The Coed is Better Myth
In a world where co-education is increasingly the norm, there are those who say that an all girls’ school does not reflect reality. It creates a hothouse environment which leaves girls unprepared for the world they will face in college and the workplace. In fact, just the opposite is true. When the distraction of boys is removed from the school experience, girls are free to find their own voice, learn to collaborate with others on projects and excel in academics. Even though boys are absent from the school day, they are certainly present in their everyday lives as brothers, fathers, friends, prom dates, and even some parts in the school play.
The Advantages of a Girls’ School
Girls’ schools are places where girls can focus on what they do, not how they look. They are free to experiment without the fear of being ridiculed. All of the school’s resources go to support them – the girls take every seat, they are the captains of every team and the presidents of every club. They are surrounded by good peer role models who lead the way. They form lasting ties of friendship with other girls, which will be a source of strength and support for the rest of their lives.
Stereotypes about girls don’t apply in a girls’ school. It is taken for granted that “girls do math”, and do it well. Graduates of girls’ schools typically produce more engineers, and math and science majors than coed schools. They are expected to take the most challenging academic program their school has to offer. In classrooms where teachers have high expectations for their performance, girls are challenged to achieve their full potential. Girls’ schools are good places for girls who are prepared to work hard and want to excel.
The younger girls look up to graduates who go on to win acceptance and scholarships to selective colleges and universities. They are inspired by the successful alumnae who come back to speak at Career Day events, and encouraged to regard these women as mentors and friends for the future.
Girls’ schools teach leadership by offering girls multiple opportunities to lead others, whether on the Executive Board of Student Council, as captains of highly-competitive sports teams, as Presidents of the World Language Societies – girls run the show! Their experience in an environment where girls come first helps them to discover and develop their full potential.
If you want the very best education for your daughter, consider a girls’ school – a place where everyone believes in girls and what they can be.