Anonymous wrote:Short answer is yes. There will always be kids and families drawn to single sex but way more want coed. My daughter was 100 not interested. My son was ambivalent but preferred coed. From our k-8 the majority went coed. But the upside of many single sex schools for high school is that the entire class is new. So less “breaking in” social. But my kids wanted dances and football and homecoming and the normal high school stuff that really comes from coed. And I think most kids want that as well.

Not my experience at all with 4 different single sex high schools. 2 boy, and 2 girl. The girls school cheered for the boys high school football games, they had joint homecoming dances, several mixers, and even some classes overlap like orchestra and theater. If there was a class offered and one but not the other they could take it. Pretty much a normal high school experience except most of the day to day classes are single sex of which there are many advantages.

Anonymous wrote:NP. My DD's all girls school reported that applications were up last year and they've had record numbers of prospective students at open houses this year. I don't know if that's reflective of all private schools though.

It’s all private schools. At our school applications are up 70% this year

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have a daughter in the Class of 2026 at one of these. It has been an incredible experience for her. Of the girls her year at her K-8, more than half applied to at least one all girls school and about half of those who were admitted to at least one elected to attend.

OP Here. That is awesome. These are all excellent schools. I was just surprised that almost none of the girls in my DD's class is interested in attending (especially given the legacy boost) and is more interested in Co-ed.

+1 I’m not seeing that these girls want to continue with all girls schools.

Society is coed so is the workforce that they will enter. It doesn’t make sense that their education would be single gender - maybe 200 years ago when roles of men and women were very different - but in 2025(?) no. My DD will apply for 1 all girls school and the rest coed. DH is more adamant that she go coed than me or DD fwiw.

The judgement of an 8th grader is not that great. They may be choosing co-ed for not-great reasons.

NP. My DD's all girls school reported that applications were up last year and they've had record numbers of prospective students at open houses this year. I don't know if that's reflective of all private schools though.

12:59 here again. Also no one chose NCS.

I think this also depends on location. In Virginia, Madiera is an obvious option. The beltway is so bad that Maryland schools are tough even if just in Bethesda. NCS is also tough to get to and has no bus. Visitation is easier to get to. I think those issues factor in. Madiera was very popular at our k-8 in Virginia. No one chose Holton and I don’t think many applied. Sprinkling to Visi and Stone Ridge.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have a daughter in the Class of 2026 at one of these. It has been an incredible experience for her. Of the girls her year at her K-8, more than half applied to at least one all girls school and about half of those who were admitted to at least one elected to attend.

OP Here. That is awesome. These are all excellent schools. I was just surprised that almost none of the girls in my DD's class is interested in attending (especially given the legacy boost) and is more interested in Co-ed.

These schools are by no means interchangeable. My daughter only applied to Madeira and didn't see the others as a good fit. My daughter had a great experience but not all of her peers found as good a fit.

When college choice came around, despite being recruited by several top women's colleges, she took herself off their boards after visiting a couple and had committed to a co-ed SLAC. She felt that having had the single sex experience she was well prepared to mix with boys in the classroom for college.

Anonymous wrote:DD is an 8th grader at a K-8 and is applying out for high school. Many of her classmates have legacy status at several top all-girls schools in the area (Madeira, NCS, Holton, Visi, ...) that their mothers have attended but barely any of the girls is remotely interested in all-girls school and are opting for co-ed. The ones who are applying there are doing it begrudgingly because their mothers want them to.
Are you seeing this trend at your school or is it specific to DD's K-8?

No if anything I think girls are more interested in all girls schools. Certain schools like a few of the Catholic schools in the area may have less applicants next year but besides that most I know are definitely applying to NCS, Maderia, Holton, etc...

My daughter said that one of the local girls schools was mostly weird quirky blue hairs. I don’t know if that is true across the board. My son didn’t have that reaction to any of the boys schools.

Short answer is yes. There will always be kids and families drawn to single sex but way more want coed. My daughter was 100 not interested. My son was ambivalent but preferred coed. From our k-8 the majority went coed. But the upside of many single sex schools for high school is that the entire class is new. So less “breaking in” social. But my kids wanted dances and football and homecoming and the normal high school stuff that really comes from coed. And I think most kids want that as well.

I can't say for sure but I don't have to tell you how much kids are swayed by what the currently considered cool. Wait until your cherubs tell you about the "dream college" they found on TikTok lol

Anonymous wrote:I have a daughter in the Class of 2026 at one of these. It has been an incredible experience for her. Of the girls her year at her K-8, more than half applied to at least one all girls school and about half of those who were admitted to at least one elected to attend.

OP Here. That is awesome. These are all excellent schools. I was just surprised that almost none of the girls in my DD's class is interested in attending (especially given the legacy boost) and is more interested in Co-ed.

I have a daughter in the Class of 2026 at one of these. It has been an incredible experience for her. Of the girls her year at her K-8, more than half applied to at least one all girls school and about half of those who were admitted to at least one elected to attend.

DD is an 8th grader at a K-8 and is applying out for high school. Many of her classmates have legacy status at several top all-girls schools in the area (Madeira, NCS, Holton, Visi, ...) that their mothers have attended but barely any of the girls is remotely interested in all-girls school and are opting for co-ed. The ones who are applying there are doing it begrudgingly because their mothers want them to.
Are you seeing this trend at your school or is it specific to DD's K-8?