollegeCoalition(WCC)fortheirsupportforthisstudyandthe

valuetheyplaceinunderstandingtheirstudentpopulations.Earlyleadershipfrom

MaryAnnBaenninger(formerpresidentoftheCollegeofSaintBenedict)andSusanLennon

(formerpresidentoftheWCC)helpedtogarnersupportforthisprojectandalsototackle

someoftheearlymethodologicaldecisionsthatneededtobemade.ManythankstoWCC

InterimPresidentMarilynHammond,WCCBoardChairElizabethKiss,andotherboard

members,whohaveprovideduswithongoinginsightsleadingtotheproductionofthis

report.Finally,asalways,wearegratefultothecollegesthatparticipatedinthestudyand

totheirstudents,withoutwhomsuchresearchwouldnotbepossible.

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PARTI:INTRODUCTION

omen’scollegesholdauniqueplaceinthehistoryofwomeninthe

UnitedStates,withapurposeandpopularitythathasevolvedin

responsetochangesinwomen’ssocietalpositionandeducational

opportunities.Whatbeganinthemid‐19thcenturyasoneoftheonlyoptionsforwomen

seekingacollegeeducation,women’scollegescurrentlyenrolllessthanonepercentof

college‐goingwomen(Snyder&Dillow,2012).Injustthelastfiftyyears,thenumberof

women’scollegeshasdeclinedfrom233to51.Further,asmanyofthesurvivingwomen’s

collegesstrivetoretainenrollments,thepopulationofstudentsattendingwomen’scollege

hasbecomeincreasinglydiverseintermsofrace,class,andage(Miller‐Bernal,2012).

Uptothispoint,mostoftheresearchonstudentsattendingwomen’scollegeshas

focusedonoutcomes,andgenerallyrevealsbeneficialeffects.Forexample,women

attendingwomen’scollegeshavebeenshowntoexperiencegreatergainsincognitive

domainsincludingself‐reportedacademicandintellectualdevelopmentthanwomenat

coeducationalcolleges(Astin,1993;BaxterMagolda,1992;Kinzie,Palmer,Thomas,

Umbach&Kuh,2007).Womenattendingthesecollegesalsorankhigheronacademic

engagement(Kinzie,etal.,2007;NationalSurveyofStudentEngagement(NSSE),2003;

Smith,1990;Smith,Wolf,&Morrison,1995),intellectualself‐confidence(Kim,2002),and

self‐perceivedacademicability(Kim&Alvarez,1995)thantheirpeersatcoeducational

institutions.

Inadditiontoacademicbenefits,womenatwomen’scollegesarealsoreportedto

experienceincreasestotheirself‐esteemandleadershipabilities(Smith,Morrison,&Wolf,

1994;Astin,1977).Further,studentsatwomen’scollegeshavebeenshowntobemore

satisfiedwiththeiroverallcollegeexperience(NSSE,2003;Smith,1990)andwiththeir

interactionswithfaculty(Astin,1977;Smith,1990)thanwomenattendingcoeducational

institutions.Researchalsosuggestspotentialsocietalbenefitsofwomen’scolleges,inthat

women’scollegesfosterstudents’commitmenttoimprovingsocialconditionsintheworld

2 

aroundthem,inpartbecauseofthemoresociallyconsciouspeergroupsthatareattracted

towomen’scolleges(Kim,2001).

Studieshavealsoidentifiedpost‐collegebenefitstoattendingawomen’scollege,as

graduateshavebeenshowntoearnproportionatelymoredoctoratesinnontraditional

fieldsthanfemalegraduatesofcoeducationalcolleges(Tidball,Smith,Tidball&Wolf‐

Wendel,1999). Further,women’scollegesoftentoutthenumberofalumnaewhoare

leadersofFortune1000companiesormembersofCongress(www.womenscolleges.org).

Whileresearchhasdocumentednumerousbenefitsofattendingawomen’scollege,

thereisalsoevidenceoflessfavorableoutcomes.Specifically,studentsatwomen’scolleges

havebeenshowntobelesssatisfiedwiththequalityofsociallifeontheircampuses(Astin,

1993).Additionally,alumnaefromwomen’scollegesarelesslikelytohaveparticipatedin

intramuralsportsorvarsityathletics,activitieswhichhaveimportantconsequencesfor

collegewomen’sself‐esteem,mentalhealth,andacademicsuccess(Sax,2008).

AnEvolvingPopulationatWomen’sColleges

Whilescholarlyinquiryintothe“outcomes”ofattendingawomen’scollegehas

shapedourunderstandingofwhathappenstostudentsaftertheyattendtheseinstitutions,

researchrevealsverylittleabouthowthe“inputs”towomen’scollegeshavechanged.In

otherwords,howhasthepopulationofstudentsattendingwomen’scollegesevolvedover

time,especiallyinrecentdecadeswhenthenumberofwomen’scollegeshasdeclinedso

dramatically?Howhasthispopulationchangedintermsoftheiracademicbackgrounds,

expectationsforcollege,andpersonalandprofessionalgoals?Isthereadistincttrajectory

thatcanbeidentifiedforwomen’scolleges?

Suchknowledgewouldenablescholarstoconsidertheroleofwomen’scollegesin

thecontemporaryhighereducationlandscape,andwouldassisttheseinstitutionsintheir

effortstobetterservetheirstudents.Inordertocontributetothisgapintheliterature,this

studyusesnationaldataonenteringcollegestudentstoaddressthefollowingmajor

questions:

1. Howdothecharacteristicsandpredispositionsofcurrentwomen’scollege

attendeescomparewiththoseobservedamongwomenenteringcoeducational

institutions?

3 

2. Howhavethesetraitsshiftedoverthepastfourdecadesrelativetotrends

observedforwomenatcoeducationalinstitutions?

4 

PARTII:RESEARCHMETHODS

hisreportusesdatafromtheCooperativeInstitutionalResearch

Program’s(CIRP)FreshmanSurvey,whichisthenation’slongest‐running

surveyofstudentsenteringAmericancollegesanduniversities. TheCIRP

ishousedwithintheHigherEducationResearchInstitute(HERI)atUCLAandhas

administeredthissurveyannuallytoincomingfirst‐yearcollegestudentsnationwidesince

1966.Eachyear,HERIinvitesallregionallyaccreditedtwo‐andfour‐yearcollegesinthe

UnitedStatestoparticipateintheFreshmanSurvey,resultinginacollectionofdataon

morethan9millionstudentsatmorethan1,500collegesanduniversitiesovermorethan

fourdecades.

TheprimarypurposeoftheCIRPFreshmanSurveyistoprovidebaselinedataon

enteringcollegestudentssothattheymaybefollowed‐upovertimeinordertoassesshow

collegecontributestostudentlearninganddevelopment. Utilizedinnumerousbooksand

hundredsofotherpublications,CIRPdatahaveplayedamajorroleinshapingour

understandingofAmerica’senteringfreshmenandtheirdevelopmentduringthecollege

years.1

TheFreshmanSurveyInstrument(seeAppendixA)iscomprehensiveanddesigned

toelicitawiderangeofbiographicanddemographicdata,aswellasinformationon

students’highschoolbackground,careerplans,educationalaspirations,financial

arrangements,highschoolactivities,andcurrentattitudes.Revisedannually,the

questionnairehasbeendevelopedinconsultationwithstudents,professionalassociations,

participatinginstitutions,governmentagencies,educationalresearchers,administrators,

policymakers,andmembersoftheCIRPAdvisoryCommittee.Thedataforthisreportwere

takenfromFreshmanSurveyscompletedbyfemalefirst‐timefull‐timecollegestudents

whoenteredfour‐yearcollegesanduniversitiesbetween1971and2011.2

                                                            1See,forexample,Astin,A.W.(1993),Pascarella&Terenzini(1991),andSax(2008).2AlthoughtheFreshmanSurveyhasbeenadministeredsince1966,dataforthetrendanalysisareavailablestartingin1971.

5 

ComparisonGroups

Inordertocomparecharacteristicsoffemalestudentsenteringwomen’scolleges

withfemalestudentsenteringcoeducationalinstitutions,wecreatedfivecoeducational3

comparisongroupstoreflectthediversityofinstitutionsasdeterminedbycontrol

(public/private),religiousaffiliation,anddoctoral/non‐doctoralgrantingstatus(see

Table2.1).Eachgrouprepresentsadifferenttypeofinstitutiondeterminedeitherby

CIRPclassificationsorspecificcriteriausedtocreatepeergroupsforthisstudy.For

example,collegesfromtheAnnapolisGroupformaseparatecomparisongroupbecause

oftheirsimilarcharacteristicstomanyofthewomen’scolleges(i.e.,small,residential,

liberalarts).Thefollowingsectionprovidesadescriptionofeachcomparisongroup;for

afulllistofinstitutionswithineachcategorythatprovideddataonfirst‐timefull‐time

femalestudentsatanytimebetween1971and2011,seeAppendixB.

CurrentWomen’sCollegesThisgroupiscomprisedof49institutionsthatwerewomen’scollegesatthetime

ofthestudy(2011)andhadparticipatedintheFreshmanSurveyatanytimewithinthe

priorfourdecades;thisincludesatotalparticipationcountof262,722femalestudents.

HistoricallyCoeducationalComparisonGroupsAllCoeducationalPrivateFour‐YearColleges.Thiscomparisongroupincludesall

coeducationalprivatecollegesasdefinedbyCIRP4thathaveparticipatedinthe

FreshmanSurveyinthefour‐decadetimespan.Thereare747privatecollegesinthis

studywithatotalparticipationcountof1,952,986femalestudents.

TwohistoricallycoeducationalcomparisongroupsaresubsetsoftheAll

CoeducationalPrivateFour‐YearCollegesgroup.ThesesubsetgroupsaretheAnnapolis

groupandtheCatholicCollegesgroup.Theinstitutionsincludedinthesetwosubsetsare

alsoincludedintheAllCoeducationalPrivateFour‐YearCollegesgroup.

AnnapolisGroup.CollegesintheAnnapolisGrouprepresentleading

institutionsthatemphasizealiberalartseducationandtheresidentialcollege

                                                            3Inordertofocuson“historicallycoeducational”institutions,noneoftheschoolsdeemedcoeducationalinthisreportareformerwomen’scolleges.4CIRPdefines“colleges”asfour‐yearinstitutionsthatofferpostbaccalaureateprogramsbutnotasufficientnumberofdoctoraldegrees,whereas“universities”aredefinedbyinstitutionsthatmeetaminimumofdoctoraldegreesawarded.SeePryor,Hurtado,Saenz,Santos&Korn(2007). 

6 

experience.5Thisgroupincludesallcoeducationalinstitutionsthatarepartofthe

AnnapolisGroupandhaveparticipatedintheFreshmanSurveybetween1971

and2011.Ofthe130AnnapolisGroupmemberinstitutions,thereare109colleges

inthiscomparisongroupwithatotalparticipationcountof638,387female

students.

CatholicColleges.Thisgroupincludesallcoeducationalinstitutionsdefined

byCIRPasCatholiccollegesthatparticipatedintheFreshmanSurveybetween

1971and2011.Thisstudyincludes144CatholicCollegeswithatotal

participationof385,206femalestudents.

PrivateUniversities.ThisgroupincludesallprivateuniversitiesasdefinedbyCIRP

thatparticipatedintheFreshmanSurveybetween1971and2011.Thereare86ofthese

institutionsinthestudywithatotalparticipationcountof816,982femalestudents.

PublicUniversities.ThisgroupincludesallpublicuniversitiesasdefinedbyCIRP

thatparticipatedintheFreshmanSurveybetween1971and2011.Thereare121ofthese

institutionsintheCIRPwithatotalparticipationcountof1,654,381femalestudents.

CategoriesforAnalysis

Atotalof162surveyitemswereidentifiedfromtheFreshmanSurveyfor

analysis.DrawingfromcategoriesdefinedinSax(2008),theseitemswereorganizedinto

12separatetopicalcategories,witheachcategorycontainingseveralsurveyitems

relatingtotherespectivetopic(mostofwhichhavebeenonthesurveyfordecades

allowingfortrendanalyses).Thesecategoriesare:Demographics(15items),Academic

Self‐ConfidenceandEngagement(22items);CollegeChoice(26items);Financial

AttitudesandExpectations(8items);Educational,CareerandFamilyAspirations(9

items);LeadershipOrientation(9items);CommunityOrientation(18items);Artistic

Inclination(5items);PsychologicalandPhysicalWell‐Being(6items);Spirituality(5

items);ExtracurricularActivities(16items);andPoliticalandSocialViews(23items).

                                                            5Seeannapolisgroup.orgformoreinformationabouttheAnnapolisGroupanditsmembercolleges.

7 

Analysis

Inordertoanswerourresearchquestions,weutilizedbothcross‐sectionalanalysis

andtrendanalysis.Thisallowsustoexaminesimilaritiesanddifferencesinthe

characteristicsofincomingstudentsatwomen’scollegesandcoeducationalinstitutions

andhowthesepatternsmayhavechangedoverthepastfourdecades.Someitemsonthe

surveywereaggregatedpriortoanalysissuchasparents’occupations,students’probable

career/occupation,andstudents’probablefieldofstudy(seeAppendixC).Formostitems,

percentagesarereported;howevermedianswerecalculatedforthehoursperweekitems6

andparentalincome7andareusedforboththecross‐sectionalanalysisandtrendanalyses.

Forparentalincome,medianswerecalculatedandthenconvertedinto2011constant

dollarstoadjustforinflationovertime.

Cross‐SectionalAnalysis.All162surveyitemswereexaminedinthecross‐sectional

analysis.Datafrom2011wereusedforthisanalysistomakepresent‐daycomparisons

betweentheCurrentWomen’sCollegegroupandthefivecoeducationalcomparison

groups.8Outofthe49institutionsintheCurrentWomen’sCollegegroup,22ofthese

participatedintheFreshmanSurveyin2011andareincludedinthiscross‐sectional

analysis.Todeterminestatisticallysignificantdifferencesbetweengroups,z‐testswere

performed(Agresti&Finlay,2009).Thesez‐testswereconductedbetweentheproportion

ofwomenstudentsatwomen’scollegesandwomenateachofthecoeducational

comparisongroupsatthe.05levelforallitemsexceptmedianparentalincomeandmedian

hoursperweekitems9.TheseresultsaredisplayedinTables3.1through3.12,whichalso

includeanindicatorofhowwomen’scollegesrankoneachitemrelativetothe

coeducationalcomparisongroups.

TrendAnalysis.Ofthe162surveyitemsanalyzedinthisreport,141wereusedfor

trendanalysis.Theseareitemsthathavebeenaskedonthesurveyaminimumof10times                                                            6Thepercentofstudentsfromeach“hoursperweek”responsecategoryrangeweremultipliedbythemeanthatrange,thenallresponsecategorycalculationsweresummedanddividedby100.Forexample,forresponsecategories1‐2hoursand3‐5hours,thepercentageofstudentswouldbemultipliedby1.5and4,respectively.7TheU.S.BureauofLaborStatisticsConsumerPriceIndex(CPI)InflationCalculatorwasusedtoconvertmedianparentalincomeinto2011constantdollars,seehttp://www.bls.gov/data/inflation_calculator.htm8Insomecases,ifanitemdidnotappearonthe2011survey,weuseddatafrom2009or2010,asindicatedinthetables.9SignificancetestingcouldnotbeperformedonmediansbecausethisreportreliesonprofilereportsprovidedbyHERI,notonrawdatanecessaryforsignificancetestingofmedians.

8 

between1971and2011,identifyinglong‐termdistinctionsbetweencurrentwomen’s

collegesandeachofthecoeducationalcomparisongroups.Trendsoneachoftheitems

fromtheWomen’sCollegegroupwerecomparedtothetrendsfromfiveother

coeducationalcomparisongroups.Itisimportanttonotethatthesampleofwomen’s

collegeschoosingtoparticipateintheFreshmanSurveyvariedfromyeartoyear;

therefore,findingsinanygivenyearmaynotpreciselyreflectthepopulationofallwomen’s

colleges.Nevertheless,thelong‐termtrendsserveasanindicatorofbroaderpatterns

observedamongstudentsattendingthesecolleges.(SeeAppendixDfortheFreshman

Surveyyearlyparticipationhistoryforthe49women’scollegesinoursample.)

9 

PARTIII:COMPARINGCURRENTWOMEN’SCOLLEGESWITHHISTORICALLYCOEDUCATIONALINSTITUTIONS

hissectionfocusesondifferencesintheenteringstudentcharacteristics

betweenwomenattendingwomen’scollegesandthoseattending

historicallycoeducationalinstitutions.Thesefindingsaresummarized

acrossthefollowingcategories:Demographics,AcademicSelf‐ConfidenceandEngagement;

CollegeChoice;FinancialAttitudesandExpectations;Educational,CareerandFamily

Aspirations;LeadershipOrientation;CommunityOrientation;ArtisticOrientation;

PsychologicalandPhysicalWell‐Being;Spirituality;ExtracurricularActivities;andPolitical

andSocialViews.

Theresultsthatfollowfocusontwoprimarypointsofcomparison. Thefirstisto

examinehowacohortofcollegestudentsenteringwomen’scollegesinFall2011compares

withfemalestudentsenteringeachoffivehistoricallycoeducationalcomparisongroups:all

privatefour‐yearcolleges,collegesintheAnnapolisGroup,Catholicfour‐yearcolleges,

publicuniversitiesandprivateuniversities.Giventhelargenumberofsurveyitems,this

presentationfocusesonresultsthatareattheextremes(i.e.,2011resultsthatarehighest

orlowestforwomen’scollegesrelativetothecoeducationalcomparisongroups).Readers

canconsultthetablestoseethespecificmagnitudeofthedifferencebetweenwomen’s

collegesandeachoftheotherinstitutionaltypes.

Thesecondanalyticalapproachistoexaminemajortrendsthatarewitnessedwhen

examiningsurveytrendsbetween1971and2011.Givenspaceconsiderations,itisnot

feasibletodisplaytrendresultsforallitems,sothepresentationoftheseresultsis

selective,focusingprimarilyonlong‐termtrendsthatarenotablydifferentbetween

women’scollegesandthecomparisongroups(i.e.,thetrendlinesarenotparallel).Because

thisanalyticalapproachhighlightsareasofdifferenceinthelong‐termtrendsexperienced

bywomen’scollegesandcoeducationalinstitutions,readersshouldrememberthatforthe

largenumberoftrendsnotdiscussed,shiftsovertimetypicallyrevealsimilartrajectories

forwomen’scollegesandcoeducationalinstitutions.

10 

Demographics

AsdescribedinSax(2008),thepopulationofwomenattendingcollegesand

universitiesintheUnitedStateshasbecomeincreasinglydiverseintermsofracial/ethnic

andeconomicbackgrounds,andwomenaremorelikelythanevertocomefromfamilies

whereoneorbothparentsearnedcollegedegrees.Inthissection,weexploretheextentto

whichtheseandotherdemographictrendsholdupamongthepopulationofwomen

attendingwomen’scolleges.(SeeTable3.1)

Race/ethnicity.AmongthecohortofwomenenteringcollegeinFall2011,the

women’scollegesparticipatinginourstudyattractamoreraciallyandethnicallydiverse

populationofstudentsthanthecomparisoninstitutions.Inparticular,relativeto

coeducationalcollegesanduniversities,women’scollegesenrollthegreatestproportionsof

studentsidentifyingasAfricanAmerican10(26.9percent),AmericanIndian(3.3percent),

and“other”race/ethnicity(4.6percent),andaresecondonlytopublicuniversitiesinthe

proportionofChicano/Latinostudentsenrolled(14.2percent).Women’scollegesalso

enrollasignificantlyhigherproportionofAsian/AsianAmericanstudents(11.0percent)

relativetootherfour‐yearcolleges,thoughtheAsianstudentpopulationishigheratpublic

andprivateuniversities.Women’scollegesarebyfartheleastlikelytoenrollstudentswho

identifyasWhite/Caucasian(55.4percent).

Lookingatthetrendsovertime,weseethatthedeclineintheWhite/Caucasian

populationisevidentacrossallcategoriesofinstitutions,butismorepronouncedwithin

women’scolleges(seeFigure3.1). Trendsfortwootherracial/ethnicgroupsarealso

worthhighlighting.First,theproportionofAfricanAmericansattendingwomen’scolleges

hasrisendramaticallyovertime,11atrendnotevidentinthecomparisongroups(see

Figure3.2).Second,theproportionofAsianAmericansincreasedatwomen’scolleges

duringthe1970sand1980s,butleveledoffandevendippedafterthemid‐1990s,aperiod

duringwhichAsianAmericanwomen’senrollmentgrewsubstantiallyatcoeducational

institutions,mostsignificantlyatpublicandprivateuniversities(seeFigure3.3).                                                            10ItshouldbenotedthatinstitutionswithlargerAfricanAmericanenrollments(e.g.,HistoricallyBlackWomen’sColleges(BennettCollegeandSpelmanCollege)aswellasseveralwomen’scollegesthathavebecomeminority‐servinginstitutions)comprisedanincreasingshareofinstitutionsparticipatingintheFreshmanSurveyovertime,particularlyfrom2009to2011.11Thedipin1984reflectstheoneyearthatSpelmanCollegedidnotparticipateintheFreshmanSurvey. 

11 

Theracial/ethnicprofileofstudentsatwomen’scollegesisalsoreflectedinthe

diversityofthehighschoolsandneighborhoodsfromwhichthesewomencame.

