Single sex school - more helpful in high school or college?

[Anonymous]

Does an all-female or all-male education provide more benefit in high school or college, assuming you can choose only one? Not sure if people have studied this or have anecdotal thoughts?

[Anonymous]

I only have all-female college experience and it was amazing. So many strong, confident women actually working together. My older sisters went to the same school. We are all different, but all had an incredible experience.

[Anonymous]

I think it depends on the person, and either or both have strong advantages, but it isn't for everyone.

I grew up in a family full of males and felt most comfortable around men. Attending a woman's college was very helpful to me in finding balance and in developing a fuller sense of myself as an intellectual. I didn't seek it, but in retrospect, I really needed it. I am impressed with the number of alumnae gravitating to leadership or entrepreneurship.

[Anonymous]

I loved my all female college experience. Nothing but good things to say about it.

[Anonymous]

This is merely an anecdote and certainly others will offering differing views, but ...

My daughter, who attended a co-ed PK-8, was initially very skeptical of the arguments that girls are more engaged in a single sex environment. Going into HS admissions she was insistent on co-ed.

She fell in love with an all-girls school instead and was, happily, accepted.

She told me recently that she was too quick to dismiss the benefits. She talked mainly about her lit class where the girls seem to have pretty deep conversations about the content. And, generally, everyone participates. She said in a co-ed classroom fewer girls would speak up. A few would, but discussions were not class wide. Not going to ascribe a "why" to any of this, but it's an observation from a current student.

So ... very happy with single sex so far!

(And, BTW, she is at Stone Ridge.)

[Anonymous]

It’s hard to answer that question because it would depend on the girl and the school. DH and I wanted DD to be in an environment where her voice would be heard because we noticed (in public elementary school) what 13:13 mentioned about fewer girls speaking up. An all girl’s environment was exactly what our daughter needed and she thrived - immediately. She embraced leadership roles (that weren’t limited to gender like in public school) and she enjoyed not being asked to manage the behavior of others. I’m glad that she didn’t wait until college for that experience.

She’s a college sophomore now and throughout the application process was adamant about attending a coed school. She attended Holton and had an amazing experience - she’s now at an Ivy League school. She’s been well prepared academically and has learned how to take the lead, be part of a team and advocate for herself.


But like I said earlier, it all depends on the kid and the school. Good luck!!

[Anonymous]

HS so you can concentrate more on studies and get into a good college.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:HS so you can concentrate more on studies and get into a good college.

Agreed. The hormones are going wild in HS and that's when it's best to redirect that focus on studies.

[Anonymous]

I enjoyed all female HS and coed college.
I actually think single sex for 3-8 or 3-12 would be ideal, but it's rare.

[Anonymous]

I attended a girls school from 7-12 then a women’s college for year before having to leave for medical issues, then going back to school at a co-Ed university in this area a couple years later after the health situation was resolved. I loved many things about both HS and college in a single-sex environment, but I think it was good for me to switch to co-ed to learn how to interact with guys more comfortably. But it really is going to depend on the student and the schools in question. There’s no one-size-fits-all answer.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This is merely an anecdote and certainly others will offering differing views, but ...

My daughter, who attended a co-ed PK-8, was initially very skeptical of the arguments that girls are more engaged in a single sex environment. Going into HS admissions she was insistent on co-ed.

She fell in love with an all-girls school instead and was, happily, accepted.

She told me recently that she was too quick to dismiss the benefits. She talked mainly about her lit class where the girls seem to have pretty deep conversations about the content. And, generally, everyone participates. She said in a co-ed classroom fewer girls would speak up. A few would, but discussions were not class wide. Not going to ascribe a "why" to any of this, but it's an observation from a current student.

So ... very happy with single sex so far!

(And, BTW, she is at Stone Ridge.)

Since she's never attended a coed high school, how does she know that? Or is she comparing the behavior of her high school classmates to her memory of how people behaved in middle school?

[Anonymous]

This is OP just wanting to say that I am reading and appreciating the responses.

[Anonymous]

My DD was at a co-ed school for K-8. She is now at an all girls school. We have all agreed that she will attend a Co-ed college to prepare her for the real world where she will (most likely) be working closely with men. Not to mention the social benefits of co-Ed. But she loves her all girls education and I think it is really beneficial for specifically these teen years for her to be in this environment and develop confidence and leadership abilities. She really appreciates the tenor of the classroom and is able to concentrate much better than her previous co-ed school.

I started considering all girls schools when I read an interesting study on how 66% of the interruptions on the Supreme Court were directed at the three women Justices. https://www.glamour.com/story/how-frequently-women-supreme-court-justices-are-interrupted-by-men That really spoke to me, as it involves highly educated people who are very respectful and civil. And I just thought…I want my DD to experience something different.

[Anonymous]

My daughter is at a girls' school and I would say it was great until about 10th grade. Then I'd say that she and almost all her friends started wishing they were at a coed school.
-they missed boys. Not only as romantic interests but as friends and classmates.
-girls get really intense and competitive. It's a lot to go through junior year, college admissions, etc with all girls. Boys are just more chill (in general--i have two of both). the girls school environment when all the girls are stressed out can get toxic fast.

In retrospect maybe we would have chosen a woman's college instead. We have a second daughter who is at the girls school and are likely moving her for high school to a coed environment.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My daughter is at a girls' school and I would say it was great until about 10th grade. Then I'd say that she and almost all her friends started wishing they were at a coed school.
-they missed boys. Not only as romantic interests but as friends and classmates.
-girls get really intense and competitive. It's a lot to go through junior year, college admissions, etc with all girls. Boys are just more chill (in general--i have two of both). the girls school environment when all the girls are stressed out can get toxic fast.

In retrospect maybe we would have chosen a woman's college instead. We have a second daughter who is at the girls school and are likely moving her for high school to a coed environment.

I never found my all girls HS to be competitive, intense, etc. Which doesn't mean your kids didn't experience that!

It depends entirely on the individual, her social crowd, and the school. It's possible there were girls at my school who found it intense at the same time my friends and I found it supportive.
But I really dislike the generalizations about how girls "are" or that all-girls environments inevitably get toxic.