Simmons University

Located in Boston, this private women's college has a strong focus on female empowerment. Every year, it hosts the Simmons Leadership Conference, a nationally known gathering that has drawn such high-profile speakers as Madeleine Albright, Maya Angelou, and Laverne Cox. Simmons has about 1,700 people in its undergraduate programs and nearly 5,000 in its graduate programs (which include both men and women). The school has a student to faculty ratio of eight to one, and offers over 60 majors and programs. The most popular courses of study are health, social sciences, and business, followed by parks, fitness studies, and communications. The school's Dorothea Lynde Dix Scholars program, named for the 19th century social activist, focuses on providing an undergraduate college experience to women age 24 and older. Simmons also encourages students to practice social responsibility through over 40 service-learning initiatives and programs, which include partnerships with local schools and hospitals. In 2014, the school announced it was opening admission to anyone who self-identifies as a woman, regardless of biological sex.