Admissions Policy for Students Enrolled in the Fall of 2025 and Later
Individuals who were assigned female at birth and who consistently live and identify as women are qualified for admission to the College.
“Consistently living and identifying as a woman” means the candidate acknowledges that she is a woman and identifies herself as such (i.e., uses female pronouns she/her/hers).
History and Origins
Why did the College adopt the admission policy?
In May 2024, the Board of Directors adopted the admissions policy in order to address changes to the Common Application, which include changes to the fields for sex, gender, and pronouns.
The admissions policy is consistent with the will of Indiana Fletcher Williams, which was chartered by an Act of the Virginia General Assembly in 1901. The will and charter serve as the guiding and governing documents for the College. Historically, under Virginia law, the terms of a will must be interpreted according to the intent of the donor at the time the will was signed. As such, the Board of Directors must honor the dictates of the terms of the will and the intentions of the donor to ensure that Sweet Briar College remains an educational institution for “girls and young women.” The admission policy adopted by the Board in keeping with the will, trust, and charter, and a settlement agreement with the Attorney General, who is charged under Virginia law with protecting and enforcing charitable trusts, was approved by the Amherst County Circuit Court, confirming the policy is consistent with the terms of the trust.
Sweet Briar College reaffirmed its mission statement in 2022 to “Challenge and inspire women, forging ethical leaders with the skill, compassion, and vision to create a more just and sustainable world.” The admissions policy is also consistent with the mission of the College.
Why is this admission policy related to sex and gender governed by Virginia law when a prior admission policy dealing with admission based on race was governed by federal law?
The College petitioned the courts to change its admissions policies with respect to race after the Civil Rights Act of 1964 was enacted. Federal constitutional law supersedes the Virginia law created by the will and charter enacted in 1901. The College sought and was granted a permanent order in the 1968 racial admission case that prevents the enforcement of the racial restriction of the will.
There is no federal law protecting gender identity for purposes of admissions to single-sex colleges. In fact, recognizing the importance of single-sex institutions, Title IX includes a special exemption protecting admissions decisions at institutions like Sweet Briar. Virginia trust law embodied in the will and charter, therefore, governs on this issue.
Questions About the Admissions Policy for Students Enrolled in the Fall of 2025 and Later
What are the qualifications for applicants enrolling in the fall of 2025 and later?
Individuals who were assigned female at birth and who consistently live and identify as women are qualified for admission to the College.
“Consistently living and identifying as a woman” means the candidate acknowledges that she is a woman and identifies herself as such (i.e., uses female pronouns she/her/hers).
Who is qualified to apply for admission to Sweet Briar College?
An applicant is qualified for admission if she confirms that her sex assigned at birth is female and that she consistently lives and identifies as a woman. To apply for admission to Sweet Briar College, an applicant must confirm her sex assigned at birth and her gender identity to comply with the admission policy. If an applicant fails to provide information in her application that is fully consistent with the admissions policy, the application cannot be considered.
What does the phrase “consistently living and identifying as a woman” mean?
“Consistently living and identifying as a woman” means the candidate acknowledges that she is a woman and identifies herself as such, only using the female pronouns she, her, and hers.
Does this policy have any considerations for sexual orientation?
The policy has no impact on and does not address the sexual orientation of prospective students. Sweet Briar does not consider sexual orientation in the admission process.
Does this policy have any considerations for physical expression and appearance?
The policy has no impact on and does not address the appearance or presentation of students (clothing, hairstyles, or other personal physical expression).
What pronoun option on admission applications is acceptable?
An applicant must confirm her sex assigned at birth and her gender identity are female to comply with the admission policy. Therefore, the only pronouns that are acceptable for admission are she/her/hers.
What sex option on admission applications is acceptable?
An applicant must confirm her sex assigned at birth and her gender identity are female to comply with the admission policy. Therefore, the only sex that is acceptable for admission is female.
What gender option on admission applications is acceptable?
An applicant must confirm her sex assigned at birth and her gender identity are female to comply with the admission policy. Therefore, the only gender that is acceptable for admission is female.
What pronouns will the College use when addressing the student body as a whole?
Official communications or communications addressed to the entire student body will refer to students as women and use she/her/hers pronouns.
What happens if a student begins a transition while enrolled at Sweet Briar College?
Sweet Briar College embraces its mission to “challenge and inspire women, forging ethical leaders with the skill, compassion, and vision to create a more just and sustainable world.” So that it can carry out its mission, the College is committed to remaining a safe space for women to live and learn.
If a student discloses (on her own behalf) to the Dean of Student Life that she has decided to legally and/or medically transition to another sex or gender identity and no longer consistently lives and identifies as female as she represented on her application for admission, the Dean will provide support and assistance in the student’s process of transferring to another institution upon completion of the semester. The student will not be eligible for a Sweet Briar undergraduate degree, in keeping with the College’s legacy as an institution that graduates women. Disclosure includes change of the student’s name to reflect a new gender, open discussion of medically transitioning by the student, legal transition by the student on public records.
What happens if a student is “reported” for a transition who has not already disclosed her transition?
Sweet Briar College is not encouraging or creating an environment where students or members of the community take action to divulge information protected by privacy laws about other members of the community and will not respond to such reports.
How will the College address students who legally change their names or report a legal or medical transition?
A student should seek support from the Dean of Student Life to disclose her legal or medical transition.
For Current Students
Does the admissions policy apply to students currently enrolled?
The policy does not apply to current students in the classes of 2025 to 2028. The appearance, physical expression, and pronoun use of current students are not and will not be monitored on campus. The policy applies to students entering in the fall of 2025 (i.e., the class of 2029 and forward) and transfer students beginning spring 2025.
Sweet Briar College’s administration, faculty, and staff will continue to support all currently enrolled students and will offer services and resources from the Office of Student Life, as requested or needed, to support their mental and physical well-being.