Specifically,women’scollegestudentsaretheleastlikelytohailfromhighschoolsand

neighborhoodsthataremostlyorcompletelywhite,whiletheyarethemostlikelyofall

collegewomentocomefromschoolsandneighborhoodsthatareraciallydiverseor

completelynon‐White.Infact,afull29.8percentofwomen’scollegeattendeeshailfrom

neighborhoodsthataremostlyorcompletelynon‐White.

Familyincome.AsshowninTable3.1,studentsattendingwomen’scollegescome

fromfamilieswiththelowestmedianincomes(approximately$84,000,relativetoroughly

$100,000ormoreineachofthecomparisongroups,includingahighof$126,000for

womenattendingprivateuniversities).Thisrepresentsasignificantshiftsincetheearly

1970swhenwomen’scollegeattendeeshailedfromfamilieswiththehighestfamilyincome

relativetowomenfromcoeducationalinstitutions(seeFigure3.4).Thistrendforwomen’s

collegesisreflectedinadeclineinmedianfamilyincomefrom$117,340in1971(in2011

constantdollars)to$83,831in2011.12

Perhapsrelatedtodecliningfinancialresourcesamongwomen’scollegeattendees,

inthepasttwodecadesthispopulationhasbecomelesslikelytotravelgreatdistances(at

least500miles)toattendcollege(seeFigure3.5).Thispatterndepartsfromthatobserved

forwomenatcoeducationalinstitutionswho,forthemostpart,havebecomeincreasingly

likelytoattendcollegefarfromhome(especiallyatprivateuniversitiesandAnnapolis

Groupcolleges).

Parents’education.Comparedtowomenatotherinstitutions,women’scollege

attendeesarethemostlikelytoreportthattheirmothersandfathersdidnotattend

college.Inotherwords,womenatwomen’scollegesarethemostlikelyofallcollege

womentobefirst‐generationcollegestudents.Similarly,whenlookingattrendsincollege

degreeattainment,wefindaninterestingcontrastbetweenwomen’scollegesand

coeducationalinstitutions.Specifically,forcoeducationalcollegesthereisanincrease

between1971and2011intheproportionofwomenwhosefathershaveearnedcollege

                                                            12Thetrendforparentalincomeinthepastfewyears(andotherrecenttrendshighlightedinthisreport)mayreflectthechangingnatureofparticipatinginstitutions,asdescribedearlier.However,theseandothertrendsdoreflectlonger‐termtrajectoriesobservedinoursample.

12 

degrees(undergraduateorgraduate),butwithinthewomen’scollegepopulationthereisa

netdeclineincollege‐educatedfathers(seeFigure3.6).Wefindaslightlydifferentpattern

whenlookingattheproportionofwomenwhosemothershaveearnedacollegedegree:

thisfigurehasgrownovertimeforallfemalecollegeattendees,buttheincreasehasbeen

flatterinthewomen’scollegepopulation(seeFigure3.7).Thus,women’scollegeshave

experiencedauniquetrajectoryintermsoftheacademicattainmentoftheirstudents’

parents.

Parents’occupation.Theshiftsdescribedbytrendsinparents’incomeand

educationarereflectedinparentaloccupation.Inthe1970s,studentsattendingwomen’s

collegeswerethemostlikelytoreportthattheirfathersweredoctors,lawyers,orin

business.Currently,women’scollegeattendeesareamongtheleastlikelytoreportthese

careersfortheirfathers.AsshowninFigures3.8,3.9,and3.10,suchcareershaveexhibited

long‐termtrendsthataremarkedlydifferentforwomen’scollegesthanforcoeducational

institutions.Presently,women’scollegeattendeesarethemostlikelyofallgroupsto

indicatethattheirfathersarelaborers,unemployed,orinthemilitary;upwardtrendson

eachofthesecareershavebeenuniqueforwomen’scolleges(seeFigures3.11,3.12,and

3.13).Interestingly,wealsofindthatthefathersofwomen’scollegeattendeesaretheleast

likelytoholdtraditionallymaleoccupationsinengineeringandcomputerprogramming,

andarethemostlikelytobeintraditionallyfemalecareersofnursingorsocialwork

(thoughtheoverallnumbersarequitelowacrosstheboard).

Similartothefindingsobservedforthesestudents’fathers,studentsatwomen’s

collegearethemostlikelyofallgroupstoreportthattheirmothersareunemployed,and

arethesecondmostlikelytoreportthattheirmothersarelaborers.Inaddition,these

students’mothersaretheleastlikelytobehomemakersorK‐12teachers(traditionally

femaleoccupations),butarealsoamongtheleastlikelytoholdcareersinbusinessor

computerprogramming(traditionallymalecareers).Finally,unlikeforfather’scareer,

wherethelong‐termtrendsareuniquetowomen’scolleges,theforty‐yeartrendsfor

mothers’careersrevealsimilartrajectoriesbetweenwomen’scollegesandcoeducational

institutions.

Parents’maritalstatus. Studentsattendingwomen’scollegesaretheleastlikelyof

allgroupstocomefrom“traditional”householdswithtwomarriedparents,andarethe

13 

mostlikelytoreportthattheirparentsaredivorced/separatedorthatatleastoneparentis

deceased.Further,theoveralltrendforhavingdivorcedparentshasrisenmoresharplyat

women’scollegesthanatcoeducationalinstitutions,withwomenatprivateuniversitiesthe

mostlikelytoreporttwo‐parentintactfamilies(seeFigure3.14).

AcademicSelf‐ConfidenceandEngagement

Researchoncollege‐goingwomenhasconsistentlyshownthemtohavehighlevels

ofacademicachievementandengagement,butrelativelypooreracademicself‐confidence

(Sax,2008).Hereweexplorehowwomen’sacademicself‐confidenceandengagement

variesbetweenwomen’scollegesandcoeducationalinstitutions(seeTable3.2).

Lookingatgradesearnedinhighschool,afewthemesemerge.Firstisthat

practicallyallwomenattendingwomen’scollegesreportearningatleasta“B”averagein

highschool(92.6percent),withoverhalfofwomenreporting“A”averages(includingA+,

A,andA‐grades)(52.4percent);thesefiguresareevenhigherforwomenattending

coeducationalinstitutions.Theriseinthenumberofstudentsenteringcollegewith“A”

averages,especiallyinthepasttwodecades,hasbeendescribedas“gradeinflation”

(RosovskyandHartley,2002). However,itappearsthatthisphenomenonissomewhatless

prevalentamongwomenattendingwomen’scolleges,astheyrepresenttheonlycategory

inwhichtheproportionof“A”earnershasactuallydeclinedoverthepastdecade(see

Figure3.15).Timedevotedtostudyingandhomeworkduringhighschoolisalsoonthe

declineforstudentsenteringwomen’scolleges,apatternnotobservedatother

institutionaltypes(seeFigure3.16). Relatedtothesetrendsisthat,presently,women’s

collegeattendeesarethemostlikelytoanticipateneedingtutoringfortheircollegecourses

(43.0percent).Finally,althoughmoststudentsatwomen’scollegesindicatedthatthey

frequentlyoroccasionallystudiedwithotherstudentsintheirlastyearofhighschool(89.9

percent),thisfigurewaslowestamongwomen’scollegeattendeesrelativetothosewomen

whoattendedcoeducationalcolleges.

Manyofthesetrendsarereflectedintheacademicself‐ratingsreportedbywomen

attendingwomen’scolleges. Thesurveyasksstudentstoindicatetheirabilitiesrelativeto

“theaveragepersonyourage”onavarietyoftraits. Comparedtowomenatcoeducational

institutions,women’scollegeattendeesreportthelowestlevelsofmathconfidence;only

14 

33.9percentratethemselvesinthetoptwocategories(“aboveaverage”or“highest10%”)

inmathematicalability,afigurewhichisslightlyhigherintheprivatefour‐yearcomparison

groups,andsignificantlyhigheramongwomenattendingpublicandprivateuniversities.

Mathself‐ratingshavebeenonthedeclineforwomenatmostinstitutions,including

women’scolleges(seeFigure3.17).Resultsforself‐ratedacademicabilityaresubstantially

higherthanformathability,with70.1percentofwomen’scollegestudentsindicatingthat

theyareinthetoptwocategoriesinacademicability,thoughwomen’sacademicself‐

confidenceisstillhigherinmostofthecomparisoninstitutions.Further,women’scolleges

representtheonlygroupwhereincomingstudents’self‐ratingsonacademicabilityhave

generallydeclinedovertime(seeFigure3.18).Despitetheircomparativelylowacademic

andmathematicalself‐ratings,women’scollegestudentsindicatesomeofthehighest

ratingsinotherareas:theyreportthehighestlevelsofconfidenceintheircomputerskills

(33.8percentratingthemselves“aboveaverage”or“highest10%”)andthesecond‐highest

levelsofintellectualself‐confidence(55.4percent).

Thereareseveralotherpositivesignsforwomen’scolleges,especiallywhenit

comestowhattheirstudentsexpecttoexperienceincollege. Studentsattendingwomen’s

collegesarefarmorelikelythanwomenattendingcoeducationalinstitutionstobelieve

thereisa“verygoodchance”theywillcommunicateregularlywiththeirprofessors(60.3

percent)orworkonafacultyresearchproject(41.1percent;significantlyhigherthanall

comparisongroups). Further,women’scollegesaresecondonlytotheAnnapolisGroupin

theproportionofwomenwhosaytheyaregoingtocollege“tolearnaboutthingsthat

interestme”(89.1percent)or“togainageneraleducationandappreciationofideas”(81.9

percent).

CollegeChoice

TheFreshmanSurveyincludesavarietyofquestionsaboutthecollegechoice

processandthereasonswhystudentsselectedtheirparticularcollege(seeTable3.3).

Whilestudentsatalltypesofcollegesareapplyingtomorecollegesthaneverbefore,the

riseincollegeapplicationshasbeenlesssteepforwomenattendingwomen’scolleges(see

Figure3.19).Studentsatwomen’scollegesarealsotheleastlikelyofallgroupstoindicate

thattheyareattendingtheirfirstchoiceschool(56.4percent),afigurethathasdeclined

15 

acrossallinstitutionsfordecades,mostnotablyinthe2000s(seeFigure3.20).

Whenaskedtoindicatewhytheychosetoattendtheircurrentinstitution,thetop

fivereasonsnotedas“veryimportant”forwomen’scollegeattendeesarethatthecollege

hasaverygoodacademicreputation(78.4percent),thegraduatesgetgoodjobs(66.8

percent),beingofferedfinancialassistance(64.2percent),wantingtoattendaschoolof

thissize(58.9percent),andvisitingthecampus(56.8percent).Thesereasonsarealso

amongthemostfrequentlycitedbystudentsfromotherinstitutions.

However,theuniqueattractionofwomen’scollegesisapparentwhenconsidering

someoftheotherreasonswhystudentschoosetheseinstitutions. Inparticular,women’s

collegesattendeesaresignificantlymorelikelythanallgroupstoselecttheircollege

becausegraduatesgainadmissiontotopgraduateandprofessionalschools(50.8percent)

andsecondmostlikelyofallgroupstochoosethecollegebecauseofitsstrongacademic

reputation(78.4percent).Thesetrendssuggestthatacademicreputationisespecially

importanttostudentsenrollinginwomen’scolleges.

Thesurveyalsosuggeststhat,unlikecoeducationalinstitutions,women’scolleges

attractwomenwhoarespecificallyencouragedbyotherstochoosethatcollege.Women’s

collegeattendeesaresignificantlymorelikelythanallcomparisongroupstoattend

becauseofadvicetheyreceivedfromhighschoolcounselors(13.2percent),privatecollege

counselors(7.8percent),teachers(8.5percent)andrelatives(7.4).Further,theyare

secondonlytowomenatCatholiccollegestoindicatethattheychosethisinstitution

becausetheirparentswantedthemto(17.4percent).Althoughthesereasonsarefarless

influentialthantheacademicandfinancialreasonscitedbythemajorityofstudents,they

dosuggestauniqueroleofsignificant“others”inthedecisiontoattendawomen’scollege.

Further,theinfluenceofteachershasgrownmoreovertimeforstudentsattending

women’scollege(seeFigure3.21).

Otherfactorsthathaveincreasedinimportanceforstudentsselectingwomen’s

collegesinclude:advicefromhighschoolcounselorsandprivatecollegecounselors;

informationfromawebsite;thecollege’sreputationforsocialactivities;beingoffered

financialassistance;andnotbeingofferedfinancialassistancefromtheirfirstchoice

institution. Thoughthesetrendsforwomen’scollegesmirrorthoseobservedforwomenat

coeducationalinstitutions,onetrend—theimportanceofattendingacollegeneartheir

16 

home—hasgrownmostrapidlyovertimeamongstudentsattendingwomen’scolleges(see

Figure3.22). Perhapsrelatedtothisisthatstudentsatwomen’scollegesarethemost

likelyto“agreestrongly”thatthecurrenteconomicsituationsignificantlyaffectedtheir

collegechoice(24.8percent).Finally,thoughthenumbersaresmall,itmaybeimportantto

notethatstudentsattendingwomen’scollegesaresignificantlymorelikelythanallother

groupsofwomentobelievethereisaverygoodchancetheywilltransfertoanothercollege

beforegraduating(6.2percent).

FinancialAttitudesandExpectations

Asdemonstratedinthepriorsection,financialconsiderationsplayakeyrolein

women’sdecisionsaboutwheretoattendcollege.Thesignificanceofeconomicfactors

continuesaswomenentercollegeandanticipatetheirfinancialneedsalongthepathto

degreeattainment(seeTable3.4).Morethanhalfofstudentsenteringwomen’scolleges

(56.4percent)indicatethattheyplantogetajobtohelppayforcollegeexpenses,aslightly

butsignificantlyhigherlevelthaniswitnessedatthecoeducationalinstitutions(except

equaltotherateobservedatCatholiccolleges).Inaddition,thoughoverallratesarelow,

women’scollegeattendeesaresignificantlymorelikelythanallgroupstoanticipate

workingfull‐timewhileattendingcollege(7.3percent),atrendthathasrisenfasterover

timeforstudentsattendingwomen’scollegesthanforanyothergroup(seeFigure3.23).

Giventhesepatterns,perhapsitisnotsurprisingthatthewomen’scollegesampleis

significantlymorelikelytohavetakenoutloans(66percent)andtoindicate“major”

concernsaboutwhethertheywillhaveenoughfundstocompletecollege(17.8percent).

Further,whilethetrendonfinancialconcernhasfluctuatedovertimecommensuratewith

shiftsintheeconomy,ratesoffinancialconcernhavebeensignificantlyhigheratwomen’s

collegesforoveradecade(seeFigure3.24).

Whenitcomestolonger‐termfinancialgoals,themajorityofwomen’scollege

attendeesindicatethatbeingverywell‐offfinanciallyisaveryimportantoressentiallife

goal(77.4percent),afindingconsistentwithwomenacrossmostinstitutions.Further,

women’scollegeattendeesarethemostlikelyofallgroupstoindicateastrongdesireto

becomesuccessfulintheirownbusiness(40.7percent).

17 

Educational,Career,andFamilyAspirations

Surveyresultsalsogiveusanindicationofwomen’splansfordegreeattainment,

majorselection,andcareerchoice(seeTable3.5).Liketheirpeersincoeducational

colleges,themajorityofstudentsattendingwomen’scollegesaspiretopost‐baccalaureate

degrees.Overoneinthree(37.2percent)plantoearnamaster’sdegreeastheirhighest

degree,andoveroneinfour(27.3percent)plantoearnaPh.D.orEd.D.,afigure

significantlyhigherthanforstudentsinallcoeducationalcomparisongroups.Relatedto

this,women’scollegeattendeesaresignificantlymorelikelytoreportthatpreparingfor

graduate/professionalschoolwasaveryimportantreasonforgoingtocollege(72.5

percent).Asfurtherevidenceoftheiracademicandprofessionalorientation,studentsat

women’scollegesaresignificantlymorelikelythanallgroupstostatethat“makinga

theoreticalcontributiontoscience”isanimportantoressentialpersonalgoal(25.1

percent),andareamongtheleastlikelytoview“raisingafamily”asanimportantgoal

(69.8percent,second‐lowestonlytowomenatAnnapoliscolleges). Clearly,though,the

overallvalueplacedonfamilyisgreaterthanthevalueplacedonmakingscientific

contributions,afactthatholdstrueforwomenacrossallinstitutionalcategories.

Intendedmajor.Themostpopularinitialmajorchoicesforwomenentering

women’scollegesare:Healthprofessions(Medicine/Dentistry/Veterinary/Nursing/

Pharmacy/Therapy)(21.2percent),Biologicalsciences(12.6percent),Psychology(9.2

percent),Humanities/English(7.2percent),andEducation(6.9percent).Themostoft‐

citedfield—healthprofessions—isequallypopularamongwomenattendingCatholic

colleges,butrepresentstwicetheratethatisobservedamongwomenattendingAnnapolis

Groupinstitutions.

Alookatthetrendsinmajorselectionrevealssimilartrajectoriesacross

institutionalcategories.Thatis,growinginterestinfieldssuchasthesocialandbiological

sciences,andwaninginterestinfieldssuchcomputerscience,arealsoobservedforwomen

attendingcoeducationalinstitutions. However,twointerestingtrendsareworthnoting.

Firstisinthefieldofengineering,wherewomen’scollegesresembleotherprivatefour‐

yearcollegesinlowlevelsofstudentinterest(1.9percent),butpublicandprivate

universitiesincreasinglyattractwomenwithengineeringaspirations(seeFigure3.25).

18 

Thesecondinterestingtrendisinthefieldofpsychology,whichhasrecentlygrownmore

sharplyinpopularityatwomen’scollegesrelativetoallcoeducationalcategories.Women

atwomen’scollegesarenowthemostlikelytomajorinpsychology(9.2percent)compared

towomenatcoeducationalinstitutions(seeFigure3.26).

Careerchoice.Identifyingthemostpopularcareerchoicesforwomen’scollege

attendeesisabitmoredifficult,asthemostpopularcareerchoiceforthisgroupis

“undecided”(15.2percent).Amongthecareerchoicesthatareselected,thetopthreeare

nurse(11.7percent),doctor(M.D.orD.D.S.)(10.2percent),andhealthprofessional(9.5

percent).Clearly,thesecareerchoicesareconsistentwithsomeofthemostpopularmajors

forstudentsattendingwomen’scolleges.Infact,interestinnursingishigherforwomen’s

collegeattendeesthanforwomenatallcoeducationalinstitutions. Trendsalsorevealthat

interestinnursinghasbeenontheriseatwomen’scollegesoverthepastdecade,apattern

alsowitnessedatCatholiccollegesbutnotatotherinstitutionaltypes(seeFigure3.27).

Mostothertrendsincareerchoiceexhibitpatternsthatarefairlysimilarbetweenwomen’s

collegesandcoeducationalinstitutions.

LeadershipOrientation

SixitemsfromtheFreshmanSurveywereusedtomeasurestudents’self‐ratingsof

leadership‐relatedtraits:competitiveness,cooperativeness,drivetoachieve,leadership

ability,publicspeakingability,andsocialself‐confidence(seeTable3.6).Studentsat

women’scollegesrankinthemiddle‐to‐lowendoneachofthesetraitsrelativetowomenat

coeducationalinstitutions,thoughinsomecasesthereislimitedvariabilityacrossgroups.

Ontwoitems—thegoalof“becomingandauthorityinmyfield”and“obtainingrecognition

frommycolleaguesforcontributionstomyspecialfield”—studentsatwomen’scolleges

ranksecond,thoughagaintherangeofscoresisfairlylimitedacrosstheinstitutional

categories.Long‐termtrendsontheseleadershipvariablesindicatenouniquepatternsfor

women’scollegeattendees.

Whileself‐ratingsonleadership‐orientedtraitsarenothighforstudentsattending

women’scolleges,thesewomenareneverthelesssignificantlymorelikelythanfemale

studentsatotherinstitutionstoindicatethattheyplantoparticipateinstudent

governmentincollege(13.7percent).Thisislikelyduetotheirperceivedopportunitiesfor

19 

leadershipatawomen’scollege.

CommunityOrientation

Severalitemsonthesurveyassessstudents’commitmenttoimprovingcommunities

andhelpingothersinneed(seeTable3.7).Studentsattendingwomen’scollegesrankfirst

onthemajorityofquestionsinthiscategory.Specifically,whencomparedtowomen

attendingcoeducationalinstitutions,women’scollegeattendeesarethemostlikelyto

indicatethatthefollowinggoalsare“veryimportant”or“essential”tothem:helpingothers

indifficulty(81.7percent),influencingsocialvalues(53.8percent),helpingtopromote

racialunderstanding(50.7percent),becomingacommunityleader(45.5percent),

participatinginacommunityactionprogram(43.9percent),andbecominginvolvedin

programstocleanuptheenvironment(33.8percent).Women’scollegeattendeesalso

reportthehighestlevelsofvolunteerworkpriortoenteringcollege(3.7medianhoursper

week),andaresignificantlymorelikelythanallgroupstoanticipateparticipatingin

studentprotestsanddemonstrationswhileincollege(13.6percent).

Long‐termtrendsrevealthatthetrajectoryformostoftheseitemshasbeensimilar

forwomen’scollegesandcoeducationalinstitutions,butthatsomeaspectsofcommunity

orientationrevealagrowingsalienceamongstudentsatwomen’scolleges.Inparticular,

women’scollegeshaveincreasinglydistinguishedthemselvesfromcoeducational

institutionsinenrollingstudentswhoarestronglycommittedtopromotingracial

understandingandinfluencingsocialvalues(seeFigures3.28and3.29).Inaddition,the

timestudentsspendperformingvolunteerworkintheyearpriortocollegehasgrown

fasterforstudentsenrollinginwomen’scollegethanatcoeducationalinstitutions,

particularlyinrecentyears(seeFigure3.30).

