This book looks at why women's colleges continue to produce graduates whose career achievement is significantly higher than that of peers educated in coeducational settings. The book suggests that there is a loss of women's talent in coeducational institutions and that institutional priorities, patterns, and principles at women's colleges offer insights into effective education for women. The book is organized in four parts. The two chapters of part 1 provide a history and perspective on women's colleges, including the history and development of six women's colleges and the changing demographics of small colleges during the last 40 years. The three chapters of part 2 discuss formal studies which find that women's colleges are highly effective in producing achieving women. Three methodological streams are reviewed: studies of baccalaureate origins and institutional productivity, quantitative and qualitative social science research, and case studies at two women's colleges. Part 3 examines how the research findings have been applied in the ongoing education environment in relation to faculty, students, administrators, and the personal and programmatic interactions among them. Part 4 is a summary chapter, and it includes a list of institutional characteristics essential for effective education of women. Supplementary resources for parts 1 and 2 are appended. (Contains approximately 180 references.) (DB)