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Women's College

An institution of higher education that primarily or exclusively admits women for undergraduate study.

Women's colleges emerged in the 19th century when most universities excluded women. The 'Seven Sisters' — Mount Holyoke (1837), Vassar (1861), Wellesley (1870), Smith (1871), Radcliffe (1879), Bryn Mawr (1885), and Barnard (1889) — were founded as female counterparts to the Ivy League. Today approximately 30 women's colleges remain in the US, though several have become co-educational. Research consistently shows women's college graduates are more likely to earn advanced degrees, enter STEM fields, and hold leadership positions compared to women at co-educational institutions. Wellesley's notable alumnae include Hillary Clinton and Madeleine Albright; Smith's include Julia Child and Gloria Steinem. Outside the US, women's colleges exist in India (Lady Shri Ram College), Japan (Ochanomizu University), and South Korea (Ewha Womans University — the world's largest).

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