ArtisticInclination

Aswithcommunityorientation,studentsattendingwomen’scollegesdistinguish

themselvesintermsoftheirartisticinclination(seeTable3.8). Theyaresignificantlymore

likelythanstudentsinthecoeducationalcomparisongroupstorankthefollowinggoalsas

“veryimportant”or“essential”:writingoriginalworks(20.6percent),becoming

accomplishedinoneoftheperformingarts(20.4percent),andcreatingartisticworks(19.7

20 

percent).Further,“aboveaverage”or“highest10%”ratingsoncreativity(58.6percent)

andartisticability(34.5percent)aresecond‐highestamongwomen’scollegeattendees

relativetoothergroups.

Interestingly,whileartisticinclinationsaretypicallythehighestatwomen’s

colleges,inrecentyearstherehasbeenanotabledeclineinartisticinterestsamong

studentsacrossallinstitutionalcategories,mostnoticeablyatwomen’scolleges.For

example,interestinwritingoriginalworksandbecomingaccomplishedintheperforming

artshaswanedinrecentyears,withsharperdeclinesobservedamongthoseentering

women’scolleges(seeFigures3.31and3.32).

PsychologicalandPhysicalWell‐Being

Oneofthemostsignificantandtroublingthemestoemergefromthedataisa

patternoflowpsychologicalandphysicalhealthreportedbywomenattendingwomen’s

colleges(seeTable3.9).Comparedwithwomenattendingcoeducationalinstitutions,those

whoenrollinwomen’scollegesaresignificantlylesslikelytoindicate“aboveaverage”or

“highest10%”self‐ratingsoftheiremotionalhealth(43.0percent)andphysicalhealth

(40.7percent),andaremorelikelytoreportthattheyfrequentlyfeltoverwhelmed(42.4

percent)ordepressed(11.4percent)intheyearpriortocollege.Giventhis,perhapsitis

notsurprisingthatwomenenteringwomen’scollegesarethemostlikelytoanticipate

seekingpersonalcounselingincollege(16.3percent).

Trendsovertimereveallong‐termdeclinesinratingsofemotionalhealthand

increasesinfeelingoverwhelmedforstudentsatallinstitutionaltypes,patternsthatare

fairlysimilarbetweenwomen’scollegesandcoeducationalcolleges. However,sometrends

revealdistinctivepatternsforwomen’scolleges:ratesofself‐reporteddepressionthat

remainconsistentlyhigherthanforwomenatcoeducationalschools(evenifoverallrates

aredownovertime)(seeFigure3.33),andasubstantiallysharperincreaseinthe

anticipatedneedforpersonalcounselingincollege(seeFigure3.34).

Spirituality

Whenitcomestoreligiouspreference,studentsattendingwomen’scollegesare

mostlikelytoidentifythemselvesasProtestant/Christian(45.6percent),followedby

21 

RomanCatholic(23.3percent),None(21.7percent),andJewish(2.3percent).An

additional7.1percentofwomen’scollegeattendeesidentifytheirreligiouspreferencein

othercategoriesnotrepresentedbytheabovegroups.Women’scollegesareamongthe

leastlikelytoenrollstudentswhoidentifyasRomanCatholic(withsmallerpercentages

reportedonlyatAnnapolisGroupcolleges)orJewish(withsmallerpercentagesreported

onlyatCatholiccolleges).Long‐termtrendsinreligiousidentificationarefairlysimilar

betweenwomen’scollegesandcoeducationalinstitutions.

Questionsregardingreligiousandspiritualengagementrevealpatternsthat

distinguishwomenattendingwomen’scollegesfromthoseatcoeducationalinstitutions

(seeTable3.10).Studentsenteringwomen’scollegesaresignificantlymorelikelythan

womenatthecomparisoninstitutionstoratetheirspiritualityas“aboveaverage”or

“highest10%”(43.7percent),andarethemostlikelytohavediscussedreligionfrequently

inthepastyear(38.8percent).Further,theyarenearlytiedwithwomenatAnnapolis

institutionsintheimportancetheyascribetodevelopingameaningfulphilosophyoflife

(considered“veryimportant”or“essential”by54.2percentofwomenatwomen’s

colleges).TheyarealsosecondonlytowomenatCatholiccollegesinreportingthatthey

attendedreligiousservicesinthepastyear(78.5percent).Thus,ratesofreligiousand

spiritualinvolvementareonthehighsideforwomenenteringwomen’scolleges,however

trendsovertimedonotrevealanydistinctivepatternsforthissector.

ExtracurricularActivities

Thesurveyasksanumberofquestionsrelatedtostudents’extracurricularactivities

(someofwhichhavealreadybeenreported,suchasvolunteerworkandreligious

attendance).AssummarizedinTable3.11,thissectionreportsonacollectionofother

activitiesthatreflectthebehaviorsofwomenintheyearpriortoenteringcollege—

patternsofbehaviorwhichareshowntopersistintothecollegeyears(Sax,2008).

Comparedwithwomenenteringcoeducationalinstitutions,thoseenteringwomen’s

collegesreportthehighestmedianhoursperweekutilizingonlinesocialnetworks(5.4

hoursperweek),watchingtelevision(4.1hoursperweek),readingforpleasure(3.1hours

perweek),andplayingvideo/computergames(approximately1hourperweek).However,

theyaretheleastlikelytohavespenttimesocializingwithfriends(8.8hoursperweek)

22 

andexercisingorplayingsports(6.3hoursperweek).Thus,eventhoughthewomen’s

collegepopulationreportsspendingmoretimesocializingandexercisingthantheydoon

themoreisolatingactivities,thepatternsheresuggestthattheyengageintheseactivitiesat

differentratesthantheircoeducationalpeers.Similarly,women’scollegeattendeesare

significantlylesslikelythanotherwomentoindicatethattheydrankwine/liquor(34.9

percent)orbeer(21percent)intheyearpriortocollege.Also,relatedtotheirlowratesof

exerciseandsports,studentsenteringwomen’scollegesaresignificantlylesslikelyto

indicatethattheyexpecttoplayclub,intramuralorrecreationalsportsincollege(23.2

percent).

Long‐termtrendsinextracurricularinvolvementarefairlysimilarbetween

women’scollegesandcoeducationalcolleges,withonenotableexception.Thatis,thetime

devotedtosportsandexercisehasincreasedovertimeforwomenacrossallcoeducational

institutions,buthasremainedsteady(andlowerthanallothergroups)forwomen

attendingwomen’scolleges(seeFigure3.35).

PoliticalandSocialViews

TheFreshmanSurveyasksanumberofquestionsthatshedlightonthepolitical

orientationsandattitudesofenteringcollegestudents(seeTable3.12).Lookingfirstat

self‐identifiedpoliticalleanings,wefindthatwomen’scollegeattendeesleanideologically

moretotheleftthantheright. Afull42.7percentofthemreporttheirpoliticalorientation

as“farleft”or“liberal,”comparedtoonly16.6percentwhoidentifyas“conservative”or

“farright.” Theremainingstudents(40.7percent)identifythemselvesas“middle‐of‐the‐

road.”Thismiddle‐leftleaningpatternisapparentacrossthecoeducationalgroupsaswell.

Relativetowomenatcoeducationalinstitutions,women’scollegeattendeesshow

relativelyhighlevelsofpoliticalengagement.Theyaresignificantlymorelikelythanall

groupstoindicatethatinfluencingthepoliticalstructureisa“veryimportant”or

“essential”personalgoal(23.7percent)andarethemostlikelytohaveworkedinalocal,

state,ornationalpoliticalcampaign(12.1percent).

Attitudesonpoliticalandsocialissuesindicateaprogressivemindsetthatis

especiallystrongamongstudentsattendingwomen’scollege.Comparedwithwomenfrom

thecoeducationalcomparisongroups,women’scollegeattendeesaresignificantlymore

23 

likelyto“agreesomewhat”or“agreestrongly”intheimportanceofguncontrollaws(81.5

percent),taxingthewealthy(73.7percent),havinganationalhealthcareplan(73.8

percent),andgivingstudentsfromdisadvantagedsocialbackgroundspreferential

treatmentincollegeadmissions(46.7percent).Attheotherendofthespectrum,women’s

collegeattendeesaretheleastlikelytoagreethatundocumentedimmigrantsshouldbe

deniedaccesstopubliceducation(30.1percent),thataffirmativeactionincollege

admissionsshouldbeabolished(41.4percent),andthatracialdiscriminationisnolongera

majorprobleminAmerica(16.2percent).Interestingly,despitetheirprogressivestance

onissuesrelatedtoraceandethnicity,women’scollegestudentsaretheleastlikelyto

believethatcollegesshouldprohibitracist/sexistspeechoncampus(69.1percent);

perhapsthisreflectsacommitmenttofreedomofspeechamongwomen’scollege

attendees.

Mostofthelong‐termtrendsinpoliticalandsocialviewsrevealsimilarpatterns

betweenwomen’sandcoeducationalcolleges,thoughoneinterestingtrendemerges.That

is,women’scollegeattendeeshaveshiftedfrombeingtheleastlikelytothemostlikelyto

believethatthewealthyshouldpaymoretaxes(seeFigure3.36).Thistrendlikelyreflects

theshifttowardslower‐incomestudentsinthewomen’scollegepopulation.

24 

SUMMARYOFKEYFINDINGSANDQUESTIONSFORCONSIDERATION

hisreportreviewstheincomingcharacteristicsofwomenattending

women’scollegesandthoseattendingcoeducationalinstitutions.Across

allcategoriesexamined,notabledifferenceswerefound betweentheFall

2011enteringcohortofstudentsatwomen’scollegerelativetotheircoeducationalpeers.

Insomecaseswealsofindthatthetrajectoryonaparticularsurveyquestionisuniquefor

studentsatwomen’scolleges,suchthatshiftsovertimeinthecharacteristicsofwomen

attendingtheseinstitutionsaremoreorlesspronouncedthanshiftsoccurringamongthe

populationofwomenenteringcoeducationalinstitutions.Belowaresomeofthemajor

findings,eachfollowedbyalistofquestionsthatthewomen’scollegesmaywishto

consider.Women’scollegesattractanincreasinglydiverseandfinanciallydisadvantagedstudent

population.

Questionswomen’scollegesmaywishtoconsider:Whatarethemostsuccessful

recruitmentstrategiesforattractingadiversepopulationofstudents?Towhatextentdo

ourmarketingmaterialsreflectthischangingpopulation?Howawareareweaboutour

students’financialchallenges,needforemploymentandfinancialaid,andongoingfamily

responsibilities?Whatprogramsandservicesarecurrentlyinplacetoaddresstheunique

culturalandfinancialneedsofourstudents?Women’scollegesincreasinglyattractstudentswithloweracademicconfidence,including

manywhoanticipateneedingacademicsupport.

Questionswomen’scollegesmaywishtoconsider:Howsuccessfulisorientationand

advisingathelpingnewstudentsadjusttoourinstitutions’academicdemands?What

processesarecurrentlyinplacetoidentifyandassiststudentswhomaybenefitfrom

academicsupportservices?Howawareareourfacultyofthechangingacademic

backgroundsofourstudents?

25 

Studentsatwomen’scollegeshavestrongintellectualorientations,areattractedtotheir

college’sacademicreputation,andhavehighexpectationsfortheirengagementwithfaculty.

Questionswomen’scollegesmaywishtoconsider:Arewemeetingtheneedsofall

studentswhoenterourcollegeswithhighlevelsofintellectualcuriosityandanexpectation

toengagewiththeirfacultyinofficehoursandthroughresearchprojects?Whatstrategies

doweusetofurtherstimulatestudents’intellectualcuriosity?Highschoolteachersandcounselors,aswellasmembersofthestudent’sfamily,playaunique

roleinencouragingwomentochooseawomen’scollege.

Questions women’s colleges may wish to consider: What strategies are used to

marketwomen’scollegestofamiliesandhighschoolpersonnel?Whatperceptionsdothese

individualshaveofwomen’scolleges,andhowaccuratearethey?Nursingandotherhealthprofessionsareincreasinglypopularcareerchoicesforwomen’s

collegeattendees.

Questionswomen’scollegesmaywishtoconsider:Isthisadirectionthatour

collegeshavetakenintentionallyorinresponsetochangingstudentinterests?How

successfulareournursing,pre‐medandotherhealth‐relatedprograms?Doourgraduates

pursuecareersand/orgraduatedegreesinthesefields?Women’scollegesattractstudentswhocaredeeplyaboutimprovingtheworldaroundthem.

Questionswomen’scollegesmaywishtoconsider:Towhatextentarewemeeting

theneedsofstudentswhoaremotivatedforcivicengagementandotheraltruistic

activities?Howwellarewereachingouttostudentswhoarelesscommunity‐oriented?

Doesourcurriculumcapitalizeonstudents’communityandglobalinterestsinawaythatis

integrativeandthatfostersself‐reflection?Studentsatwomen’scollegeshaveuniqueneedsregardinghealthandwell‐being.

Questionswomen’scollegesmaywishtoconsider:Howwell‐equippedisour

institutiontoservetheneedsofwomenwhoexperiencestress,self‐doubtandother

psychologicalconcernsastheyarriveatcollege?Giventhepositiveconnectionbetween

26 

exerciseandemotionalhealth,whatcanourinstitutiondotopromotegreaterinvolvement

ofourstudentsinsportsandexercise,andlesstimeengaginginmoreisolatingand/or

sedentarybehaviors?Studentsattendingwomen’sremainsomeofthemostartisticandspiritualwomenincollege.

Questionswomen’scollegesmaywishtoconsider:Whatisitaboutourinstitutions

thatattractsmorespiritualandartisticwomen?Doourprogramsandservicessatisfythe

artisticandspiritualneedsofthesestudents?

27 

CONCLUSION

hisreporthighlightsthecurrentcharacteristicsofwomenattending

women’scollegesandrevealswhethertheseinstitutionsare,asagroup,

onauniquetrajectoryintermsofthestudentstheyadmit.Thoughsome

trendsforwomenareuniversalregardlessofwhattypeofcollegetheyattend(e.g.,growing

financialconcerns,increasingstress,anddeclininglevelsofself‐reportedemotional

health),thewomen’scollegesinourstudyfacecertainuniquechallengesintermsofthe

compositionofthestudentstheyenroll,mostnotablythosewhoarelow‐income,first‐

generationcollegestudents. Theseare,infact,thefastest‐growingsegmentsofthecollege‐

goingpopulationacrossallinstitutions;thetrendissimplymorepronouncedatwomen’s

colleges. Thus,women’scollegesmaybeseenashavingauniqueopportunityto

demonstratehowbesttoeducateanincreasinglydiversecollegestudentpopulation.

Further,theeducationalclimateatwomen’scollegesmaybenefitfromthefactthatthese

institutionstendtoattractstudentswhoareespeciallyambitious,intellectuallycurious,

creative,andsocialchange‐oriented.

Finally,itisimportanttorememberthatwomen’scollegesarenothomogenous;

rather,thereisgreatdiversityamongtheseinstitutions,especiallyintermsoftheirhistory,

missionandresources.Itisimportantforindividualcollegestoassessthevalidityofthese

trendsforstudentsontheirowncampus.

28 

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SaddleRiver,NJ:PrenticeHall.Astin,A.W.(1977).Fourcriticalyears:Effectsofcollegeonbeliefs,attitudes,andknowledge.

SanFrancisco:Jossey‐Bass.Astin,A.(1993).Whatmattersincollege:Fourcriticalyearsrevisited.SanFrancisco:Jossey‐

Bass.Kim,M.(2001).Institutionaleffectivenessofwomen‐onlycolleges:Cultivatingstudents'

desiretoinfluencesocialconditions.JournalofHigherEducation,72(3),287‐321.Kim,M.(2002).Cultivatingintellectualdevelopment:Comparingwomen‐onlycollegesand

coeducationalcollegesforeducationaleffectiveness.ResearchinHigherEducation,43(4),447‐481.

Kim,M.,M.&Alvarez,R.(1995). Women‐onlycolleges: Someunanticipatedconsequences.

JournalofHigherEducation,66,641‐648.Kinzie,J.,Thomas,A.D.,Palmer,M.M.,Umbach,P.D.&Kuh,G.D.(2007).Womenstudents

atcoeducationalandwomen’scolleges:Howdotheirexperiencescompare?JournalofCollegeStudentDevelopment,48(2),145‐165.

Miller‐Bernal,L.(2012).TheRoleofWomen’sCollegesintheTwenty‐FirstCentury.

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boundariesofinstitutionalimprovement.Bloomington,IN:IndianaUniversityCenterforPostsecondaryResearch.JournalofEducation,76(1),5‐30.

Pascarella,E.T.andTerenzini,P.T.(1991).HowCollegeAffectsStudents.SanFrancisco:

Jossey‐BassPryor,J.H.,Hurtado,S.,Saenz,V.B.,Santos,J.L.,andKorn,W.S.(2007).TheAmerican

Freshman:FortyYearTrends,1966‐2006.LosAngeles,CA:HigherEducationResearchInstitute.

Rosovsky,H.&Hartley,M.(2002).Evaluationandtheacademy:Arewedoingtheright

Thing?Gradeinflationandlettersofrecommendation.Cambridge,MA:AmericanAcademyofArtsandSciences.

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Sax,L.J. (2008).TheGenderGapinCollege:MaximizingtheDevelopmentalPotentialofWomenandMen.SanFrancisco:Jossey‐Bass.

Smith,D.G.(1990).Women’scollegesandcoedcolleges:Isthereadifferenceforwomen?

JournalofHigherEducation,61,181‐197.Smith,D.G.,Morrison,D.E.&Wolf,L.B.(1994).Collegeasagenderedexperience.Journal

ofHigherEducation,65(6),696‐725.Smith,D.G.,Wolf,L.B.,&Morrison,D.E.(1995).Pathstosuccess:Factorsrelatedtothe

impactofwomen’scolleges.JournalofHigherEducation,66,245‐266.Snyder,T.D.,&Dillow,S.A.(2012).DigestofEducationStatistics,2011(NCES2012‐001).

NationalCenterforEducationStatistics,InstituteofEducationSciences,U.S.DepartmentofEducation.Washington,DC.

Solomon,B.M.(1985).IntheCompanyofEducatedWomen.NewHaven:YaleUniversity

Press.Tidball,M.E.,Smith,D.G.,Tidball,C.S.,&Wolf‐Wendel,L.E.(1999).Takingwomen

seriously:Lessonsandlegaciesforeducatingthemajority.Phoenix,AZ:TheAmericanCounselonEducationandOryxPress.

U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, Integrated

Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS). (Spring 2011) Enrollmentcomponent;(Fall2010)Completionscomponent.

