In 2009, Forbes published an article titled, “Why Women’s Colleges are Still Relevant” authored by Heidi Brown. Brown was cited as a “ForbesWoman staffer,” (Siemaszko, 2009) in an article a few days later, citing Brown’s credibility on the subject. Years later, Brown’s article itself is still relevant.

Oberlin College was the first college to admit women, but the “Ladies Course” primarily focused on “motherhood over careers” (NWHM). Now, the percentage of women who attend college, is greater than the percentage of males, according to a 2015 article by Bureau of Labor Statistics. All-women’s colleges are no longer “necessary” as the main mean for women’s education, yet their relevance is still alive. According to Brown’s article, women’s colleges allow women to excel in ways they couldn’t in co-ed instituations.

“Tara Roberts, a graduate of Mt. Holyoke in Massachusetts, discovered talents that she was completely unaware of in high school. ‘I became a leader in college. I’m not sure if that would have been so automatic in a co-ed setting,’ says Roberts, noting she would have had to compete with men for an edge.” (Brown, 2009.)

These ideas that women feel they are able to excel, keep women’s colleges occupied. In fact, according to a study done by the Women’s College Coalition (WCC) in 2012, 81% of women from women’s colleges say “their college was extremely or very effective in helping prepare them for their first job,” as opposed to the 65% percent from public institutions.

Generally, women’s colleges are smaller, and are greatly smaller than the public institutions that have tens of thousands of students apiece. Being smaller institutions gives the students a greater chance to be involved in a leadership position on campus, as well as have smaller class sizes, (in general).

Aside from the small school appeal, women’s colleges tend to have women’s studies courses that people think of when they think of women’s colleges. According to Brown,

“Women’s colleges do, of course, offer women’s studies programs and feature lots of politically active students, not to mention as extensive an array of other majors and student groups as most mixed-sex colleges. Alumnae, however, say their experiences gave them a singular benefit: learning and living among a select group of intelligent, ambitious women.” (Brown, 2009.)

Therefore, it is the reputation(s) that follow these colleges that keep them relevant.

At a women’s institution, women do not fight for attention among male peers, and participate in curriculums catered toward their needs, and their understandings. Having this attention given, allows women to receive a relevant education, and is shown in the numbers found by WCC. This relevant education leads back to the fact that, yes, women’s colleges are relevant. Members are sometimes legacies of the institution, or are women looking for that unique education where they can excel in such a way. Although described in Brown’s article as “not for everyone,” women’s colleges still exist and have devout followers.