When we think about the education our children receive, and the environment in which they learn, most of us hope for the best. But what does that mean? Perhaps, it’s something different to each person.
When we send our child out into the world to begin their educational career, it might be at a private school, public school or charter school. There are different variations within those options, one of which is an all-girls school. It might seem like an unlikely path for some, but for many, it is the perfect environment for growing young women to thrive, as it offers something different than the other options.
In a study commissioned by the National Coalition of Girls Schools that looked at the differences in women graduates of single-sex and coed high schools, research revealed some significant differences across categories that included self-confidence, political and social activism, life goals and career orientation, to name a few.
Just a handful of findings, for example, showed that graduates from all-girls schools:
- Outscored their coed peers in composite SAT scores by an average of 43 points.
- Rated their confidence in subjects like math and science 10% higher than those of their peers from coed schools.
- Are three times more likely than their coed peers to major in engineering.
- Enter college more academically and politically engaged than women from similar backgrounds who attended coeducational private schools.
- Rate themselves “above average” or in the “highest 10%” in regard to intellectual self-confidence.
Ultimately, the study identified several areas where single-sex education appears to “produce favorable outcomes for female students, especially in terms of their confidence, engagement and aspirations.”
[RELATED: Access the report here.]
So, what is it about all-girls schools that produces a different kind of student and, therefore, women?
Heather Sofran, lay president of Marian High School, an all-girls Catholic college preparatory school in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan, said at her school, she’s witnessed firsthand its transformative power.
“It’s a journey that molds young women into confident leaders, nurtures their intellectual curiosity and instills values that guides them through life’s challenges,” Sofran said. “Our education not only prepares students for academic success, but also empowers them to make a positive impact in their communities, grounded in faith and compassion.”
One of the ways they make a positive impact in nearby communities comes in the form of service hours – 7,194 hours of it from the class of 2023 alone. Students take part in service projects throughout the year in partnership with local organizations like Gleaners Food Bank and Forgotten Harvest.
The school also has a partnership with International Samaritan, which provides students with service immersion trips to Latin America during their junior and senior years. The trips offer students the opportunity to visit Garbage Dump Communities – where people rely on the world’s garbage dumps to survive by either working or living within them -- and engage directly with people in need.
“The ultimate goal of these trips is to nurture global citizens who not only offer aid, but also become advocates for the individuals and communities they encounter abroad,” said Mike Hickey, the school’s director of ministry and service. “By providing students with opportunities to interact as equals with individuals from different backgrounds, (it) helps students develop a deeper understanding of the challenges faced by these communities and empowers them to work towards sustainable solutions.”
Bess Riek, department chair of Marian High School’s counseling department., said among many things the all-girls school does to ensure success, it prioritizes scale and staffing structure. With a student-faculty ratio of 15 to one, the school environment is intimate enough for every student to be familiar not only with their seven subject teachers with whom they engage daily, but also their assigned counselor and other staff members.
“We’re very fortunate to have four certified school counselors to work with our students,” Riek said. “Our caseloads of students are extremely low compared to most high schools, which allows us as counselors to meet with the students individually, to get to know them well and to really provide the wide variety of academic, college and career planning, and especially personal and social supports that our students need.”
Riek highlighted the need for emotional and mental health support for young women, which has only continued to increase over the years.
“Our young women are looking for a place to belong and a place to feel supported,” Riek said. “School counselors can meet that need, and we do. Every year I hear from students who have graduated -- the year before, five years before, even 10 years before -- who I still have connections with. I think our students know they have a place they can always go if they aren’t sure who to turn to and (for) adults who will always be there for them.”
Tina Malloy Pedersen, Marian High School director of admission, said the all-girl environment provides an empowering space for teens at a time in their lives when they can be vulnerable. It’s an environment, according to students, staff and alumni, that guides the young women spiritually, challenges them academically and inspires them to a life of leadership and service.
From an all-girls school where graduates applying to college see a 100% acceptance rate, it’s something many of them say they are proud of.
“We prepare our young women to go out and use the talents and skills they’ve acquired here to lead out in their communities once they graduate,” Pedersen said. “Our students go on to some of the top schools in the country.”
“I am honored to lead this incredible institution and continue the legacy of shaping strong women of mind and heart who will shine brightly in a world that needs their unique brilliance,” Sofran said.
To learn more about what your child might experience at an all-girls college preparatory school, tap or click here. You can also get a look into daily life by following @marianhighmi.