30 

  

TABLESANDFIGURES 

31 

Table3.1.DemographicsAmongIncomingFemaleFirst‐YearStudents,byInstitutionType,2011

SurveyItem

CurrentWomen'sCollegesRank

PrivateFour‐YearColleges Universities

CurrentWomen'sColleges

AllCoedPrivate4yr

Colleges

AnnapolisGroup

CatholicColleges

PrivateUniversities

PublicUniversities

(A) (B) (C) (D) (E) (F)

n=4,358 n=46,011 n=16,032 n=9,135 n=20,595 n=39,706

(%) (%) (%) (%) (%) (%)

Student'srace/ethnicity

White/Caucasian 6 55.4 BCDEF 80.7 80.6 78.9 67.3 69.8

AfricanAmerican/Black

1 26.9 BCDEF 8.3 7.1 7.3 8.2 8.5

Chicano/Latinoa 2 14.2 BCE 10.0 9.1 13.8 11.4 14.5

AsianAmerican/Asian

3 11.0 BCDEF 7.3 9.8 5.5 20.6 13.7

Otherrace/ethnicity

1 4.6 BCDEF 3.4 3.7 3.1 4.2 3.4

AmericanIndian/AlaskaNative

1 3.3 BCDEF 2.3 1.9 1.7 1.9 2.1

NativeHawaiian/PacificIslander

1(T) 1.2 BCDE 0.9 0.7 1.0 1.0 1.2

AgeofstudentasofDecember2011

16oryounger 2(T) 0.0 BC 0.1 0.1 0.0 0.0 0.0

17 2 2.2 BCDEF 2.0 2.1 2.0 2.3 2.1

18 6 69.5 DEF 70.8 70.7 73.4 72.8 72.3

19 1(T) 26.1 DEF 26.1 26.0 24.0 24.1 24.9

20 1 1.5 BCDEF 0.9 1.0 0.4 0.6 0.5

21orolder 1 0.6 BCDEF 0.2 0.2 0.1 0.1 0.1

Englishisnativelanguage

Yes 5 87.4 BCD 92.7 91.7 92.8 86.7 87.7

(Table3.1continues)

32 

Table3.1.DemographicsAmongIncomingFemaleFirst‐YearStudents,byInstitutionType,2011(continued)

SurveyItem

CurrentWomen'sCollegesRank

PrivateFour‐YearColleges Universities

CurrentWomen'sColleges

AllCoedPrivate4yr

Colleges

AnnapolisGroup

CatholicColleges

PrivateUniversities

PublicUniversities

(A) (B) (C) (D) (E) (F)

n=4,358 n=46,011 n=16,032 n=9,135 n=20,595 n=39,706

(%) (%) (%) (%) (%) (%)

U.S.Citizen

Yes 5 93.2 D 96.0 94.7 97.8 92.7 95.5

MedianParentalIncome

6 $83,831 $101,722 $115,725 $101,699 $126,268 $99,165

Mother'shighestlevelofformaleducation

Lessthanhighschoolb

1 9.6 BCDEF 5.0 4.1 5.5 4.6 7.7

Highschoolgraduatec

2 34.8 BCEF 32.2 22.8 35.7 23 32.8

Collegedegreed 6 32.8 BCDEF 39.3 40.2 38.8 42.3 38.4

Graduatedegree 4 22.8 CDEF 23.5 32.9 20.0 30.2 21.3

Father'shighestlevelofformaleducation

Lessthanhighschoolb

1 13.1 BCDEF 7.0 5.3 7.8 5.4 9.3

Highschoolgraduatec

1 36.9 BCDEF 33.3 23.9 35.6 22.4 32.2

Collegedegreed 6 26.0 BCDEF 32.2 32.6 33.4 32.5 32.0

Graduatedegree 5 24.1 BCEF 27.6 38.2 23.3 39.6 26.5

(Table3.1continues)

33 

Table3.1.DemographicsAmongIncomingFemaleFirst‐YearStudents,byInstitutionType,2011(continued)

SurveyItem

CurrentWomen'sCollegesRank

PrivateFour‐YearColleges Universities

CurrentWomen'sColleges

AllCoedPrivate4yr

Colleges

AnnapolisGroup

CatholicColleges

PrivateUniversities

PublicUniversities

(A) (B) (C) (D) (E) (F)

n=4,358 n=46,011 n=16,032 n=9,135 n=20,595 n=39,706

(%) (%) (%) (%) (%) (%)

Firstgenerationstatusbasedonparent(s)withlessthan'somecollege'

Yes 1 21.1 BCDEF 15.0 10.4 16.6 10.0 17.5

Mother'soccupation

Otheroccupation 1 23.9 BCDEF 21.5 18.7 22.1 16.7 20.7

Business 5 15.6 BDEF 16.7 15.5 17 18.1 17.7

Homemaker 6 8.9 BCDEF 10.3 11.6 10.6 15 9.2

Unemployed 1 8.1 BCDE 6.8 6.3 6.9 6.6 8

Nurse 2 7.7 BCDEF 7.4 6.3 8.6 6.1 7.1

Education(primary)

5 6.9 BCDEF 8.5 8.0 8.9 6.6 7.8

Laborer 2 4.8 BCDEF 3.8 3.6 4.2 3.4 5.0

Education(secondary)

6 3.1 BCDEF 4.0 4.5 3.4 3.5 3.5

Clerical 6 2.9 BCDEF 3.6 3.0 4.4 3.3 3.7

Healthprofessional

6 2.9 BCDEF 3.6 3.6 3.5 3.5 3.9

Artist 4 2.1 BCDEF 2.5 3.3 1.4 2.5 1.8

Socialworker 1 2.1 BCDEF 1.7 1.9 1.6 1.4 1.6

Lawyer 3 1.8 BCDEF 1.5 2.5 1.1 2.4 1.3

Doctor(MDorDDS)

4(T) 1.7 BCDE 1.8 2.8 1.3 2.9 1.7

Collegeteacher 2 1.1 BCDEF 0.8 1.4 0.5 1.0 0.5

Policymaker/diplomat

1 1.1 BCDEF 0.6 0.9 0.4 0.7 0.7

(Table3.1continues)

34 

Table3.1.DemographicsAmongIncomingFemaleFirst‐YearStudents,byInstitutionType,2011(continued)

SurveyItem

CurrentWomen'sCollegesRank

PrivateFour‐YearColleges Universities

CurrentWomen'sColleges

AllCoedPrivate4yr

Colleges

AnnapolisGroup

CatholicColleges

PrivateUniversities

PublicUniversities

(A) (B) (C) (D) (E) (F)

n=4,358 n=46,011 n=16,032 n=9,135 n=20,595 n=39,706

(%) (%) (%) (%) (%) (%)

Mother'soccupation

Collegeadministrator/staff

2(T) 0.9 CEF 0.9 1.1 0.9 0.7 0.5

Computerprogrammer

6 0.9 BCDEF 1.1 1.2 1.0 1.8 1.7

Engineer 4(T) 0.8 CDEF 0.8 0.9 0.7 1.8 1.6

Researchscientist

3 0.6 BCDEF 0.5 0.8 0.3 0.8 0.5

Military 1 0.5 BCDEF 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.2

Clinicalpsychologist

2(T) 0.4 BCDF 0.3 0.5 0.2 0.4 0.2

Lawenforcement 1 0.4 BCDEF 0.3 0.3 0.3 0.2 0.3

Architect 3(T) 0.3 CDE 0.3 0.5 0.2 0.4 0.3

Clergy 3(T) 0.2 BC 0.4 0.5 0.2 0.2 0.2

Farmerorforester

5(T) 0.1 BCDF 0.3 0.4 0.2 0.1 0.2

Father'soccupation

Otheroccupation 1 25.1 BCDEF 20.6 16.9 21.6 15.4 19.7

Business 6 23.0 BCDEF 28.7 29.2 30.6 33.7 28.3

Laborer 1 12.6 BCDEF 10.5 8.4 11.8 7.4 10.8

Unemployed 1 6.3 BCDEF 4.1 3.9 4.0 3.2 4.5

Engineer 6 6.2 BCDEF 7.2 6.8 7.9 9.3 10.4

Doctor(MDorDDS)

4(T) 3.3 BCDE 3.7 5.7 3.2 6.4 3.3

Computerprogrammer

6 2.7 BCDEF 3.6 3.9 3.2 4.1 4.0

(Table3.1continues)

35 

Table3.1.DemographicsAmongIncomingFemaleFirst‐YearStudents,byInstitutionType,2011(continued)

SurveyItem

CurrentWomen'sCollegesRank

PrivateFour‐YearColleges Universities

CurrentWomen'sColleges

AllCoedPrivate4yr

Colleges

AnnapolisGroup

CatholicColleges

PrivateUniversities

PublicUniversities

(A) (B) (C) (D) (E) (F)

n=4,358 n=46,011 n=16,032 n=9,135 n=20,595 n=39,706

(%) (%) (%) (%) (%) (%)

Father'soccupation

Lawyer 6 2.4 BCDEF 3.2 5.2 2.5 4.6 2.6

Military 1 2.3 BCDEF 1.2 0.9 1.2 0.9 1.8

Collegeteacher 2 1.9 BCDEF 1.1 2.1 0.5 1.4 0.7

Artist 2 1.7 BCDEF 1.5 2.0 0.8 1.3 1.0

Education(secondary)

5(T) 1.4 BCDF 2.0 2.2 1.8 1.4 1.5

Lawenforcement 4 1.4 BCDEF 1.8 1.3 2.3 1.2 1.5

Clerical 2(T) 1.3 CF 1.3 1.2 1.3 1.3 1.4

Policymaker/diplomat

1(T) 1.1 BDEF 0.9 1.1 0.7 0.9 1.0

Farmerorforester

3(T) 1.0 BCEF 1.1 0.9 1.0 0.5 1.1

Architect 5(T) 0.9 BCEF 1.2 1.5 0.9 1.0 1.1

Clergy 3 0.8 BCDEF 1.1 1.0 0.3 0.6 0.5

Researchscientist

4(T) 0.8 CDEF 0.8 1.3 0.4 1.3 0.9

Healthprofessional

6 0.7 BCDEF 1.2 1.4 1.1 1.4 1.3

Nurse 1 0.7 BCDEF 0.5 0.5 0.5 0.5 0.6

Socialworker 1 0.7 BCDEF 0.5 0.5 0.4 0.4 0.4

Collegeadministrator/staff

2 0.6 BCDEF 0.5 0.8 0.4 0.5 0.3

Education(primary)

6 0.6 BCDEF 1.1 1.1 1.1 0.8 0.7

Homemaker 5(T) 0.2 BDEF 0.3 0.2 0.3 0.3 0.3

Clinicalpsychologist

4(T) 0.1 BCE 0.2 0.2 0.1 0.2 0.1

(Table3.1continues)

36 

Table3.1.DemographicsAmongIncomingFemaleFirst‐YearStudents,byInstitutionType,2011(continued)

SurveyItem

CurrentWomen'sCollegesRank

PrivateFour‐YearColleges Universities

CurrentWomen'sColleges

AllCoedPrivate4yr

Colleges

AnnapolisGroup

CatholicColleges

PrivateUniversities

PublicUniversities

(A) (B) (C) (D) (E) (F)

n=4,358 n=46,011 n=16,032 n=9,135 n=20,595 n=39,706

(%) (%) (%) (%) (%) (%)

Parents'status

Bothaliveandlivingwitheachother

6 61.3 BCDEF 72.8 74.9 75.4 78.1 70.5

Bothalive,divorcedorlivingapart

1 33.7 BCDEF 23.8 21.9 21.4 19.0 26.0

Oneorbothdeceased

1 5.0 BCDEF 3.5 3.3 3.2 2.8 3.4

Typeofhighschool

Publicschool(notcharterormagnet)

3 67.1 DEF 68.9 65.1 64.2 63.2 79.8

Privatereligious/parochialschool

4 11.2 BCDEF 14.2 10.2 24.2 16.0 8.5

Privateindependentcollege‐prepschool

4 11.0 BCDEF 11.5 19.2 7.4 15.5 5.2

Publicmagnetschool

1 5.5 BCDEF 2.5 3.1 1.7 3.6 3.8

Publiccharterschool

1 4.4 BCDEF 1.8 1.7 1.8 1.4 2.4

Homeschool 2 0.8 BCDEF 1.1 0.6 0.7 0.4 0.3

(Table3.1continues)

37 

Table3.1.DemographicsAmongIncomingFemaleFirst‐YearStudents,byInstitutionType,2011(continued)

SurveyItem

CurrentWomen'sCollegesRank

PrivateFour‐YearColleges Universities

CurrentWomen'sColleges

AllCoedPrivate4yr

Colleges

AnnapolisGroup

CatholicColleges

PrivateUniversities

PublicUniversities

(A) (B) (C) (D) (E) (F)

n=4,358 n=46,011 n=16,032 n=9,135 n=20,595 n=39,706

(%) (%) (%) (%) (%) (%)

Racialcompositionofhighschool

Completelynon‐White

1 8.6 BCDEF 2.4 3.0 2.4 3.1 3.8

Mostlynon‐White 1 18.7 BCDEF 10.0 9.9 10.9 11.9 15.7

Roughlyhalfnon‐White

1 26.5 BCDE 23.1 22.2 19.9 24.2 26.0

MostlyWhite 6 41.7 BCDEF 56.9 57.5 58.8 53.7 48.3

CompletelyWhite 6 4.4 BCDEF 7.6 7.3 8.8 7.2 6.3

Racialcompositionofneighborhood

Completelynon‐White

1 12.7 BCDEF 4.3 5.1 4.3 5.4 5.9

Mostlynon‐White 1 17.1 BCDEF 8.5 8.2 9.0 10.8 12.5

Roughlyhalfnon‐White

1 15.5 BCDEF 12.5 11.7 11.8 14.4 14.0

MostlyWhite 6 41.0 BCDEF 53.0 53.6 52.2 52.2 50.2

CompletelyWhite 6 13.8 BCDEF 21.6 21.4 22.6 17.2 17.3

(Table3.1continues)

38 

Table3.1.DemographicsAmongIncomingFemaleFirst‐YearStudents,byInstitutionType,2011(continued)

SurveyItem

CurrentWomen'sCollegesRank

PrivateFour‐YearColleges Universities

CurrentWomen'sColleges

AllCoedPrivate4yr

Colleges

AnnapolisGroup

CatholicColleges

PrivateUniversities

PublicUniversities

(A) (B) (C) (D) (E) (F)

n=4,358 n=46,011 n=16,032 n=9,135 n=20,595 n=39,706

(%) (%) (%) (%) (%) (%)

Distanceofcollegefrompermanenthomeinmiles

Morethan500 3 27.9 BCDEF 23.5 32.0 13.7 35.6 13.7

101to500 6 25.3 BCDEF 32.3 37.7 30.9 26.8 39.1

51to100 5 11.8 BCDEF 16.7 14.2 16.8 9.8 16.6

11to50 2 23.6 BCDEF 19.1 11.0 26.2 19.8 22.0

10orless 2 11.3 BCDEF 8.3 5.1 12.3 8.0 8.5

(T)IndicatesrankingtieBCDEFSignificantdifferencebetweenCurrentWomen'sCollegesandComparisonGroup(p<.05)aIncludesMexicanAmerican/Chicano,PuertoRican,andotherLatinobIncludesgrammarschoolorlessandsomehighschoolcIncludeshighschoolgraduate,postsecondaryschoolotherthancollege,andsomecollegedIncludescollegedegreeandsomegraduateschoolNote:Race/Ethnicitycolumnsdonotsumto100becausesomerespondentsmarkedmorethanonerace/ethnicity.

39 

Table3.2.AcademicSelf‐ConfidenceandEngagementAmongIncomingFemaleFirst‐YearStudents,byInstitutionType,2011

SurveyItem

CurrentWomen'sCollegesRank

PrivateFour‐YearColleges Universities

CurrentWomen'sColleges

AllCoedPrivate4yr

Colleges

AnnapolisGroup

CatholicColleges

PrivateUniversities

PublicUniversities

(A) (B) (C) (D) (E) (F)n=4,358 n=46,011 n=16,032 n=9,135 n=20,595 n=39,706

(%) (%) (%) (%) (%) (%)Averagehighschoolgrades

AorA+ 6 23.4 BCDEF 31.0 37.6 28.2 45.9 33.9A‐ 6 29.0 BCDEF 30.2 33.3 30.8 31.8 30.1B+ 1 23.5 BCDEF 20.5 17.7 22.0 13.8 18.2B 1 16.7 BCDEF 13.3 9.1 14.4 6.7 13.6C+orB‐ 1 6.4 BCDEF 4.6 2.1 4.4 1.7 3.9Corlower 1 0.9 BCDEF 0.4 0.1 0.3 0.1 0.3 Self‐rating(highest10%oraboveaverage)

Academicability 4(T) 70.1 CEF 70.1 79.6 67.9 84.9 75.0Self‐confidence(intellectual)

2 55.4 BDEF 50.1 54.6 49.5 61.2 53.7

Writingability 4 49.6 CDE 50.1 56.7 47.4 59.3 49.4Mathematicalability 6 33.9 BCDEF 35.6 38.7 36.2 51.6 42.1Computerskills 1 33.8 BCDEF 27.5 23.4 30.3 32.0 31.4 Expectations(verygoodchance)

Makeatleasta'B'average

3 73.5 EF 72.8 72.8 75.8 76.1 67.9

Discusscoursecontentwithstudentsoutsideofclass

3 64.2 BCDEF 60.7 69.1 59.8 70.3 56.8

Communicateregularlywithyourprofessors

1 60.3 BDEF 52.4 59.1 53.0 52.8 40.9

(Table3.2continues)

40 

Table3.2.AcademicSelf‐ConfidenceandEngagementAmongIncomingFemaleFirst‐YearStudents,byInstitutionType,2011(continued)

SurveyItem

CurrentWomen'sCollegesRank

Private Four‐YearColleges Universities

CurrentWomen'sColleges

AllCoedPrivate4yr

Colleges

AnnapolisGroup

CatholicColleges

PrivateUniversities

PublicUniversities

(A) (B) (C) (D) (E) (F)n=4,358 n=46,011 n=16,032 n=9,135 n=20,595 n=39,706

(%) (%) (%) (%) (%) (%)Expectations(verygoodchance)

Participateinastudyabroadprogram

3 50.8 CDEF 50.4 64.4 47.8 59.1 43.8

Gettutoringhelpinspecificcoursesa

1 43.0 BCDEF 33.5 32.7 39.7 34.2 39.3

Workonaprofessor'sresearchproject

1 41.1 BCDEF 33.2 33.8 34.6 36.2 31.6

Needextratimetocompleteyourdegreerequirements

2 5.7 BCDEF 4.9 3.5 5.1 3.7 5.9

Classroomengagement(frequentlyoroccasionally)

Studiedwithotherstudents

6 89.9 E 91.3 92.5 92.7 93.4 92.3

Camelatetoclass 4 52.1 BD 50.2 52.9 46.5 53.7 53.4Wasboredinclass* 5 30.1 BCEF 32.4 31.9 29.6 33.9 37.8 (Table3.2continues)

41 

Table3.2.AcademicSelf‐ConfidenceandEngagementAmongIncomingFemaleFirst‐YearStudents,byInstitutionType,2011(continued)

SurveyItem

CurrentWomen'sCollegesRank

Private Four‐YearColleges Universities

CurrentWomen'sColleges

AllCoedPrivate4yr

Colleges

AnnapolisGroup

CatholicColleges

PrivateUniversities

PublicUniversities

(A) (B) (C) (D) (E) (F)n=4,358 n=46,011 n=16,032 n=9,135 n=20,595 n=39,706

(%) (%) (%) (%) (%) (%)Reasonsfordecidingtogotocollege(veryimportant)

Tolearnmoreaboutthingsthatinterestme

2 89.1 F 87.5 90.8 86.1 88.7 86.2

Togainageneraleducationandappreciationofideas

2 81.9 BF 79.1 84.5 79.6 81.7 76.3

NumberofAdvancedPlacementcoursestaken

Notofferedatmyhighschool

1 8.8 BCDEF 7.5 8.0 5.2 6.5 4.7

None 3 19.7 CDEF 20.2 10.6 23.9 8.3 14.81‐4 2 52.1 CDEF 51.5 49.4 55.0 41.0 48.75ormore 5 19.5 BCDEF 20.7 32.0 15.9 44.2 31.9 Metorexceededrecommendedyearsofhighschoolstudy

English(4yrs) 6 97.3 98.2 98.4 98.8 98.6 98.4Mathematics(3yrs) 6 98.1 99.0 99.3 99.3 99.5 99.4Foreignlanguage(2yrs)

6 94.0 E 95.2 96.9 96.4 97.2 96.4

Physicalscience(2yrs)

5 60.0 CEF 60.4 65.0 59.8 68.1 62.7

Biologicalscience(2yrs)

4 56.4 BDE 54.4 57.2 52.5 58.5 57.8

(Table3.2continues)

42 

Table3.2.AcademicSelf‐ConfidenceandEngagementAmongIncomingFemaleFirst‐YearStudents,byInstitutionType,2011(continued)

SurveyItem

CurrentWomen'sCollegesRank

Private Four‐YearColleges Universities

CurrentWomen'sColleges

AllCoedPrivate4yr

Colleges

AnnapolisGroup

CatholicColleges

PrivateUniversities

PublicUniversities

(A) (B) (C) (D) (E) (F)n=4,358 n=46,011 n=16,032 n=9,135 n=20,595 n=39,706

(%) (%) (%) (%) (%) (%)Metorexceededrecommendedyearsofhighschoolstudy

History/Amgov’t(1yr)

6 98.6 99.0 99.1 99.2 99.2 99.2

Computerscience(1/2yr)

2 53.5 CEF 52.2 44.4 54.9 46.5 50.2

Artand/ormusic(1yr)

5 86.0 C 87.5 89.3 86.6 88.3 85.9

Activitiesinthepastyear(medianhoursperweek)

Studying/homework 5 7.8 8.0 9.6 7.9 10.1 7.3Talkingwithteachersoutsideofclass

1 2.2 2.0 2.1 1.9 2.0 1.7

*Frequentlyonly BCDEFSignificantdifferencebetweenCurrentWomen'sCollegesandComparisonGroup(p<.05)aOn2010survey (T)Indicatesrankingtie  

43 

Table3.3.CollegeChoiceAmongIncomingFemaleFirst‐YearStudents,byInstitutionType,2011

SurveyItem

CurrentWomen'sCollegesRank

PrivateFour‐YearColleges Universities

CurrentWomen'sColleges

AllCoedPrivate4yr

Colleges

AnnapolisGroup

CatholicColleges

PrivateUniversities

PublicUniversities

(A) (B) (C) (D) (E) (F)

n=4,358 n=46,011 n=16,032 n=9,135 n=20,595 n=39,706

(%) (%) (%) (%) (%) (%)Isthiscollegeyour Firstchoice 6 56.4BCDF 63.2 61.3 60.4 57.1 59.5 Secondchoice 1 27.8BCDEF 24.3 24.0 26.8 25.9 26.2 Lessthansecondchoice

2 15.7BCDEF 12.4 14.7 12.7 16.9 14.4

Numberofcollegesappliedtootherthancurrentcollege

None 4 10.5CDEF 10.6 11.2 7.4 6.6 11.7

Onetotwo 3 17.1CDEF 17.6 12.8 15.2 10.6 21.5

Threetofive 4 35.9CDE 36.1 29.3 38.5 28.9 36.3

Sixormore 4 36.5CDEF 35.6 46.8 39.0 53.8 30.3

Reasonsindecidingtogotothisparticularcollege(veryimportant)

Thiscollegehasaverygoodacademicreputation

2 78.4BF 73.2 77.6 76.8 79.4 69.4

Thiscollege'sgraduatesgetgoodjobs

3 66.8BCF 60.1 56.6 67.9 67.6 56.7

(Table3.3continues)

44 

Table3.3.CollegeChoiceAmongIncomingFemaleFirst‐YearStudents,byInstitutionType,2011(continued)

