Prior to, and for some time after the Revolutionary War, America's colleges and universities catered almost exclusively to males, following the British and European model.
For these, typically, curricula would be designed as two-year courses, providing teachers, nurses, typists, and secretaries for an expanding country where, still, occupational sex roles were culturally enforced, if not as a matter of legislation.
[1] Countering this and to meet growing demand, several academically vigorous women's colleges in the United States were established.
Conversely, coordinate colleges can point to an affluent founder (or their partnering male-only school) as their initial and primary supporters; these were structured at the start with the expectation of continuation as long-term foundation- or endowment-supported entities, though none could anticipate the rush to merge or become co-educational in the post-war period.
[3] Where coordination continues it is most apparent in consortium school relationships (Ivy league and others) to provide cross-registration and mutually accepted financial aid applications.