"Why Women Come Here" in " Women at Dickinson College" - by Josephine Brunyate Meredith

In her essay on the "Women at Dickinson College," Dean of Women Josephine Meredith included the following section titled "Why Women Come Here," listing motivating factors/reasons why students chose to attend Dickinson. Her account illustrates the minimal role Dickinson played in proactively seeking to attract even more 'superior' women students; yet she concludes that this could be remedied by being more selective and insisting on personal interviews.

Trends of reasons for attending Dickinson:

1. some happened to apply at the "right" time - or when applications were being accepted and women admitted (they may have applied elsewhere, but not been admitted since there were more women interested in attending college than the colleges could admit).
2.  town students and commuters came likely because of finances
3. the college enjoyed a reputation in the locality for scholarship, which made Dickinson an agreeable and attractive choice to parents for their daughters
4. parents were interested in sending their daughters to a school under Methodist jurisdiction
5. some parents were partial to co-education
6. size of college and distance from the homes of parents made it attractive
7. "legacies" came here out family loyalty