SurveyItem

CurrentWomen'sCollegesRank

PrivateFour‐YearColleges Universities

CurrentWomen'sColleges

AllCoedPrivate4yr

Colleges

AnnapolisGroup

CatholicColleges

PrivateUniversities

PublicUniversities

(A) (B) (C) (D) (E) (F)

n=4,358 n=46,011 n=16,032 n=9,135 n=20,595 n=39,706

(%) (%) (%) (%) (%) (%)Reasonsindecidingtogotothisparticularcollege(veryimportant)

Iwasofferedfinancialassistance

2 64.2 BCEF 62.0 58.1 66.3 51.6 40.0

Iwantedtogotoaschoolaboutthesizeofthiscollege

4 58.9 BCDEF 61.6 63.1 62.5 47.5 35.9

Avisittocampus 4 56.8 BCEF 59.6 63.1 57.9 54.2 44.5 Thiscollege'sgraduatesgainadmissiontotopgraduate/professionalschools

1 50.8 BCDEF 39.8 44.6 45.4 47.8 39.5

Thiscollegehasagoodreputationforitssocialactivities

3(T) 40.7 BCDF 38.9 38.5 43.0 40.7 43.3

Thecostofattendingthiscollege

3 37.5 BCDEF 35.0 31.3 39.5 31.3 43.7

Informationfromawebsite

1(T) 27.3 BCDF 23.7 25.9 21.3 27.3 21.5

Rankingsinnationalmagazines

3 23.4 BDE 18.8 22.7 18.9 32.0 23.9

Iwantedtolivenearhome

2 21.1 BCDEF 18.3 11.8 23.7 14.1 17.9

(Table3.3continues)

45 

Table3.3.CollegeChoiceAmongIncomingFemaleFirst‐YearStudents,byInstitutionType,2011(continued)

SurveyItem

CurrentWomen'sCollegesRank

PrivateFour‐YearColleges Universities

CurrentWomen'sColleges

AllCoedPrivate4yr

Colleges

AnnapolisGroup

CatholicColleges

PrivateUniversities

PublicUniversities

(A) (B) (C) (D) (E) (F)

n=4,358 n=46,011 n=16,032 n=9,135 n=20,595 n=39,706

(%) (%) (%) (%) (%) (%)Reasonsindecidingtogotothisparticularcollege(veryimportant)

IwasadmittedthroughanEarlyActionorEarlyDecisionprogram

4 20.6 BCDEF 21.4 27.5 19.3 23.9 16.4

Myparentswantedmetocomehere

2 17.4 BCDEF 14.0 11.3 18.1 14.7 14.7

Highschoolcounseloradvisedme

1 13.2 BCDEF 10.0 10.9 11.0 9.1 8.0

Iwasattractedbythereligiousaffiliation/orientationofthecollege

3 13.1 BCDEF 17.0 7.8 23.1 12.2 3.1

Couldnotaffordfirstchoice

3 11.5 BCDEF 10.0 8.7 12.7 8.8 14.6

Notofferedaidbyfirstchoice

2 11.3 BCDEF 9.1 8.1 11.8 8.4 10.2

Myteacheradvisedme

1 8.5 BCDEF 6.0 5.7 6.3 5.1 5.2

Privatecollegecounseloradvisedme

1 7.8 BCDEF 5.3 5.9 5.3 4.6 2.2

Myrelativeswantedmetocomehere

1 7.4 BCDEF 4.9 3.5 6.7 5.0 5.6

(Table3.3continues)

46 

Table3.3.CollegeChoiceAmongIncomingFemaleFirst‐YearStudents,byInstitutionType,2011(continued)

SurveyItem

CurrentWomen'sCollegesRank

PrivateFour‐YearColleges Universities

CurrentWomen'sColleges

AllCoedPrivate4yr

Colleges

AnnapolisGroup

CatholicColleges

PrivateUniversities

PublicUniversities

(A) (B) (C) (D) (E) (F)

n=4,358 n=46,011 n=16,032 n=9,135 n=20,595 n=39,706

(%) (%) (%) (%) (%) (%)Reasonsindecidingtogotothisparticularcollege(veryimportant)

Theathleticdepartmentrecruitedme

4 6.9 BCDEF 11.2 11.5 10.4 5.6 3.1

Abilitytotakeonlinecourses

2(T) 2.1 BCEF 1.8 1.0 2.1 1.3 2.4

View(agreestrongly) Thecurrenteconomicsituationsignificantlyaffectedmycollegechoice

1 24.8 BCDEF 20.2 18.8 21.9 18.6 23.2

Expectation(verygoodchance)

Transfertoanothercollegebeforegraduating

1 6.2 BCDEF 4.4 2.9 3.6 2.6 4.8

(T)Indicatesrankingtie BCDEFSignificantdifferencebetweenCurrentWomen'sCollegesandComparisonGroup(p<.05) 

47 

Table3.4.FinancialAttitudesandExpectationsAmongIncomingFemaleFirst‐YearStudents,byInstitutionType,2011

SurveyItem

CurrentWomen'sCollegesRank

PrivateFour‐YearColleges Universities

CurrentWomen'sColleges

AllCoedPrivate4yr

Colleges

AnnapolisGroup

CatholicColleges

PrivateUniversities

PublicUniversities

(A) (B) (C) (D) (E) (F)n=4,358 n=46,011 n=16,032 n=9,135 n=20,595 n=39,706

(%) (%) (%) (%) (%) (%)Expectations(verygoodchance)

Getajobtohelppayforcollegeexpenses

1(T) 56.4BCEF 54.4 52.2 56.4 50.5 52.7

Workfull‐timewhileattendingcollege

1 7.3BCDEF 5.6 4.1 5.5 4.5 6.6

Finances Majorconcernaboutabilitytofinancecollegeeducation

1 17.8BCDEF 12.5 10.6 12.9 12.1 12.7

Receivedfundsforcollegeeducationfrom:

Familyresources 6 81.1BCDE 84.6 88.4 85.2 89.5 81.3Aidwhichneednotberepaid

2 82.4CDEF 80.5 76.2 85.5 73.7 70.4

Aidwhichmustberepaid

1 66.0BCEF 59.6 51.9 65.9 50.1 49.4

Ownresources 4 64.1D 66.1 65.5 69.4 63.1 63.1 Reasonfordecidingtogotocollege

Tobeabletomakemoremoney

3 65.7BCDEF 61.1 52.2 69.1 61.5 68.3

(Table3.4 continues)

48 

Table3.4.FinancialAttitudesandExpectationsAmongIncomingFemaleFirst‐YearStudents,byInstitutionType,2011(continued)

SurveyItem

CurrentWomen'sCollegesRank

PrivateFour‐YearColleges Universities

CurrentWomen'sColleges

All CoedPrivate4yr

Colleges

AnnapolisGroup

CatholicColleges

PrivateUniversities

PublicUniversities

(A) (B) (C) (D) (E) (F)n=4,358 n=46,011 n=16,032 n=9,135 n=20,595 n=39,706

(%) (%) (%) (%) (%) (%)Goals(veryimportantoressential)

Beingverywellofffinancially

3 77.4BCE 71.4 64.0 80.1 73.7 79.0

Becomingsuccessfulinabusinessofmyown

1 40.7BCDEF 34.1 29.8 37 35.6 37.2

Activityinthepastyear(Medianhoursperweek)

Working(forpay) 4 5.7 6.2 4.8 6.8 4.7 6.1(T)Indicatesrankingtie BCDEFSignificantdifferencebetweenCurrentWomen'sCollegesandComparisonGroup(p<.05)

49 

Table3.5.Educational,Career&FamilyAspirationsAmongIncomingFemaleFirst‐YearStudents,byInstitutionType,2011

SurveyItem

CurrentWomen'sCollegesRank

PrivateFour‐YearColleges Universities

CurrentWomen'sColleges

AllCoedPrivate4yr

Colleges

AnnapolisGroup

CatholicColleges

PrivateUniversities

PublicUniversities

(A) (B) (C) (D) (E) (F)

n=4,358 n=46,011 n=16,032 n=9,135 n=20,595 n=39,706

(%) (%) (%) (%) (%) (%)Degreeaspirations Master'sdegree(M.A.,M.S.,etc.)

6 37.2 BCDEF 42.5 39.4 45.4 38.6 40.6

Ph.D.orEd.D 1 27.3 BCDEF 20.4 25.9 17.8 21.2 20.8

Bachelor'sdegree(B.A.,B.S.,etc.)

4 13.0 BCDEF 17.9 10.9 15.8 12.4 16.8

M.D.,D.D.S.,D.V.M.orD.O.

4 13.0 BCDEF 11.3 15.0 12.3 17.0 15.0

LL.B.orJ.D.(law) 3 6.2 BCDEF 4.6 6.6 5.3 7.5 4.5

Other 1(T) 1.5 CDEF 1.5 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.1

B.D.orM.Div.(divinity)

1(T) 0.2 DEF 0.2 0.2 0.1 0.1 0.1

Goals(essentialorveryimportant)

Raisingafamily 5 69.8 BDEF 74.0 68.1 81.1 72.8 72.9Makingatheoreticalcontributiontoscience

1 25.1 BCDEF 19.4 21.4 20.8 23.2 24.1

Yourprobablefieldofstudy

Healthprofessional 1(T) 21.2 BCEF 16.4 10.7 21.2 14.6 16.7

Biologicalsciences 5 12.6 BCF 12.2 16.2 12.9 13.0 15.2

Psychology 1 9.2 BCDEF 7.4 8.2 7.5 5.8 6.7

(Table3.5continues)

50 

Table3.5.Educational,Career&FamilyAspirationsAmongIncomingFemaleFirst‐YearStudents,byInstitutionType,2011(continued)

SurveyItem

CurrentWomen'sCollegesRank

PrivateFour‐YearColleges Universities

CurrentWomen'sColleges

AllCoedPrivate4yr

Colleges

AnnapolisGroup

CatholicColleges

PrivateUniversities

PublicUniversities

(A) (B) (C) (D) (E) (F)

n=4,358 n=46,011 n=16,032 n=9,135 n=20,595 n=39,706

(%) (%) (%) (%) (%) (%)Yourprobablefieldofstudy

Humanities/English 2 7.2 BCDEF 6.9 9.7 4.9 6.0 4.9

Education 3 6.9 BCDEF 8.9 5.4 9.6 3.3 5.0

Finearts 2 6.6 BCDEF 7.2 5.8 2.4 5.5 3.3

Undecided 5 6.4 BCDEF 7.3 10.6 7.0 6.2 7.6

Historyorpoliticalscience

3 5.8 BCDEF 4.8 8.2 3.9 7.1 4.0

Business 6 5.7 BCDEF 10.2 6.1 14.2 12.9 11.5

Socialsciences 2 5.7 BCDEF 4.4 6.8 2.7 4.8 4.3

Other(non‐technical) 5 3.0 BCDEF 3.8 2.5 3.6 3.2 4.3

Journalism/communications

6 2.6 BCDEF 3.7 2.7 4.2 5.4 3.6

Physicalsciences 3(T) 2.4 BCD 2.6 3.4 1.7 2.4 2.4

Engineering 4 1.9 BCDEF 1.6 1.4 2.1 6.9 7.0

Technical/appliedmajors

1 0.9 BCDEF 0.8 0.5 0.8 0.5 0.7

Mathematicsorstatistics

6 0.8 BCDEF 1.0 1.4 0.9 1.1 1.0

Architecture 3 0.5 BCDEF 0.4 0.3 0.1 0.9 0.8

Computerscience 3 0.4 BCDEF 0.3 0.3 0.3 0.7 0.5

Agriculture 2(T) 0.1 CDEF 0.1 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.8

(Table3.5continues)

51 

Table3.5.Educational,Career&FamilyAspirationsAmongIncomingFemaleFirst‐YearStudents,byInstitutionType,2011(continued)

SurveyItem

CurrentWomen'sCollegesRank

PrivateFour‐YearColleges Universities

CurrentWomen'sColleges

AllCoedPrivate4yr

Colleges

AnnapolisGroup

CatholicColleges

PrivateUniversities

PublicUniversities

(A) (B) (C) (D) (E) (F)

n=4,358 n=46,011 n=16,032 n=9,135 n=20,595 n=39,706

(%) (%) (%) (%) (%) (%)Yourprobablecareer Undecided 5 15.2 BCDEF 17.4 25.5 14.3 16.2 17.0

Nurse 1 11.7 BCDEF 6.2 1.5 10.5 4.2 6.0

Doctor(MDorDDS) 5 10.2 BCDEF 9.2 11.8 11.3 15.1 12

Healthprofessional 4 9.5 BCDEF 9.8 8.0 9.9 7.3 11.6

Othercareer 2 9.5 CDE 9.7 7.6 8.6 7.4 9.3

Artist 3 9.2 BDEF 10.3 9.4 5.5 8.8 6.1

Business 6 5.9 BDEF 9.0 6.0 11.7 12.2 10.2

Lawyer 2 5.3 BCDEF 3.6 4.8 4.4 5.7 3.9

Education(primary) 3 4.3 BCDEF 5.7 3.6 6.5 1.9 3.2

Education(secondary)

3 3.7 BDEF 4.2 3.6 4.2 1.7 2.7

Clinicalpsychologist 1 3.0 BCDEF 2.5 2.5 2.9 1.7 1.9

Policymaker/diplomat 3 3.0 BCDEF 2.5 4.6 1.7 4.6 2.0

Researchscientist 5 2.5 BCDEF 2.7 4.3 1.7 3.2 2.8

Engineer 4 1.7 BCDEF 1.5 1.6 2.0 5.4 5.6

Socialworker 2(T) 1.6 CDEF 1.6 1.3 1.4 0.8 1.4

Collegeteacher 1 1.3 BCDEF 0.7 1.2 0.4 0.5 0.4

Architect 3(T) 0.5 DEF 0.5 0.5 0.2 1.0 0.9

Computerprogrammer

2(T) 0.5 BCDE 0.3 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.5

Clerical 4(T) 0.4 CDEF 0.4 0.2 0.5 0.5 0.7

Lawenforcement 4 0.4 BCDEF 0.7 0.3 0.8 0.3 0.5

Laborer 2(T) 0.3 CDE 0.3 0.1 0.4 0.2 0.3

FarmerorForester 6 0.1 BCDEF 0.6 0.8 0.2 0.3 0.6

(Table3.5continues)

52 

Table3.5.Educational,Career&FamilyAspirationsAmongIncomingFemaleFirst‐YearStudents,byInstitutionType,2011(continued)

SurveyItem

CurrentWomen'sCollegesRank

PrivateFour‐YearColleges Universities

CurrentWomen'sColleges

AllCoedPrivate4yr

Colleges

AnnapolisGroup

CatholicColleges

PrivateUniversities

PublicUniversities

(A) (B) (C) (D) (E) (F)

n=4,358 n=46,011 n=16,032 n=9,135 n=20,595 n=39,706

(%) (%) (%) (%) (%) (%)Yourprobablecareer

Homemaker 1(T) 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.1

Military 4(T) 0.1 DEF 0.1 0.1 0.2 0.2 0.2

Clergy 5(T) 0.0 BCDE 0.3 0.2 0.1 0.1 0.0

Collegeadministrator/staff

5(T) 0.0 BCDE 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.0

Expectations(verygoodchance)

Changecareerchoice 5 14.3 BCDEF 15.4 23.3 12.8 17.7 15.7Changemajorfield 5(T) 12.6 BCEF 13.9 20.1 12.6 16.0 16.4 Reasonsfordecidingtogotocollege

Togettrainingforaspecificcareer

3 75.3 CDF 74.5 59.0 82.1 73.1 79.1

Topreparemyselfforgraduateorprofessionalschool

1 72.5 BCDEF 62.7 63.2 69.9 65.3 68.1

(T)Indicatesrankingtie BCDEFSignificantdifferencebetweenCurrentWomen'sCollegesandComparisonGroup(p<.05) 

53 

Table3.6.LeadershipOrientationAmongIncomingFemaleFirst‐YearStudents,byInstitutionType,2011

SurveyItem

CurrentWomen'sCollegesRank

PrivateFour‐YearColleges Universities

CurrentWomen'sColleges

AllCoedPrivate4yr

Colleges

AnnapolisGroup

CatholicColleges

PrivateUniversities

PublicUniversities

(A) (B) (C) (D) (E) (F)n=4,358 n=46,011 n=16,032 n=9,135 n=20,595 n=39,706

(%) (%) (%) (%) (%) (%)Self‐rating(highest10%oraboveaverage)

Drivetoachieve 3 81.0E 79.0 80.8 80.8 86.5 81.4Cooperativeness 6 73.0E 73.5 73.9 75.4 76.6 74.2Self‐confidence(social)

3 46.1BCD 41.9 40.9 44.3 47.4 46.2

Leadershipability 5 60.0E 58.6 60.4 61.0 66.1 60.5Competitiveness 6 45.6BDEF 47.1 46.6 49.7 55.6 51.8Publicspeakingability

3 37.0BCDEF 34.2 38.3 33.6 43.4 34.4

Goals(essentialorveryimportant)

Becominganauthorityinmyfield

2 60.7BCDF 54.7 53.6 57.4 61.7 56.5

Obtainingrecognitionfrommycolleaguesforcontributionstomyspecialfield

2 57.8BCF 52.6 51.3 56.4 58.3 55.5

Expectation(verygoodchance)

Participateinstudentgovernment

1 13.7BCDEF 7.3 7.6 8.6 10.1 8.1

BCDEFSignificantdifferencebetweenCurrentWomen'sCollegesandComparisonGroup(p<.05) 

54 

Table3.7.CommunityOrientationAmongIncomingFemaleFirst‐YearStudents,byInstitutionType,2011

SurveyItem

CurrentWomen'sCollegesRank

PrivateFour‐YearColleges Universities

CurrentWomen'sColleges

AllCoedPrivate4yrColleges

AnnapolisGroup

CatholicColleges

PrivateUniversities

PublicUniversities

(A) (B) (C) (D) (E) (F)

n=4,358 n=46,011 n=16,032 n=9,135 n=20,595 n=39,706

(%) (%) (%) (%) (%) (%)

Goals(essentialorveryimportant)

Helpingotherswhoareindifficulty

1 81.7 BCEF 77.2 76.9 80.3 78.7 75.6

Improvingmyunderstandingofothercountriesandcultures

3 65.5 BCDF 57.9 68.5 53.4 67.6 55.6

Influencingsocialvalues

1 53.8 BCDEF 45.8 46.4 47.5 46.6 42.2

Helpingtopromoteracialunderstanding

1 50.7 BCDEF 36.5 41.5 36.4 40.7 35.1

Becomingacommunityleader

1 45.5 BCDF 37.6 40.7 40.2 44.3 39.6

Participatinginacommunityactionprogram

1 43.9 BCDF 37.4 41.3 40.3 43.2 36.0

Becominginvolvedinprogramstocleanuptheenvironment

1 33.8 BCDEF 27.7 32.1 26.3 28.2 29.3

Activityinthepastyear(medianhoursperweek)

Volunteerwork 1 3.7 3.0 3.0 3.3 3.3 3.1 (Table3.7continues)

55 

Table3.7.CommunityOrientationAmongIncomingFemaleFirst‐YearStudents,byInstitutionType,2011(continued)

SurveyItem

CurrentWomen'sCollegesRank

PrivateFour‐YearColleges Universities

CurrentWomen'sColleges

AllCoedPrivate4yrColleges

AnnapolisGroup

CatholicColleges

PrivateUniversities

PublicUniversities

(A) (B) (C) (D) (E) (F)

n=4,358 n=46,011 n=16,032 n=9,135 n=20,595 n=39,706

(%) (%) (%) (%) (%) (%)

Expectations(verygoodchance)

Participateinstudentprotestsordemonstrations

1 13.6 BCDEF 7.0 10.4 5.5 8.5 6.3

Participateinvolunteerorcommunityservicework

3 53.9 BEF 50.1 55.4 52.4 59.8 46.6

Activityinthepastyear(frequentlyoroccasionally)

Socializedwithsomeoneofanotherracial/ethnicgroup*

2 74.2 BCDF 68.5 71.5 65.8 75.7 71.5

Tutoredanotherstudent

4 62.7 BDE 58.9 63.9 60.4 72.2 64.4

Self‐rating(highest10%oraboveaverage)

Abilitytoworkcooperativelywithdiversepeople

3 80.9 BDE 77.7 81.3 77.6 84.2 80.4

Toleranceofotherswithdifferentbeliefs

4 77.0 CDE 74.7 82.0 73.2 82.4 77.1

(Table3.7continues)

56 

Table3.7.CommunityOrientationAmongIncomingFemaleFirst‐YearStudents,byInstitutionType,2011(continued)

SurveyItem

CurrentWomen'sCollegesRank

PrivateFour‐YearColleges Universities

CurrentWomen'sColleges

AllCoedPrivate4yrColleges

AnnapolisGroup

CatholicColleges

PrivateUniversities

PublicUniversities

(A) (B) (C) (D) (E) (F)

n=4,358 n=46,011 n=16,032 n=9,135 n=20,595 n=39,706

(%) (%) (%) (%) (%) (%)

Self‐rating(highest10%oraboveaverage)

Abilitytoseetheworldfromsomeoneelse'sperspective

3 71.1 BCDE 68.4 73.8 66.5 75.3 69.5

Self‐rating(highest10%oraboveaverage)

Understandingofothers

3 71.0 E 70.0 71.5 70.5 73.4 69.8

Abilitytodiscussandnegotiatecontroversialissues

3 63.4 BDEF 57.5 63.6 55.6 66.4 60.2

Opennesstohavingmyownviewschallenged

3 59.7 BDEF 55.5 60.9 53.4 62.1 57.1

*FrequentlyonlyBCDEFSignificantdifferencebetweenCurrentWomen'sCollegesandComparisonGroup(p<.05)  

57 

Table3.8.ArtisticInclinationAmongIncomingFemaleFirst‐YearStudents,byInstitutionType,2011

SurveyItem

CurrentWomen'sCollegesRank

PrivateFour‐YearColleges Universities

CurrentWomen'sColleges

AllCoedPrivate4yr

Colleges

AnnapolisGroup

CatholicColleges

PrivateUniversities

PublicUniversities

(A) (B) (C) (D) (E) (F)

n=4,358 n=46,011 n=16,032 n=9,135 n=20,595 n=39,706

(%) (%) (%) (%) (%) (%)

Goals(essentialorveryimportant)

Becomingaccomplishedinoneoftheperformingarts(acting,dancing,etc.)

