Although co-educational colleges are now the norm in today’s higher education landscape, they did not exist in the United States until 1833. Initially, US colleges were all-male environments, and women were not admitted into universities until the 19th century. Society has come a long way since then and today’s higher education landscape is much different. Out of 19.4 million college students in 2020, 11.9million (60 percent) were female compared to 8 million male students in the same year according to the National Center for Education Statistics. Women have continued to outnumber men in higher education since the late 20th century, and with numbers like these, it might be hard to envision an all-male university operating in the United States today. However, a handful of these colleges still exist despite the current academic climate. So What are the 3 All-Male Colleges?
Only 3 All-Male Colleges Remain
Only three non-religious all-male colleges persist out of the 1,400 four-year colleges in the US today. They are Hampden-Sydney College, Morehouse College, and Wabash College. These private colleges focus on teaching liberal arts strictly to America’s male youth.
Saint John’s University, Minnesota, is another all-male liberal arts college and is considered by some as the 4th remaining all-male college in the US. However, Saint John’s University falls into a slightly different category from the rest because it has a distinct Roman Catholic affiliation and partners with its sister institution, the College of Saint Benedict. Below we look at the three all-male colleges in detail.
Hampden-Sydney College, Virginia
Established in 1775, Hampden-Sydney College cites itself as the 10th oldest college in the United States. Currently 246 years old, it is the oldest of its kind and boasts former US president William Henry Harrison as part of its notable alumni. It was also awarded the 2nd best alumni network in the United States title by The Princeton Review.
Hampden-Sydney operates with the noble mission of “forming good men and good citizens” and takes an active role in ensuring its students are instilled with good manners and etiquette. The college takes pride in its honor code and places high value on civic engagement.
Roughly 1,000 undergraduate students are currently enrolled at Hampden-Sydney’s rural,1,300-acre campus. This college offers 52 different degree programs taught with a 10:1 student-faculty ratio. Outside the classroom, Hampden-Sydney offers over 60 clubs and organizations, including 12 public service clubs and societies. The college has 11 different sports clubs and is affiliated with Division III of the National Collegiate Athletic Association. Its official athletics teams are called the Tigers and they compete in 10 different collegiate sports.
Attending the Hampden-Sydney College will set you back $48,188 annually in tuition, excluding meals, accommodation, and additional fees. Financial support is available, and applications can be made on the official Hampden-Sydney website.
Morehouse College, Atlanta, Georgia
Morehouse College is a historically black all-male institution and is a leader in academic empowerment within the black community. Formerly known as Atlanta Baptist College, this brotherhood has educated several visionaries and noteworthy contributors to American history, including civil rights activist Martin Luther King Jr. and Academy Award-winning film director, Spike Lee. Morehouse has been ranked amongst the top 50 colleges within the United States and was cited by Forbes in its 2015 ‘Most Entrepreneurial College’ list.
Founded in 1867, the 155-year-old college is the youngest of its kind still existing. Morehouse College sits on a 61-acre campus near downtown Atlanta and presently offers 33 majors across seven academic divisions. Outside its academic offerings, this college provides over 80 student organizations and a variety of sports teams affiliated with Division II of the National Collegiate Athletic Association.
Morehouse College has the largest student body of the three institutions discussed in this article, with a current attendance of 2,200 students, and maintains a student-faculty ratio of 14:1. Current tuition stands at $27,038, and the total attendance cost per year is $49,700 including meals and on-campus accommodation. However, the college offers financial aid to support undergraduate students and younger students attending its annual summer program. Given its strong vision and clear ethos, it is understandable how Morehouse College continues to thrive as an all-male institution in the current academic climate.
Wabash College, Indiana
Wabash College was established in 1832 and prides itself in providing a high-value education that gives students a good return on their academic investment. The Wabash motto, ‘for knowledge and virtue’, encompasses the college’s focus on providing an immersive academic experience that sets students up for long-term career success. This institution has previously been ranked No.1 ‘Best Alumni Network’ and No. 3 ‘Best Internship Opportunities’ in The Princeton Review.
Today, Wabash College enrolls 870 students from nearly 20 countries and boasts a student-faculty ratio of 10:1. Wabash currently offers 39 majors and minors, and 26 of these academic programs have been ranked among the top 15 percent in the United States. In addition to its academic offerings, Wabash College provides over 70 different clubs and organizations for its students. Its teams, the Little Giants, participate in 12 varsity sports, most of which are affiliated with the National Collegiate Athletic Association.
Studying on this 65-acre campus will cost about $46,000 in tuition annually and the total cost of attendance is $64,025. However, financial aid is available and is accessible via the official Wabash College website.
All-Male Versus Co-educational?
Whilst co-ed institutions are the preferred choice amongst college students, a quick review of the last remaining all-male non-religious colleges helps to understand why some students might gravitate towards a single-gender college instead. These three colleges operate strong mission statements tailored towards the male gender, whether they are focused on instilling honorable values or empowering a specific community that has been historically overlooked.
It is worth noting that several religious all-male institutions do exist within the US. The College Board has identified up to 66 such institutions, however, these colleges are all focused on teaching religious vocations.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the college experience is unique for each student and several factors come into play when choosing the right college. Although it is less common to attend an all-male institution, a quick review of the three all-male colleges has shown that these institutions have something unique to offer. These schools have produced several upstanding men and are worth considering if you are a young man inclined towards attending a single-gender college.
FAQ’s
- How can I apply to an all-male college?
You can apply on the official college websites. You can also use the Common Application.
- How hard is it to get into an all-male college?
Presently, acceptance into the three all-male colleges stands quite high. For example, Wabash College had a 94 percent acceptance rate into its medical school in 2019, compared to a 40 percent national average. Similarly, Morehouse college had a 77% acceptance rate in 2020, whilst Hampden-Sydney had the lowest acceptance rate at 47% in the same year.
- Do all-male colleges have team mascots?
Yes. Morehouse boasts The Maroon Tiger as its official mascot, whilst the Wabash College mascot is Wally Wabash. Lastly, Hampden-Sydney has Yank the Tiger as its official mascot.
- What colors do all-male colleges have?
Like their co-ed counterparts, all-male colleges have unique official colors based on their individual history. The Hampden-Sydney colors are garnet and grey, whilst the Morehouse College colors are white and maroon. Finally, Wabash college uses ‘Wabash Scarlet’.