For many years, women could take exams at universities such as Cambridge or Oxford, be informed of their placement, yet be excluded from receiving a degree. One reason for this was that to actually receive the degrees would have made women eligible to be on the governing bodies of those same universities, and "eligible for their various bursaries and emoluments." Despite the fact that taking an exam did not necessarily confer a degree, women flocked to the exams and demonstrated that, in fact, their brains would not explode from the pressure! Fortunately, for the woman who wanted some form of "higher education," a variety of programs provided college-level courses for women without requiring them to actually attend a college. These included college and university extension courses, home study programs, correspondence courses, and courses held by other organizations.

Exams

What Is a Degree? (Cassell's Family Magazine, 1876)

In explaining precisely what a university degree is and how one obtains one, this article also skillfully describes the entire examination process (including what is meant by the "Little-Go" and "Great-Go" exams).

How to Prepare for an Examination (Cassell's Family Magazine, 1877)

Local Examinations (Cassell's Family Magazine, 1877)

Higher Examinations for Women (Cassell's Family Magazine, 1878)

Examinations and How to Prepare for Them, by James Mason (Girl's Own Paper, 1881)

A Talk About the Cambridge Local Examinations, by Anne Mercier (Girl's Own Paper, 1881)

That Dreadful Examination, by Barbara Foxley (Cassell's Family Magazine, 1885)

Useful Hints for Examination Candidates, by the Rev. Thomas B. Willson (Girl's Own Paper, 1886)

Extensions & Educational Programs

What Is Meant by University Extension (Cassell's Family Magazine, 1876)

University Extension in East London (Cassell's Family Magazine, 1882)

The Y.W.C.A. (Girl's Own Paper, 1883, 1887, 1888, 1889, 1890)

Various articles on the purpose and activities of the YWCA, including its classes for women.

The London Society for the Extension of University Teaching (Girl's Own Paper, 1890)

A form of continuing education for women who are not attending a formal college or university.

The Extension of University Education (Cassell's Family Magazine, 1886)

The Summer Meeting at Oxford (Girl's Own Paper, 1890)

More on extension classes.

University Extension [in America] (Century Magazine, 1890A)

What is the London County Council Doing for Girls? by Lily Watson (Girl's Own Paper, 1897)

A look at some of the educational opportunities being made available to London women.

After-School Education in America, by Dora de Blaquière (Girl's Own Paper, 1898)

A look at women's "clubs" in America, and the education curricula these provided. ("After-school" means "after graduation.")

Home Study & Correspondence Programs

Cambridge System of Instruction by Correspondence (Girl's Own Paper, 1881)

Help for Study at Home (Girl's Own Paper, 1881, 1887)

An 1881 article about the Students' Branch of the Christian Women's Education Union, with an update in 1887.

How to Improve One's Education (Girl's Own Paper, 1881)

Tips on improving one's education outside of the classroom.

Instruction by Correspondence (Girl's Own Paper, 1881)

Among the advantages of this system is the fact that "we can work for our correspondence teacher without infringing in the least upon our household duties"!

A Boston Society (Cassell's Family Magazine, 1885)

The Boston (U.S.) Society for the Encouragement of Study at Home.

Teaching by Correspondence (Cassell's Family Magazine, 1885)