1 20.4BCDEF 18.0 18.9 13.8 17.9 14.3

Creatingartisticwork(painting,sculpture,etc.)

1 19.7BCDEF 16.6 17.2 11.2 14.8 13.2

Writingoriginalworks(poems,novels,etc.)

1 20.6BCDEF 16.6 19.8 13.0 16.0 13.3

Self‐rating(highest10%oraboveaverage)

Creativity 2 58.6BDF 55.5 58.8 51.0 58.0 53.0Artisticability 2(T) 34.5BDF 31.9 34.5 24.9 34.7 30.3(T)Indicatesrankingtie BCDEFSignificantdifferencebetweenCurrentWomen'sCollegesandComparisonGroup(p<.05) 

58 

Table3.9.PsychologicalandPhysicalWell‐BeingAmongIncomingFemaleFirst‐YearStudents,byInstitutionType,2011

SurveyItem

CurrentWomen'sCollegesRank

PrivateFour‐YearColleges Universities

CurrentWomen'sColleges

AllCoedPrivate4yr

Colleges

AnnapolisGroup

CatholicColleges

PrivateUniversities

PublicUniversities

(A) (B) (C) (D) (E) (F)

n=4,358 n=46,011 n=16,032 n=9,135 n=20,595 n=39,706

(%) (%) (%) (%) (%) (%)

Self‐rating(highest10%oraboveaverage)

Self‐understanding

3 56.5BDEF 52.9 56.7 51.5 59.3 53.5

Emotionalhealth 6 43.0BCDEF 46.0 46.1 48.5 52.2 49.9Physicalhealth 6 40.7BCDEF 47.3 49.0 50.2 51.9 48.7 Expectation(verygoodchance)

Seekpersonalcounseling

1 16.3BCDEF 10.2 11.1 9.7 10.7 11.2

Activitiesinthepastyear(frequently)

FeltoverwhelmedbyallIhadtodo

1 42.4BDEF 40.9 41.9 39.4 39.9 38.3

Feltdepressed 1 11.4BCDEF 8.5 8.8 7.1 7.5 7.3BCDEFSignificantdifferencebetweenCurrentWomen'sCollegesandComparisonGroup(p<.05) 

59 

Table3.10.SpiritualityAmongIncomingFemaleFirst‐YearStudents,byInstitutionType,2011

SurveyItem

CurrentWomen'sCollegesRank

PrivateFour‐YearColleges Universities

CurrentWomen'sColleges

AllCoedPrivate4yr

Colleges

AnnapolisGroup

CatholicColleges

PrivateUniversities

PublicUniversities

(A) (B) (C) (D) (E) (F)

n=4,358 n=46,011 n=16,032 n=9,135 n=20,595 n=39,706

(%) (%) (%) (%) (%) (%)

Yourreligiouspreference

Protestant/Christian 1 45.6 BCDEF 43.1 36.0 26.0 31.7 40.4RomanCatholic 5 23.3 BCDEF 27.6 20.9 58.4 30.8 25.0None 4 21.7 CDEF 21.4 31.2 11.8 23.8 24.9Other 2 7.1 BCDEF 4.9 6.5 3.4 8.3 6.7Jewish 5 2.3 BCDEF 3.0 5.3 0.3 5.3 3.0 Self‐rating(highest10%oraboveaverage)

Spirituality 1 43.7 BCDEF 37.9 33.7 38.8 38.7 36.3 Goals(essentialorveryimportant)

Developingameaningfulphilosophyoflife

2 54.2 BDF 48.8 54.3 46.8 53.1 46.8

Activityinthepastyear(frequentlyoroccasionally)

Attendedareligiousservice

2 78.5 CDF 78.0 72.1 85.7 76.7 74.4

Discussedreligion* 1 38.8 BCDF 36.5 36.0 37.1 38.2 31.3*Frequentlyonly BCDEFSignificantdifferencebetweenCurrentWomen'sCollegesandComparisonGroup(p<.05) 

60 

Table3.11.ExtracurricularActivitiesAmongIncomingFemaleFirst‐YearStudents,byInstitutionType,2011

SurveyItem

CurrentWomen'sCollegesRank

PrivateFour‐YearColleges Universities

CurrentWomen'sColleges

AllCoedPrivate4yr

Colleges

AnnapolisGroup

CatholicColleges

PrivateUniversities

PublicUniversities

(A) (B) (C) (D) (E) (F)

n=4,358 n=46,011 n=16,032 n=9,135 n=20,595 n=39,706

(%) (%) (%) (%) (%) (%)Activitiesinthepastyear(Medianhoursperweek)

Socializingwithfriends

6 8.8 10.1 9.9 10.1 10.0 9.8

Exerciseorsports 6 6.3 7.9 7.8 8.5 7.5 7.3Onlinesocialnetworks(MySpace,Facebook,etc.)

1(T) 5.4 5.2 5.0 5.3 5.4 5.0

WatchingTV 1 4.1 3.9 3.7 4.0 3.8 3.7Participateinstudentclubs/groups

2(T) 3.9 3.6 3.9 3.7 4.4 3.7

Household/childcareduties

2 3.2 2.4 3.0 2.7 3.5 2.4

Readingforpleasure 1 3.1 2.7 2.9 2.5 2.6 2.5Partying 6 1.8 2.1 2.1 2.4 2.3 2.4Playingvideo/computergames

1 0.9 0.8 0.8 0.7 0.7 0.8

Activitiesinthepastyear(frequentlyoroccasionally)

Drankwineorliquor 6 34.9 BCDEF 43.6 51.0 42.8 44.4 41.3Drankbeer 6 21.0 BCDEF 33.5 40.2 34.0 34.3 32.5Smokedcigarettes* 3 2.0 BCDEF 2.3 2.2 1.6 1.5 1.9 (Table3.11continues)

61 

Table3.11.ExtracurricularActivitiesAmongIncomingFemaleFirst‐YearStudents,byInstitutionType,2011(continued)

SurveyItem

CurrentWomen'sCollegesRank

PrivateFour‐YearColleges Universities

CurrentWomen'sColleges

AllCoedPrivate4yr

Colleges

AnnapolisGroup

CatholicColleges

PrivateUniversities

PublicUniversities

(A) (B) (C) (D) (E) (F)n=4,358 n=46,011 n=16,032 n=9,135 n=20,595 n=39,706

Expectations(verygoodchance)

Participateinstudentclubs/groups

3 66.2 BCDEF 60.8 69.5 61.7 73.8 60.7

Playclub,intramural,orrecreationalsports

6 23.2 BCDEF 29.5 30.9 33.3 30.1 28.7

Playintercollegiateathletics(e.g.,NCAAorNAIA‐sponsored)

4 14.0 BCDEF 17.0 18.6 15.0 8.4 5.3

Joinasocialfraternityorsorority

3 11.2 BCDEF 10.5 10.6 8.9 15.7 18.1

*Frequentlyonly(T)Indicatesrankingtie BCDEFSignificantdifferencebetweenCurrentWomen'sCollegesandComparisonGroup(p<.05) 

62 

Table3.12.PoliticalandSocialViewsAmongIncomingFemale First‐YearStudents,byInstitutionType,2011

SurveyItem

CurrentWomen'sCollegesRank

PrivateFour‐YearColleges Universities

CurrentWomen'sColleges

AllCoedPrivate4yr

Colleges

AnnapolisGroup

CatholicColleges

PrivateUniversities

PublicUniversities

(A) (B) (C) (D) (E) (F)n=4,358 n=46,011 n=16,032 n=9,135 n=20,595 n=39,706

(%) (%) (%) (%) (%) (%)Politicalorientation

Farleft 2 4.1BCDEF 2.8 4.4 1.4 2.3 2.1Liberal 2 38.6BCDEF 30.9 44.0 23.7 36.6 31.4Middleoftheroad 4(T) 40.7BCDF 43.6 36.0 49.7 40.7 45.3Conservative 5 15.5BCDEF 21.7 15.0 23.8 19.5 20.2Farright 2(T) 1.1CDE 1.1 0.7 1.3 0.8 1.1 Goals(veryimportantoressential)

Keepinguptodatewithpoliticalaffairs

3 38.0BCDEF 31.6 40.7 30.8 41.1 32.2

Influencingthepoliticalstructure

1 23.7BCDEF 16.6 19.0 17.5 19.5 17.1

PoliticalEngagement(frequentlyoroccasionally)

Discussedpolitics*

3 34.6BCDEF 29.5 36.0 30.2 35.8 29.2

Workedinalocal,state,ornationalpoliticalcampaign

1 12.1BDF 9.9 11.9 10.0 12.0 10.3

(Table3.12continues)

63 

Table3.12.PoliticalandSocialViewsAmongIncomingFemaleFirst‐YearStudents,byInstitutionType,2011(continued)

SurveyItem

CurrentWomen'sCollegesRank

PrivateFour‐YearColleges Universities

CurrentWomen'sColleges

AllCoedPrivate4yr

Colleges

AnnapolisGroup

CatholicColleges

PrivateUniversities

PublicUniversities

(A) (B) (C) (D) (E) (F)n=4,358 n=46,011 n=16,032 n=9,135 n=20,595 n=39,706

(%) (%) (%) (%) (%) (%)Views(agreestronglyoragreesomewhat)

Thefederalgovernmentisnotdoingenoughtocontrolenvironmentalpollutiona

2 84.5BDF 80.5 86.2 79.7 83.1 81.1

Thefederalgovernmentshoulddomoretocontrolthesaleofhandgunsa

1 81.5BCDEF 73.8 78.5 76.4 78.7 73.4

Same‐sexcouplesshouldhavetherighttolegalmaritalstatus

4 75.7CE 74.9 84.2 75.5 79.9 78.0

Anationalhealthcareplanisneededtocovereverybody'smedicalcosts

1 73.8BCDEF 63.1 68.6 61.1 62.5 59.9

Wealthypeopleshouldpayalargershareoftaxesthantheydonowa

1 73.7BCDEF 65.3 70.0 63.9 62.8 61.9

(Table3.12continues)

64 

Table3.12.PoliticalandSocialViewsAmongIncomingFemaleFirst‐YearStudents,byInstitutionType,2011(continued)

SurveyItem

CurrentWomen'sCollegesRank

PrivateFour‐YearColleges Universities

CurrentWomen'sColleges

AllCoedPrivate4yr

Colleges

AnnapolisGroup

CatholicColleges

PrivateUniversities

PublicUniversities

(A) (B) (C) (D) (E) (F)n=4,358 n=46,011 n=16,032 n=9,135 n=20,595 n=39,706

(%) (%) (%) (%) (%) (%)Views(agreestronglyoragreesomewhat)

Collegesshouldprohibitracist/sexistspeechoncampusb

6 69.1BCDE 72.7 72.2 71.7 73.3 69.7

Thechiefbenefitofacollegeeducationisthatitincreasesone'searningpower

3 68.0BCDE 65.0 56.7 71.1 63.1 70.1

Abortionshouldbelegal

4 60.5BCDE 58.2 71.3 51.0 65.5 62.0

Studentsfromdisadvantagedsocialbackgroundsshouldbegivenpreferentialtreatmentincollegeadmissions

1 46.7BCDEF 40.1 39.4 38.0 35.3 37.2

Thereistoomuchconcerninthecourtsfortherightsofcriminalsb

5 46.2BCDF 50.5 42.4 54.9 46.8 51.5

Marijuanashouldbelegalized

4 43.2CDE 42.1 50.5 38.0 44.8 44.0

(Table3.12continues)

65 

Table3.12.PoliticalandSocialViewsAmongIncomingFemaleFirst‐YearStudents,byInstitutionType,2011(continued)

SurveyItem

CurrentWomen'sCollegesRank

PrivateFour‐YearColleges Universities

CurrentWomen'sColleges

AllCoedPrivate4yr

Colleges

AnnapolisGroup

CatholicColleges

PrivateUniversities

PublicUniversities

(A) (B) (C) (D) (E) (F)n=4,358 n=46,011 n=16,032 n=9,135 n=20,595 n=39,706

(%) (%) (%) (%) (%) (%)Views(agreestronglyoragreesomewhat)

Affirmativeactionincollegeadmissionsshouldbeabolisheda

6 41.4BCDEF 45.3 45.2 46.7 51.5 49.6

Collegeshavetherighttobanextremespeakersfromcampusb

3 38.9CD 39.8 34.6 41.0 37.9 37.8

Thefederalgovernmentshouldraisetaxestohelpreducethedeficita

2 35.6BCDF 31.1 39.4 28.2 35.4 32.2

Undocumentedimmigrantsshouldbedeniedaccesstopubliceducation

6 30.1BCDEF 39.0 31.7 42.1 35.6 40.4

Federalmilitaryspendingshouldbeincreased

4 26.4BCDEF 29.1 21.6 32.9 23.5 29.1

Realistically,anindividualcandolittletobringaboutchangesinoursocietyb

1(T) 23.5BCEF 21.9 19.2 23.5 18.8 21.4

(Table3.12continues)

66 

Table3.12.PoliticalandSocialViewsAmongIncomingFemaleFirst‐YearStudents,byInstitutionType,2011(continued)

SurveyItem

CurrentWomen'sCollegesRank

PrivateFour‐YearColleges Universities

CurrentWomen'sColleges

AllCoedPrivate4yr

Colleges

AnnapolisGroup

CatholicColleges

PrivateUniversities

PublicUniversities

(A) (B) (C) (D) (E) (F)n=4,358 n=46,011 n=16,032 n=9,135 n=20,595 n=39,706

(%) (%) (%) (%) (%) (%)Views(agreestronglyoragreesomewhat)

RacialdiscriminationisnolongeramajorprobleminAmerica

6 16.2BDEF 20.7 16.6 22.2 19.7 21.4

*Frequentlyonly aOn2010survey bOn2009survey (T)Indicatesrankingtie BCDEFSignificantdifferencebetweenCurrentWomen's CollegesandComparisonGroup(p<.05)

67

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

1971

1973

1975

1977

1979

1981

1983

1985

1987

1989

1991

1993

1995

1997

1999

2001

2003

2005

2007

2009

2011

%ofStudents

Figure3.1White/CaucasianStudentEnrollment(1971‐2011)

CurrentWomen'sColleges

AllCoedPrivateFour‐YearColleges

AnnapolisGroup

CatholicColleges

PrivateUniversities

PublicUniversities

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

1971

1973

1975

1977

1979

1981

1983

1985

1987

1989

1991

1993

1995

1997

1999

2001

2003

2005

2007

2009

2011

%ofStudents

Figure3.2AfricanAmerican/BlackStudentEnrollment

(1971‐2011)CurrentWomen'sColleges

AllCoedPrivateFour‐YearColleges

AnnapolisGroup

CatholicColleges

PrivateUniversities

PublicUniversities

68

02468101214161820

1971

1973

1975

1977

1979

1981

1983

1985

1987

1989

1991

1993

1995

1997

1999

2001

2003

2005

2007

2009

2011

%ofStudents

Figure3.3AsianAmerican/AsianStudentEnrollment

(1971‐2011)CurrentWomen'sColleges

AllCoedPrivateFour‐YearColleges

AnnapolisGroup

CatholicColleges

PrivateUniversities

PublicUniversities

70000

80000

90000

100000

110000

120000

130000

140000

150000

1971

1973

1975

1977

1979

1981

1983

1985

1987

1989

1991

1993

1995

1997

1999

2001

2003

2005

2007

2009

2011

Income

Figure3.4MedianParentalIncomein2011ConstantDollars

(1971‐2011)CurrentWomen'sColleges

AllCoedPrivateFour‐YearColleges

AnnapolisGroup

CatholicColleges

PrivateUniversities

PublicUniversities

69

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

1971

1973

1975

1977

1979

1981

1983

1985

1987

1989

1991

1993

1995

1997

1999

2001

2003

2005

2007

2009

2011

%ofStudents

Note:Gapindicatesyearsinwhichthisitemwasnotaskedonthesurvey

Figure3.5Collegeis500+MilesfromHome(1971‐2011)

CurrentWomen'sColleges

AllCoedPrivateFour‐YearColleges

AnnapolisGroup

CatholicColleges

PrivateUniversities

PublicUniversities

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

1971

1973

1975

1977

1979

1981

1983

1985

1987

1989

1991

1993

1995

1997

1999

2001

2003

2005

2007

2009

2011

%ofStudents

Figure3.6FatherHasaFour‐YearorGraduateDegree

(1971‐2011)CurrentWomen'sColleges

AllCoedPrivateFour‐YearColleges

AnnapolisGroup

CatholicColleges

PrivateUniversities

PublicUniversities

70

10

20

30

40

50

60

7019

7119

7319

7519

7719

7919

8119

8319

8519

8719

8919

9119

9319

9519

9719

9920

0120

0320

0520

0720

0920

11

% o

f S

tud

ents

Figure 3.7 Mother Has a Four-Year or Graduate Degree

(1971-2011)Current Women'sColleges

All Coed PrivateFour-Year Colleges

Annapolis Group

Catholic Colleges

Private Universities

Public Universities

012345678910

1971

1973

1975

1977

1979

1981

1983

1985

1987

1989

1991

1993

1995

1997

1999

2001

2003

2005

2007

2009

2011

%ofStudents

Note:Gapindicatesyearsinwhichthisitemwasnotaskedonthesurvey

Figure3.8Father'sOccupation:Doctor(MDorDDS)

(1971‐2011)CurrentWomen'sColleges

AllCoedPrivateFour‐YearColleges

AnnapolisGroup

CatholicColleges

PrivateUniversities

PublicUniversities

71

0

1

2

3

4

5

6

71971

1973

1975

1977

1979

1981

1983

1985

1987

1989

1991

1993

1995

1997

1999

2001

2003

2005

2007

2009

2011

%ofStudents

Note:Gapindicatesyearsinwhichthisitemwasnotaskedonthesurvey

Figure3.9Father'sOccupation:Lawyer(1971‐2011)

CurrentWomen'sColleges

AllCoedPrivateFour‐YearColleges

AnnapolisGroup

CatholicColleges

PrivateUniversities

PublicUniversities

15

20

25

30

35

40

45

1971

1973

1975

1977

1979

1981

1983

1985

1987

1989

1991

1993

1995

1997

1999

2001

2003

2005

2007

2009

2011

%ofStudents

Note:Gapindicatesyearsinwhichthisitemwasnotaskedonthesurvey

Figure3.10Father'sOccupation:Business(1971‐2011)

CurrentWomen'sColleges

AllCoedPrivateFour‐YearColleges

AnnapolisGroup

CatholicColleges

PrivateUniversities

PublicUniversities

72

0.0

0.5

1.0

1.5

2.0

2.5

3.0

3.5

4.0

1971

1973

1975

1977

1979

1981

1983

1985

1987

1989

1991

1993

1995

1997

1999

2001

2003

2005

2007

2009

2011

%ofStudents

Note:Gapindicatesyearsinwhichthisitemwasnotaskedonthesurvey

Figure3.11Father'sOccupation:Laborer(1971‐2011)

CurrentWomen'sColleges

AllCoedPrivateFour‐YearColleges

AnnapolisGroup

CatholicColleges

PrivateUniversities

PublicUniversities

0

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

1971

1973

1975

1977

1979

1981

1983

1985

1987

1989

1991

1993

1995

1997

1999

2001

2003

2005

2007

2009

2011

%ofStudents

Note:Gapindicatesyearsinwhichthisitemwasnotaskedonthesurvey

Figure3.12Father'sOccupation:Unemployed(1971‐2011)

CurrentWomen'sColleges

AllCoedPrivateFour‐YearColleges

AnnapolisGroup

CatholicColleges

PrivateUniversities

PublicUniversities

73

0.0

0.5

1.0

1.5

2.0

2.5

1971

1973

1975

1977

1979

1981

1983

1985

1987

1989

1991

1993

1995

1997

1999

2001

2003

2005

2007

2009

2011

%ofStudents

Note:Gapindicatesyearsinwhichthisitemwasnotaskedonthesurvey

Figure3.13Father'sOccupation:Military(1971‐2011)

CurrentWomen'sColleges

AllCoedPrivateFour‐YearColleges

AnnapolisGroup

CatholicColleges

PrivateUniversities

PublicUniversities

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

1972

1974

1976

1978

1980

1982

1984

1986

1988

1990

1992

1994

1996

1998

2000

2002

2004

2006

2008

2010

%ofStudents

Note:Gapindicatesyearsinwhichthisitemwasnotaskedonthesurvey

Figure3.14ParentsDivorcedorLivingApart(1972‐2011)

