THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Saturday, September 24, 1994 TAG: 9409240001
SECTION: FRONT PAGE: A14 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Letter
LENGTH: Medium: 57 lines
Your recent reporting of the increased enrollment at colleges for women attributed this phenomenon to ``the Hillary factor.'' As a graduate of Randolph-Macon Woman's College and the parent of a high-school junior who is beginning her college search, I have another view of the reasons for the upswing in enrollment that women's colleges have been experiencing in recent years.
A growing body of research supports the experience of this alumna that a woman's college is the place where a woman can receive a great education.
Holly Oetjen writing in Women in Business in 1991 reported that women's self-confidence, ambition levels and grades suffer in co-ed colleges, but improve at women's colleges.
Students at women's colleges are more likely to major in a traditionally male-dominated field such as math or science and are more apt to complete their academic studies and graduate.
This body of knowledge is increasingly being used as a recruitment tool, and young women who are serious about their own education are listening, learning and looking out for their future by choosing women's colleges.
Your report mentioned three Virginia colleges for women - Randolph-Macon Woman's College, Hollins and Sweet Briar. Each is experiencing increased enrollment this year. Virginians can be proud that these colleges are also featured in the 1995 edition of ``The Princeton Review Student Access Guide to the Best 306 Colleges.''
Randolph-Macon Woman's College leads the way in the category ``Professors bring material to life,'' with Sweet Briar, Hollins and Agnes Scott also in the top five. R-MWC also ranks second in ``Professors make themselves accessible.''
While quality of academics is an important consideration in one's college search, quality of life on campus helps make the whole college experience more positive.
Women's colleges hold the top five positions in the category ``Dorms like palaces.'' Anyone who has ever suffered through registration nightmares would be happy to learn that R-MWC is first in ``Things run smoothly,'' particularly comforting to a parent sending a child off on her own for the first time is the fact that no women's colleges are listed in the categories ``lots of beer'' and ``lots of hard liquor.''
While I think Hillary made a wise decision to choose a woman's college for her undergraduate education, to suggest that her choice is responsible for the current trend belittles the ability of today's young woman to make a decision based on the evidence. As more young women are willing to consider a woman's college, more are also discovering that they have found the place where they can receive the best education.
JANIS G. ANSELL
Virginia Beach, Sept. 14, 1994 by CNB