No hard and fast rules can be found of just what to do and when to get into it, nor of what to expect when in. Probably the biggest proof that the field of scientific research is open for women is the fact that there exist women doing it. Florence Sabin, Margaret Lewis, Eleanor Carothers, Irene Corey, Ethel Harvey, Abby Turner, Ruth Lynch, are a few of them. The field is definitely open. Scientific research requires a long preparation.
Most women are unwilling to undertake it.
Women in general are interested in marriage and a home. I should be inclined to say that all women are so interested. You can't blame the committees responsible for awarding fellowships and scholarships for tending to treat men as more permanent assets in the field of research. Women hesitate to borrow money for advanced study. They are afraid they won't be able to pay it back before they marry and don't want to saddle their husbands with a debt.