CurrentWomen'sColleges

AllCoedPrivateFour‐YearColleges

AnnapolisGroup

CatholicColleges

PrivateUniversities

PublicUniversities

74

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

801971

1973

1975

1977

1979

1981

1983

1985

1987

1989

1991

1993

1995

1997

1999

2001

2003

2005

2007

2009

2011

%ofStudents

Figure3.15AverageGradeinHighSchool:A+,A,orA‐

(1971‐2011)CurrentWomen'sColleges

AllCoedPrivateFour‐YearColleges

AnnapolisGroup

CatholicColleges

PrivateUniversities

PublicUniversities

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

1987

1989

1991

1993

1995

1997

1999

2001

2003

2005

2007

2009

2011

Hours

Figure3.16MedianHoursPerWeekinHighSchool:Studying/Homework(1987‐2011)

CurrentWomen'sColleges

AllCoedPrivateFour‐YearColleges

AnnapolisGroup

CatholicColleges

PrivateUniversities

PublicUniversities

75

25

30

35

40

45

50

55

601971

1973

1975

1977

1979

1981

1983

1985

1987

1989

1991

1993

1995

1997

1999

2001

2003

2005

2007

2009

2011

%ofStudents

Note:Gapsindicateyearsinwhichthisitemwasnotaskedonthesurvey

Figure3.17Self‐RatedMathematicalAbility(1971‐2011)

(%Indicating"Highest10%"or"AboveAverage")CurrentWomen'sColleges

AllCoedPrivateFour‐YearColleges

AnnapolisGroup

CatholicColleges

PrivateUniversities

PublicUniversities

55

60

65

70

75

80

85

90

1971

1973

1975

1977

1979

1981

1983

1985

1987

1989

1991

1993

1995

1997

1999

2001

2003

2005

2007

2009

2011

%ofStudents

Note:Gapsindicateyearsinwhichthisitemwasnotaskedonthesurvey

Figure3.18Self‐RatedAcademicAbility(1971‐2011)

(%Indicating"Highest10%"or"AboveAverage")CurrentWomen'sColleges

AllCoedPrivateFour‐YearColleges

AnnapolisGroup

CatholicColleges

PrivateUniversities

PublicUniversities

76

0

10

20

30

40

50

601972

1974

1976

1978

1980

1982

1984

1986

1988

1990

1992

1994

1996

1998

2000

2002

2004

2006

2008

2010

%ofStudents

Figure3.19CollegeApplicationsOtherThanCurrentCollege:

SixorMore(1971‐2011)CurrentWomen'sColleges

AllCoedPrivate4yrColleges

AnnapolisGroup

CatholicColleges

PrivateUniversities

PublicUniversitiesNote: Gap indicates years in which this item was not asked on the survey

55

60

65

70

75

80

85

1974

1976

1978

1980

1982

1984

1986

1988

1990

1992

1994

1996

1998

2000

2002

2004

2006

2008

2010

%ofStudents

Figure3.20AttendingFirstChoiceCollege(1974‐2011)

CurrentWomen'sColleges

AllCoedPrivateFour‐YearCollegesAnnapolisGroup

CatholicColleges

PrivateUniversities

PublicUniversities

77

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

101973

1975

1977

1979

1981

1983

1985

1987

1989

1991

1993

1995

1997

1999

2001

2003

2005

2007

2009

2011

%ofStudents

Figure3.21ReasonForAttendingThisCollege:MyTeacherAdvisedMe(1973‐2011)(%Indicating"VeryImportant")

CurrentWomen'sColleges

AllCoedPrivateFour‐YearColleges

AnnapolisGroup

CatholicColleges

PrivateUniversities

PublicUniversities

5

10

15

20

25

30

1983

1985

1987

1989

1991

1993

1995

1997

1999

2001

2003

2005

2007

2009

2011

%ofStudents

Figure3.22ReasonForAttendingThisCollege:

IWantedtoLiveNearHome(1983‐2011)(%Indicating"VeryImportant")

CurrentWomen'sColleges

AllCoedPrivateFour‐YearColleges

AnnapolisGroup

CatholicColleges

PrivateUniversities

PublicUniversities

78

0

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

81982

1984

1986

1988

1990

1992

1994

1996

1998

2000

2002

2004

2006

2008

2010

%ofStudents

Figure3.23ExpecttoWorkFull‐TimeWhileAttendingCollege(1982‐2011)

(%Indicating"VeryGoodChance")CurrentWomen'sColleges

AllCoedPrivateFour‐YearColleges

AnnapolisGroup

CatholicColleges

PrivateUniversities

PublicUniversities

5

10

15

20

25

30

1971

1973

1975

1977

1979

1981

1983

1985

1987

1989

1991

1993

1995

1997

1999

2001

2003

2005

2007

2009

2011

%ofStudents

Note:Gapsindicateyearsinwhichthisitemwasnotaskedonthesurvey

Figure3.24PercentIndicatingMajorConcernsAboutFinancing

College(1971‐2011)CurrentWomen'sColleges

AllCoedPrivateFour‐YearColleges

AnnapolisGroup

CatholicColleges

PrivateUniversities

PublicUniversities

79

0

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

91971

1973

1975

1977

1979

1981

1983

1985

1987

1989

1991

1993

1995

1997

1999

2001

2003

2005

2007

2009

2011

%ofStudents

Figure3.25YourProbableFieldofStudy:Engineering

(1971‐2011)

CurrentWomen'sColleges

AllCoedPrivateFour‐YearColleges

AnnapolisGroup

CatholicColleges

PrivateUniversities

PublicUniversities

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

1971

1973

1975

1977

1979

1981

1983

1985

1987

1989

1991

1993

1995

1997

1999

2001

2003

2005

2007

2009

2011

%ofStudents

Figure3.26YourProbableFieldofStudy:Psychology

(1971‐2011)

CurrentWomen'sColleges

AllCoedPrivateFour‐YearColleges

AnnapolisGroup

CatholicColleges

PrivateUniversities

PublicUniversities

80

024681012141618

1971

1973

1975

1977

1979

1981

1983

1985

1987

1989

1991

1993

1995

1997

1999

2001

2003

2005

2007

2009

2011

%ofStudents

Note:Gapindicatesyearsinwhichthisitemwasnotaskedonthesurvey

Figure3.27YourProbableCareer/Occupation:Nurse

(1971‐2011)CurrentWomen'sColleges

AllCoedPrivateFour‐YearColleges

AnnapolisGroup

CatholicColleges

PrivateUniversities

PublicUniversities

253035404550556065

1977

1979

1981

1983

1985

1987

1989

1991

1993

1995

1997

1999

2001

2003

2005

2007

2009

2011

%ofStudents

Note:Gapindicatesyearsinwhichthisitemwasnotaskedonthesurvey

Figure3.28Goal:HelpingtoPromoteRacialUnderstanding

(1977‐2011)(%Indicating"Essential"or"VeryImportant")

CurrentWomen'sCollegesAllCoedPrivateFour‐YearCollegesAnnapolisGroup

CatholicColleges

PrivateUniversitiesPublicUniversities

81

25

30

35

40

45

50

55

601971

1973

1975

1977

1979

1981

1983

1985

1987

1989

1991

1993

1995

1997

1999

2001

2003

2005

2007

2009

2011

%ofStudents

Note:Gapindicatesyearsinwhichthisitemwasnotaskedonthesurvey

Figure3.29Goal:InfluencingSocialValues(1971‐2011)(%Indicating"Essential"or"VeryImportant")

CurrentWomen'sColleges

AllCoedPrivateFour‐YearColleges

AnnapolisGroup

CatholicColleges

PrivateUniversities

PublicUniversities

1.0

1.5

2.0

2.5

3.0

3.5

4.0

1987

1989

1991

1993

1995

1997

1999

2001

2003

2005

2007

2009

2011

Hours

Figure3.30MedianHoursPerWeekinHighSchool:

VolunteerWork(1987‐2011)CurrentWomen'sColleges

AllCoedPrivateFour‐YearColleges

AnnapolisGroup

CatholicColleges

PrivateUniversities

PublicUniversities

82

10121416182022242628

1971

1973

1975

1977

1979

1981

1983

1985

1987

1989

1991

1993

1995

1997

1999

2001

2003

2005

2007

2009

2011

%ofStudents

Note:Gapsindicateyearsinwhichthisitemwasnotaskedonthesurvey

Figure3.31Goal:WritingOriginalWorks(1971‐2011)

(%Indicating"Essential"or"VeryImportant")CurrentWomen'sColleges

AllCoedPrivateFour‐YearColleges

AnnapolisGroup

CatholicColleges

PrivateUniversities

PublicUniversities

5

10

15

20

25

30

1971

1973

1975

1977

1979

1981

1983

1985

1987

1989

1991

1993

1995

1997

1999

2001

2003

2005

2007

2009

2011

%ofStudents

Note:Gapsindicateyearsinwhichthisitemwasnotaskedonthesurvey

Figure3.32Goal:BecomingAccomplishedinthePerformingArts

(1971‐2011)(%Indicating"Essential"or"VeryImportant")

CurrentWomen'sColleges

AllCoedPrivateFour‐YearColleges

AnnapolisGroup

CatholicColleges

PrivateUniversities

PublicUniversities

83

56789101112131415

1985

1987

1989

1991

1993

1995

1997

1999

2001

2003

2005

2007

2009

2011

%ofStudents

Figure3.33FrequentlyFeltDepressedinHighSchool(1985‐2011)

CurrentWomen'sColleges

AllCoedPrivateFour‐YearColleges

AnnapolisGroup

CatholicColleges

PrivateUniversities

PublicUniversities

024681012141618

1971

1973

1975

1977

1979

1981

1983

1985

1987

1989

1991

1993

1995

1997

1999

2001

2003

2005

2007

2009

2011

%ofStudents

Note:Gapindicatesyearsinwhichthisitemwasaskedonthesurvey

Figure3.34ExpecttoSeekPersonalCounseling(1971‐2011)

(%Indicating"VeryGoodChance")CurrentWomen'sColleges

AllCoedPrivateFour‐YearColleges

AnnapolisGroup

CatholicColleges

PrivateUniversities

PublicUniversities

84

5.0

5.5

6.0

6.5

7.0

7.5

8.0

8.5

9.01987

1989

1991

1993

1995

1997

1999

2001

2003

2005

2007

2009

2011

Hours

Figure3.35MedianHoursPerWeekinHighSchool:

ExerciseorSports(1987‐2011)CurrentWomen'sColleges

AllCoedPrivateFour‐YearColleges

AnnapolisGroup

CatholicColleges

PrivateUniversities

PublicUniversities

45

50

55

60

65

70

75

80

1972

1974

1976

1978

1980

1982

1984

1986

1988

1990

1992

1994

1996

1998

2000

2002

2004

2006

2008

2010

%ofStudents

Note:Gapsindicateyearsinwhichthisitemwasnotaskedonthesurvey

Figure3.36BeliefthatWealthyPeopleShouldPayaLargerShareof

TaxesThanTheyDoNow(1972‐2010)(%Indicating"AgreeStrongly"or"AgreeSomewhat")

CurrentWomen'sColleges

AllCoedPrivateFour‐YearColleges

AnnapolisGroup

CatholicColleges

PrivateUniversities

PublicUniversities

85

 

APPENDICESA‐D

Appendix A

86

Appendix A

87

Appendix A

88

Appendix A

89

Appendix B

List of Participating Institutions, by Comparison Group

Current Women’s Colleges (n = 49)

Agnes Scott College Barnard College Bay Path College Bennett College for WomenBrenau University Bryn Mawr CollegeCarlow University Cedar Crest College Chatham University College of Notre Dame of Maryland College of Saint Benedict College of Saint Elizabeth College of Saint Mary Colorado Women's College Columbia College Converse College Cottey College Douglass College Georgian Court University Hollins UniversityMary Baldwin College Meredith College Midway College Mills College Moore College of Art and Design Mount Holyoke College Mount Mary College

Mount St Mary's College Peace College*Pine Manor College Saint Joseph College Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College Saint Mary's College Salem College Scripps College Simmons College Smith College Spelman College St Catherine University Stephens College Sweet Briar College Texas Woman's University*The College of New RochelleThe Sage Colleges Trinity Washington University Ursuline College Wellesley College Wesleyan CollegeWilson College

*Not a WCC member at the time the studywas conducted

90

Appendix B

All Coed Private Four-Year Colleges (n = 747)

Abilene Christian University Adrian College Alaska Pacific University Albion College Albright College Alderson Broaddus College Alfred University Allegheny College Alliance College Alliant International University Alma College Alvernia University American College of Applied Art American InterContinental University-Atlanta American Intercontinental University-Los Angeles American International College Amherst College Anderson University-Indiana Anderson University-South Carolina Andrews University Anna Maria College Antioch College Antioch College-Washington/Balt Aquinas College at Newton Aquinas College-Grand Rapids Art Center College of Design Asbury University Ashland University Assumption College Athens State University

Atlanta Christian College Atlanta College of Art Atlantic Union College Augsburg College Augustana College-Illinois Augustana College-South Dakota Aurora University Austin College Ave Maria University Averett University Avila University Azusa Pacific University Babson College Bacone College Baker University Baldwin-Wallace College Baptist Bible College and Seminary Baptist Medical System School of Nursing Barat College Bard College Bard College at Simon's Rock Barrington College Barton College Bates College Belhaven University Bellarmine University Bellarmine-Ursuline College Bellevue University Belmont Abbey College Belmont University Beloit College

91

Appendix B

Benedictine College Benedictine University Bennington College Bentley University Berea College Berry College Bethany College-Kansas Bethany College-West Virginia Bethany Lutheran College Bethel College-Mishawaka Bethel College-North Newton Bethel University-McKenzie Bethel University-Saint Paul Biola University Birmingham Southern College Blackburn College Bloomfield College Bluffton University Bowdoin College Bradford College Bradley University Brevard College Briarcliffe College Bridgewater College Brigham Young University-Hawaii Brown University Bryan College-Dayton Bryant University Bryn Athyn College of the New Church Bucknell University Buena Vista University Butler University Cabrini College

Caldwell College California Baptist University California College of the Arts California Institute of Technology California Institute of the Arts California Lutheran University Calvin College Campbell University Campbellsville University Canisius College Capital University Cardinal Stritch University Carleton College Carroll College Carroll University Carson-Newman College Carthage College Catawba College Cedarville University Centenary College of Louisiana Central College Central Methodist University-College of Liberal Arts & Sciences Centre College Chaminade University of Honolulu Champlain College Chancellor University Chapman University Charleston Southern University Chowan University Christian Brothers University Claremont McKenna College Clark University

92

Appendix B

Clarkson College Clarkson University Clearwater Christian College Cleveland Institute of Art Cleveland Institute of Music Coe College Cogswell Polytechnical College Coker College Colby College Colgate University College for Creative Studies College of Charleston College of Emporia College of Our Lady of the Elms College of Saint Teresa College of the Atlantic College of the Holy Cross Colorado Christian University Colorado College Colorado Heights University Columbia International University Columbus College of Art and Design Concordia College at Moorhead Concordia College-New York Concordia University-Irvine Concordia University-Portland Concordia University-Seward Concordia University-Texas Connecticut College Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art Corban University Corcoran College of Art and Design

Cornell College Cornerstone University Cornish College of the Arts Covenant College Creighton University Crossroads College Crown College Culver-Stockton College Cumberland University Curry College Daemen College Dakota Wesleyan University Dana College Daniel Webster College Dartmouth College Davidson College Davis & Elkins College Defiance College Delaware Valley College Denison University DePauw University DeSales University DeVry University-Illinois DeVry University-Ohio Dickinson College Doane College-Crete Dominican College of Blauvelt Dominican College-Racine Dominican University Dominican University of California Dordt College Drew University Drexel University

93

Appendix B

Drury University D'Youville College Earlham College East Texas Baptist University Eastern Mennonite University Eastern Nazarene College Eastern University Eckerd College Edgewood College Eisenhower College Elizabethtown College Elmhurst College Elmira College Elon University Embry Riddle Aeronautical University-Daytona Beach Emerson College Emory and Henry College Erskine College and Seminary Eureka College Evangel University Fairfield University Fairleigh Dickin School of Nursing University -Rutherford Fairleigh Dickinson University-Metropolitan Campus Ferrum College Finlandia University Florida College Florida Institute of Technology Florida Southern College Fontbonne University Franciscan University of Steubenville Franklin and Marshall College

Franklin College Franklin Pierce University Franklin University Free Will Baptist Bible College Freed-Hardeman University Fresno Pacific University Friends University Furman University Gallaudet University Gannon University Gardner-Webb University Geneva College George Fox University George Williams College Georgetown College Gettysburg College Goddard College Gonzaga University Gordon College-Wenham Goshen College Grace College and Theological Seminary Graceland University-Lamoni Grand Canyon University Grand View University Green Mountain College Greensboro College Greenville College Grinnell College Grove City College Guilford College Gustavus Adolphus College Gwynedd Mercy College

94

Appendix B

Hamilton College Hamline University Hampden-Sydney College Hampshire College Hannibal-Lagrange College Hanover College Harding University Hardin-Simmons University Harrisburg University of Science and Technology Hartwick College Harvey Mudd College Hastings College Haverford College Hawthorne College Heidelberg University Hendrix College High Point University Hilbert College Hillsdale College Hiram College Hobart William Smith Colleges Hofstra University Holy Family University Holy Names University Hope College Hope International University Houghton College Houston Baptist University Howard Payne University Humphreys College-Stockton and Modesto Campuses Huntingdon College Huntington University

Huron University Husson University Illinois College Illinois Institute of Technology Illinois Wesleyan University Immaculate Heart College Indiana Institute of Technology Indiana Wesleyan University Iona College Iowa Wesleyan College Ithaca College Jacksonville University Jewish Theological Seminary of America John Brown University John Carroll University Johnson & Wales University-Providence Johnston College Judson University Juniata College Kalamazoo College Kansas City Art Institute Kansas Wesleyan University Kendall College of Art and Design Kentucky Christian University Kentucky Wesleyan College Kenyon College Kettering University Keystone College King College King's College-Briarcliff Manor King's College-Wilkes Barre Kirkland College

95

Appendix B

Knox College Kuyper College La Roche College La Salle University Lafayette College LaGrange College Laguna College of Art and Design Lake Forest College Lakeland College Lambuth University Landmark College Lasell College Lawrence Technological University Lawrence University Le Moyne College Lebanon Valley College Lee University Lees-McRae College Lehigh University Lenoir-Rhyne University LeTourneau University Lewis & Clark College Lewis University Limestone College Lincoln Christian University Lincoln Memorial University Lindenwood University Linfield College Lipscomb University Lone Mountain College Long Island University-C W Post Campus Long Island University-Regional Campuses

Loras College Louisiana College Loyola University California Loyola University-Baltimore Lubbock Christian University Luther College Lycoming College Lynchburg College Lynn University Lyon College Macalester College MacMurray College Maharishi University of Management Maine College of Art Malone University Manchester College Manhattan College Manhattanville College Marian University-Wisconsin Marietta College Marist College Marlboro College Mars Hill College Martin Methodist College Mary Manse College Marygrove College Maryland Institute College of Art Marymount College of Fordham University Marymount College of Kansas Maryville College Maryville University of Saint Louis Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences

96

Appendix B

McKendree University McMurry University McPherson College Medaille College Memphis College of Art Menlo College Mercer University-Macon Mercy College-Dobbs Ferry Mercyhurst College Merrimack College Messiah College MidAmerica Nazarene University Mid-Atlantic Christian University Middlebury College Milligan College Millikin University Millsaps College Milton College Milwaukee Institute of Art & Design Milwaukee School of Engineering Minneapolis College of Art and Design Mississippi College Missouri Baptist University Missouri Valley College Molloy College Monmouth College Monmouth University Montreat College Montserrat College of Art Moravian College and Moravian Theological Seminary Morningside College Mount Aloysius College

Mount Ida College Mount Mercy University Mount Olive College Mount Saint Mary College Mount Saint Scholastica College Mount Senario College Mount St Mary's University Mount Vernon College Mount Vernon Nazarene University Muhlenberg College Mundelein College Muskingum University Naropa University NasSchool of Nursing College National-Louis University Nazareth College Nazareth College-Kalamazoo Nebraska Methodist College of Nursing & Allied Health Nebraska Wesleyan University Neumann University New College of Florida New England College Newberry College Niagara University North Carolina Wesleyan College North Central College North Central University North Greenville University North Park University Northland College Northwest Christian University Northwest Nazarene University

97

Appendix B

Northwest University Northwestern College-Orange City Northwestern College-Saint Paul Notre Dame College-Manchester Nova Southeastern University Nyack College Oakland City University Oberlin College Occidental College Oglethorpe University Ohio Dominican University Ohio Northern University Ohio Wesleyan University Oklahoma Baptist University Oklahoma Christian University Oklahoma City University Oklahoma Wesleyan University Olivet College Olivet Nazarene University Ona M Wilcox School of Nursing Oral Roberts University Oregon College of Art and Craft Otis College of Art and Design Ottawa University-Ottawa Otterbein University Ouachita Baptist University Our Lady of the Lake College Our Lady of the Lake University-San Antonio Oxford College of Emory University Pace University-New York Pace University-Pleasantville Pace University-White Plains

Pacific Lutheran University Pacific Northwest College of Art Pacific Union College Pacific University Palm Beach Atlantic University-West Palm Beach Park University Parks College of Saint Louis University ParSchool of Nursings College Patrick Henry College Pepperdine University Pfeiffer University Philadelphia Biblical University-Langhorne Philadelphia University Phillips University Piedmont College Pikeville College Pitzer College Point Loma Nazarene University Point Park University Polytechnic Institute of New York University Pomona College Post University Pratt Institute-Main Presbyterian College Prescott College Presentation College Principia College Providence College Quincy University Quinnipiac University Randolph College

