Women’s universities are an ideal option for female UAE high school students intent on maintaining social, cultural, and religious values in a female-only setting, while pursuing leading undergraduate studies in the United States. As high school juniors compile a list of universities to apply to this month, UAE women should consider the benefits of applying to women’s-only universities. Many are unaware that there are over 45 universities dedicated to educating only women in the US, most of which offer cross-registration opportunities at nearby universities and universities, such as MIT and the University of Pennsylvania (Penn).
The most famous women’s universities are the Seven Sisters, a loose association of smaller liberal arts colleges that offer an elite education on the East Coast. While two of these universities – Radcliffe and Vassar – have either been absorbed and integrated into the larger university or have decided to go co-educational, the remaining five – Mount Holyoke, Wellesley, Smith, and Bryn Mawr – remain leaders in the field of educating women.
An excellent all-women option is Barnard College, which is one of Columbia University’s three undergraduate colleges. Barnard students receive an undergraduate degree from both Barnard and Columbia, and can take as many courses at Columbia as they choose, while benefiting from the college’s intimate community and unique offerings. High school juniors creating their university short lists now, in anticipation of visiting these universities over the coming summer, should research and include several women’s universities as a potentially viable option.
Wellesley College, a liberal arts university located 20 miles west of Boston, is consistently recognized as the top women’s college in America. It is best known for its Political Science department, as two of its recent alumnae – Hillary Clinton and Madeleine Albright – have held the position of US Secretary of State. It’s new Science Complex is 277,000 square feet – dwarfing similar facilities at some Ivy league colleges – and Wellesley undergraduates are accepted to Medical School at nearly twice the national undergraduate rate. Wellesley students can take advantage of studying at the Albright Institute, which allows students to pursue a year-long academic program, hands-on internships in and research on global institutions, and attend school-organized conferences. Similarly, Smith University, one of the largest women’s universities in the US, has more than 120 student organizations for students to join, ranging from Business Women of Smith, a student-run club that provides its members with knowledge, resources, and networking opportunities in business and entrepreneurship, to Celebrations Dance Company, a student-led dance troupe. Nurturing environment
Most women’s universities are part of local consortiums that enable their students to enroll in classes in nearby institutions, thus providing a co-educational experience, if so desired. Wellesley students, for example, have the option of securing a Bachelor of Arts degree from Wellesley and a Bachelor of Science degree from MIT over the course of five years. Students at Smith and Mount Holyoke can also enroll in classes at UMASS Amherst, Amherst, and Hampshire universities, as well. Bryn Mawr students can take classes at nearby Swarthmore and Penn.
US women’s universities are ideal higher learning institutions for female students in the UAE that are often overlooked. The supportive and nurturing environment at these schools will help UAE female students to learn, grow, and become leaders. The process of applying to women’s universities is the same as applying to co-educational schools. Female applicants from the UAE will have the added advantage of bringing with them cultural diversity that will enrich the school’s community.
The writer is CEO Hale Education Group