98

Appendix B

Randolph-Macon College Reed College Regis University Reinhardt University Rhode Island School of Design Rhodes College Richmond College Rider University Ringling College of Art and Design Ripon College Roanoke College Robert Morris College-Pittsburgh Robert Morris University Robert Morris University-Illinois Roberts Wesleyan College Rochester Institute of Technology Rockford College Rockhurst University Rocky Mountain College Roger Williams University Rollins College Roosevelt University Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology Sacred Heart University Sage College of Albany Saint Ambrose University Saint Anselm College Saint Bonaventure University Saint Catharine College Saint Edward's University Saint Francis University Saint John College Saint John Fisher College

Saint John's College-Santa Fe Saint John's College-Winfield Saint Johns University-St Joseph Saint Josephs College Saint Joseph's College of Maine Saint Joseph's College-New York Saint Joseph's University Saint Leo University Saint Louis Conservatory of Music Saint Martin's University Saint Mary of the Plains College Saint Marys College of California Saint Mary's College-Orchard Lake Saint Mary's Dominican College Saint Mary's University of Minnesota Saint Michael's College Saint Norbert College Saint Peter's College Saint Thomas Aquinas College Saint Thomas University Saint Vincent College Saint Vincent's School of Nursing Saint Xavier University Salem International University Salve Regina University Samford University San Diego Christian College San Francisco Art Institute Santa Clara University Santa Fe University of Art and Design Sarah Lawrence College Savannah College of Art and Design School of the Art Institute

99

Appendix B

School of the Art Institute of Chicago School of the Museum of Fine Arts-Boston School of Visual Arts Schreiner University Seattle Pacific University Seattle University Sewanee-The University of the South Sheldon JackSchool of Nursing College Shorter University Siena College Siena Heights University Silver Lake College Simpson College Simpson University Skidmore College Southeastern University-Lakeland Southern Adventist University Southern Nazarene University Southern New Hampshire University Southern Vermont College Southern Wesleyan University Southwest Baptist University Southwestern Adventist University Southwestern College-Winfield Southwestern University Spalding University Spring Arbor University Spring Hill College Springfield College St Andrews Presbyterian College St Francis College St Lawrence University

St Louis College of Pharmacy St Marys University St Olaf College Sterling College-Kansas Stetson University Stevens Institute of Technology Stevenson University Stonehill College Suffolk University Susquehanna University Swain School of Design Swarthmore College Tabor College Taylor University Taylor University Fort Wayne Tennessee Temple University Texas Lutheran University Texas Wesleyan University The Art Institute of Boston The College of Idaho The College of Saint Rose The College of Saint Scholastica The College of Wooster The Illinois Institute of Art-Chicago The Master's College and Seminary The New School The University of Findlay The University of Tampa The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga The University of the Arts Thiel College Thomas More College

100

Appendix B

Toccoa Falls College Touro College Transylvania University Trevecca Nazarene University Trinity Christian College Trinity College Trinity College of Vermont Trinity International University-Illinois Trinity University Trinity Western University Tusculum College Union College-Barbourville Union College-Lincoln Union College-Schenectady Union University Unity College University of Bridgeport University of Charleston University of Dallas University of Dayton University of Detroit Mercy University of Evansville University of Hartford University of Indianapolis University of La Verne University of Mary University of Mary Hardin-Baylor University of Mobile University of Mount Union University of New Haven University of Portland University of Puget Sound

University of Redlands University of Richmond University of Rio Grande University of San Diego University of San Francisco University of Scranton University of Sioux Falls University of St Francis University of St Thomas-St Paul University of the Ozarks University of the Sciences-Philadelphia University of the Southwest Upsala College Urbana University Ursinus College Utica College Valparaiso University Vanguard University of Southern California Vassar College Villa Maria College Villa Maria College-Buffalo Virginia Intermont College Virginia Wesleyan College Viterbo University Wabash College Wagner College Walla Walla University Walsh University Warner Pacific College Warner University Warren Wilson College Wartburg College

101

Appendix B

Washington & Jefferson College Washington and Lee University Washington College Wayland Baptist University Waynesburg University Webb Institute Webber International University Webster University Wentworth Institute of Technology Wesley College Wesleyan University West Virginia Wesleyan College Westbrook College Western New England University Westmar University Westminster College-Fulton Westminster College-New Wilmington Westminster College-Salt Lake City Westmont College Wheaton College Wheeling Jesuit University Wheelock College Whitman College

Whittier College Whitworth University Widener University-Main Campus Wilkes University Willamette University William Carey University William Jewell College William Tyndale College Williams Baptist College Williams College Wilmington College Wingate University Wisconsin Lutheran College Wittenberg University Wofford College Woodbury University Worcester Polytechnic Institute Xavier University of Louisiana Xavier University-Cincinnati Yankton College York College Pennsylvania

102

Appendix B

Annapolis Group (n = 109)

Albion College Albright College Allegheny College Alma College Amherst College Augustana College-Illinois Austin College Bates College Beloit College Bennington College Berea College Berry College Birmingham Southern College Bowdoin College Bucknell University Carleton College Centre College Claremont McKenna College Coe College Colby College Colgate University College of the Holy Cross Colorado College Connecticut College Cornell College Davidson College Denison University DePauw University Dickinson College Drew University Earlham College Eckerd College

Franklin and Marshall College Furman University Gettysburg College Gordon College-Wenham Grinnell College Gustavus Adolphus College Hamilton College Hampden-Sydney College Hampshire College Harvey Mudd College Haverford College Hendrix College Hiram College Hobart William Smith Colleges Hope College Houghton College Illinois Wesleyan University Juniata College Kalamazoo College Kenyon College Knox College Lafayette College Lake Forest College Lawrence University Lewis & Clark College Luther College Macalester College Manhattan College Middlebury College Millsaps College Monmouth University Moravian College and Moravian

103

Appendix B

Theological Seminary

Muhlenberg College Nebraska Wesleyan University Oberlin College Occidental College Oglethorpe University Ohio Wesleyan University Pitzer College Pomona College Presbyterian College Randolph College Randolph-Macon College Reed College Rhodes College Ripon College Rollins College Saint John's College-Santa Fe Saint Norbert College Sarah Lawrence College Sewanee-The University of the South Skidmore College Southwestern University St John's University-New York St Lawrence University

St Olaf College Susquehanna University Swarthmore College Transylvania University Trinity College Union College-Schenectady University of Puget Sound Ursinus College Vassar College Wabash College Washington & Jefferson College Washington and Lee University Washington College Westmont College Wheaton College Whitman College Whittier College Willamette University William Jewell College Williams College Wittenberg University Wofford College

104

Appendix B

Catholic Colleges (n = 144)

Alvernia University Anna Maria College Aquinas College at Newton Aquinas College-Grand Rapids Assumption College Ave Maria University Avila University Barat College Bellarmine University Bellarmine-Ursuline College Belmont Abbey College Benedictine College Benedictine University Cabrini College Caldwell College Canisius College Cardinal Stritch University Carroll College Chaminade University of Honolulu Christian Brothers University College of Our Lady of the Elms College of Saint Teresa College of the Holy Cross Colorado Heights University Creighton University Daemen College DeSales University Dominican College of Blauvelt Dominican College-Racine Dominican University Dominican University of California D'Youville College

Edgewood College Fairfield University Fontbonne University Franciscan University of Steubenville Gannon University Gonzaga University Gwynedd Mercy College Holy Family University Holy Names University Immaculate Heart College Iona College John Carroll University King's College-Wilkes Barre La Roche College La Salle University Le Moyne College Lewis University Lone Mountain College Loras College Loyola University California Loyola University-Baltimore Manhattan College Manhattanville College Marian University-Wisconsin Marist College Mary Manse College Marygrove College Marymount College of Fordham University Marymount College of Kansas Maryville University of Saint Louis Medaille College

105

Appendix B

Mercyhurst College Merrimack College Molloy College Mount Aloysius College Mount Mercy University Mount Saint Mary College Mount Saint Scholastica College Mount Senario College Mount St Mary's University Nazareth College Neumann University Niagara University Notre Dame College-Manchester Ohio Dominican University Our Lady of the Lake College Our Lady of the Lake University-San Antonio Pace University-White Plains Presentation College Providence College Quincy University Regis University Rockhurst University Sacred Heart University Saint Ambrose University Saint Anselm College Saint Bonaventure University Saint Catharine College Saint Edward's University Saint Francis University Saint John College Saint John Fisher College Saint Johns University-St Joseph

Saint Josephs College Saint Joseph's College of Maine Saint Joseph's University Saint Leo University Saint Martin's University Saint Mary of the Plains College Saint Marys College of California Saint Mary's Dominican College Saint Mary's University of Minnesota Saint Michael's College Saint Norbert College Saint Peter's College Saint Thomas University Saint Vincent College Saint Xavier University Salve Regina University Santa Clara University Santa Fe University of Art and Design Seattle University Siena College Siena Heights University Silver Lake College Southern Vermont College Spalding University Spring Hill College St Francis College St Marys University Stonehill College The College of Saint Rose The College of Saint Scholastica Thomas More College Trinity College of Vermont University of Dallas

106

Appendix B

University of Dayton University of Detroit Mercy University of Mary University of Portland University of San Diego University of San Francisco University of Scranton University of St Francis University of St Thomas-St Paul

Villa Maria College Villa Maria College-Buffalo Viterbo University Walsh University Wheeling Jesuit University Xavier University of Louisiana Xavier University-Cincinnati

107

Appendix B

Private Universities (n = 86)

Adelphi University American University Azusa Pacific University Baylor University Benedictine University Biola University Boston College Boston University Bradley University Brandeis University Brigham Young University-Provo Brown University Butler University California Institute of Technology Carnegie Mellon University Case Western Reserve University Catholic University of America Clark University Clarkson University Columbia University in the City of New York Cornell University Creighton University Dartmouth College DePaul University Drake University Drexel University Duke University Duquesne University Emory University Fordham University George Fox University

George Washington University Georgetown University Harvard University Hofstra University Johns Hopkins University La Sierra University Lehigh University Loyola Marymount University Loyola University-Chicago Loyola University-New Orleans Marquette University Maryville University of Saint Louis Massachusetts Institute of Technology New York University Northeastern University Northwestern University Pepperdine University Polytechnic Institute of New York University Pratt Institute-Main Princeton University Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Rice University Saint John's University-Staten Island Saint Louis University-Main Campus Saint Mary's University of Minnesota Santa Clara University Seton Hall University Southern Methodist University St John's University-New York Stanford University Texas Christian University

108

Appendix B

The New School Tufts University Tulane University of Louisiana University of Bridgeport University of Chicago University of Denver University of Detroit University of Miami University of Notre Dame University of Pennsylvania University of Portland University of Rochester University of San Diego

University of Southern California University of St Thomas-St Paul University of the Pacific University of Tulsa Vanderbilt University Villanova University Wake Forest University Washington University in St Louis Widener University-Main Campus Yale University Yeshiva University

109

Appendix B

Public Universities (n = 121)

Auburn University Main Campus Bowling Green State University-Main Campus Clemson University Cleveland State University College of William and Mary Colorado State University-Fort Collins East Carolina University Florida International University Florida State University George Mason University Georgia Institute of Technology-Main Campus Georgia Southern University Indiana University-Bloomington Indiana University-Purdue University-Indianapolis Iowa State University Kent State University at Kent Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical College Miami University-Oxford Michigan State University Mississippi State University Missouri University of Science and Technology Montana State University-Bozeman New Mexico State University-Main Campus North Carolina State University at Raleigh North Dakota State University-Main Campus Northern Arizona University

Northern Illinois University Oakland University Ohio State University-Main Campus Ohio University-Main Campus Oklahoma State University-Main Campus Oregon State University Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus Purdue University-Main Campus Rutgers University-New Brunswick Rutgers University-Newark South Dakota State University Southern Illinois University Carbondale Stony Brook University SUNY at Albany SUNY at Binghamton SUNY College at Buffalo Texas A & M University-College Station Texas A & M University-Corpus Christi Texas A & M University-Kingsville Texas Tech University The University of Alabama The University of Montana The University of Tennessee The University of Texas at Austin The University of West Florida University at Buffalo University of Akron Main Campus University of Alabama at Birmingham University of Alabama in Huntsville

110

Appendix B

University of Alaska Fairbanks University of Arizona University of Arkansas at Little Rock University of Arkansas Main Campus University of California-Berkeley University of California-Davis University of California-Irvine University of California-Los Angeles University of California-Riverside University of California-San Diego University of California-Santa Barbara University of California-Santa Cruz University of Cincinnati-Main Campus University of Colorado at Colorado Springs University of Colorado Boulder University of Colorado Denver University of Connecticut-Storrs University of Delaware University of Florida University of Georgia University of Hawaii at Manoa University of Houston-University Park University of Idaho University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign University of Iowa University of Kansas University of Kentucky University of Louisville University of Maine University of Maryland-College Park University of Massachusetts Amherst University of Massachusetts-Boston

University of Michigan-Ann Arbor University of Minnesota-Duluth University of Minnesota-Twin Cities University of Missouri-Columbia University of Missouri-Kansas City University of Missouri-St Louis University of Nebraska-Lincoln University of Nevada-Reno University of New Hampshire-Main Campus University of New Mexico-Main Campus University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill University of North Dakota University of North Texas University of Oregon University of Pittsburgh-Pittsburgh Campus University of Puerto Rico-Rio Piedras Campus University of Rhode Island University of South Carolina-Columbia University of South Carolina-Salkehatchie University of South Dakota University of Southern Indiana University of Toledo University of Utah University of Vermont University of Virginia-Main Campus University of Washington-Seattle Campus University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee University of Wyoming

111

Appendix B

Utah State University Virginia Commonwealth University Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University Washington State University Wayne State University West Virginia University

112

Appendix C

STUDENT’S PROBABLE MAJOR

Aggregated Item Disaggregated Item(s)

Agriculture Agriculture, Forestry

Architecture Architecture or Urban Planning

Biological Sciences Biology (general), Biochemistry or Biophysics, Botany, Environmental Science, Marine (life) Science, Microbiology or Bacteriology, Zoology, Other Biological Sciences

Business Accounting, Business Administration (general), Finance, International Business, Marketing, Management, Other Business

Computer Science Data Processing/Computer Programming/Computer Science

Education Business Education, Elementary Education, Music or Art Education, Physical Education or Recreation, Secondary Education, Special Education, Other Education

Engineering Aeronautical or Astronautical Engineering, Civil Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Electrical or Electronic Engineering, Industrial Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Other Engineering

Fine Arts Art (fine and applied), Music, Theater

Health Professional Medical/Dental/Veterinary, Nursing, Pharmacy, Therapy (occupational, physical, speech)

History or Political Science History, Political Science (gov’t, international relations)

Humanities/English English (language and literature), Language and Literature (other than English), Philosophy, Speech, Theology or Religion, Other Arts & Humanities

Journalism/Communications Journalism, Communications

Mathematics or Statistics Mathematics, Statistics

Physical Sciences Astronomy, Atmospheric Science (including Meteorology), Chemistry, Earth Science, Marine Science, Physics, Other Physical Science

Psychology Psychology

Social Sciences Anthropology, Economics, Ethnic Studies, Geography, Social Work, Sociology, Women’s Studies, Other Social Science

Technical/Applied Majors Health Technology (medical, dental, laboratory), Drafting or Design, Electronics, Mechanics, Other Technical,

Other (Non-technical) Home Economics, Library Science, Other Professional, Building Trades, Law Enforcement, Military Science, Secretarial Studies, Other Field

Undecided Undecided

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Appendix C

PROBABLE CAREER/OCCUPATION

Aggregated Item Disaggregated Item(s)

Architect Architect

Artist Actor or entertainer, Artist, Interior decorator, Musician, Writer

Business Accountant or actuary, Business executive (management, administrator), Business owner or proprietor, Business salesperson or buyer

Clerical Business (clerical)

Clergy Clergy (minister, priest), Clergy (other religious)

Clinical Psychologist Clinical Psychologist

College Administrator/Staff College Administrator/Staff

College Teacher College teacher

Computer Programmer Computer Programmer

Doctor (MD or DDS) Dentist (including orthodontist), Physician

Education (secondary) School counselor, School principal or superintendent, Teacher or administrator (secondary)

Education (primary) Teacher (elementary)

Engineer Engineer

Farmer or Forester Conservationist or forester, Farmer or rancher

Health Professional Dietitian or home economist, Lab technician or hygienist, Optometrist, Pharmacist, Therapist (physical, occupational, speech), Veterinarian

Homemaker Homemaker (full-time)

Laborer Laborer (unskilled), Semi-skilled worker, Skilled trades

Law Enforcement Law Enforcement

Lawyer Lawyer (attorney) or judge

Military Military service (career)

Nurse Nurse

Policymaker/Diplomat Foreign service worker (including diplomat), Policymaker/government

Research Scientist Scientific researchers

Social Worker Social, welfare or recreation worker

Other Career Other career

Unemployed* Unemployed

Undecided** Undecided

* Mother’s and father’s career only** Student’s probable career only

114

AppendixD

1 0 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 0 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 0 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 0 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1AgnesScottCollege - X - - - X - X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X - - - - - X X X - - - - -BarnardCollege - - - X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X - - X X X X X X X X X X - - - - - -BayPathCollege - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - X X - - - - - - - - X X X XBennettCollegeforWomen X - X X X X X X X - - X - - - - - - - - - X X X X - - - - X X X X - - - - - - - -BrenauUniversity - - - - - - - - - - X - - - X - - X - - X X X X X - - X X - - - - X X - X X - - -BrynMawrCollege X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X - X X X X X - - -CarlowUniversity - - - - - X X X X X X X X X X X X X - - - - X X X X X X X X X X X X X - - - - - -CedarCrestCollege - - - - X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X - -ChathamUniversity - - - - X - X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X XCollegeofNotreDameofMaryland X - X - X - X X X - X X X X - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - X - - - - - - - - -CollegeofSaintBenedict - - - - - - - - X X X X X - X X X X X X X X X X X X X X - X X X X X X X X X X X XCollegeofSaintElizabeth - - - - - - - X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -CollegeofSaintMary - - - X X X X X X X X X X X X X - X X X X X X X X - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -ColoradoWomen'sCollege - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - X - X X X - - -ColumbiaCollege X - - X - - X - - X - - X - X - X - X - X - X - - - - - - - - - X - - - - - - - XConverseCollege X - - X X X X X - X X - - - - - - - - - - X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X - - - - -CotteyCollege X X X X X X X - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - X - - - - - - X X X XDouglassCollege - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - X - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -GeorgianCourtUniversity - - - - X X X X X X X X X X X X X X - - - - - X - - X - - - X - - - - - - - - - -HollinsUniversity X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X - X - - - X X X X XMaryBaldwinCollege - X X X X X X X X - X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X XMeredithCollege X - - X X X X X X X X X X X X X X - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - X - - -MidwayCollege - - - - - X X X X X X X - - X X - X X X X X X X X X X X X X X - X - X X X X X X XMillsCollege X X X X - - - - - - - X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X - X X X X - X X X X - X XMooreCollegeofArtandDesign X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -MountHolyokeCollege - - X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X XMountMaryCollege - - - - - X X X X X X X X X X X - - - - - - - - - - X X - - - - - - - - - - - - -MountStMary'sCollege X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X - - X - - X - - - -PeaceCollege - - - X X X - - X X X - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -PineManorCollege - X - X - X - X X X X X X X X X - X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X XSaintJosephCollege X X X X X X X X X X X X - X X X X X - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -SaintMary‐of‐the‐WoodsCollege - - - - - - - X - - - - - - - X - X - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -SaintMary'sCollege X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X - X X X X X X X X X - -SalemCollege - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X XScrippsCollege X X X X X X X X X X X X - X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X XSimmonsCollege - X - X - X - X - X X X X X X X X X - - - X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X - -SmithCollege X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X - - - - -SpelmanCollege X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X - X X X X X X X X X X X X XStCatherineUniversity X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X - - X - X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X

Women'sCollegeCIRPFreshmanSurveyParticipationHistory'X'=Participated'‐'=Didnotparticipate

198x199x201xCollege* 197x200x

115

AppendixD

1 0 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 0 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 0 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 0 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

Women'sCollegeCIRPFreshmanSurveyParticipationHistory'X'=Participated'‐'=Didnotparticipate

198x199x201xCollege* 197x200x

StephensCollege - - - X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X XSweetBriarCollege - X - X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X - - - - X X X X X X X X X X X X X XTexasWoman'sUniversity - - X - - - - X - - X - - - - - X - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - X - - - - - - -TheCollegeofNewRochelle X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X - - - XTheSageColleges X X X X X X X X X X X X X - X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X XTrinityWashingtonUniversity X X X X X X X X X X - X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X - X X X X X X X X X X X XUrsulineCollege - - - - - - - - - X X X - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -WellesleyCollege - - - - X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X XWesleyanCollege X - X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X - - X X X -WilsonCollege X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X - - - - - - - - - - X - - X - - - - - - -TotalCollegesParticipating 22 20 22 29 30 33 33 36 34 35 37 36 32 31 35 33 30 33 27 27 28 31 32 31 30 28 28 28 25 27 31 26 27 28 26 24 25 26 21 19 20

*CollegesthatparticipatedintheCIRPFreshmanSurveyatanytimebetween1971‐2011andwerewomen'scollegesatthetimethestudywasconducted(2011).

116

This report was made possible with support from the Women’s College Coalitionwomenscolleges.org