School ?'s- If you went to private school..

[turtledove]

was it coed or same sex? Also, do you think it was better that way? Poll coming...

[nrp]

I went to private schools k-12, mostly coed, but single-sex for a couple of years in middle school. I think that single-sex education has a lot of benefits, particularly for girls. However, I think that the major benefits perhaps wane over time. So, I would be more inclined to send my child to a single-sex school (all other factors being equal, which of course they never are) for elementary and middle school, and less inclined for high school.

[arivecchi]

I went to a co-ed private school from 1-6 grades and all-girls from 7-12. I was glad to go an all-girls school. Having boys around would have been distracting for me and I think it would have created even more cliques. I think it is great for girls.

It is a different story with boys though. I heard so many horror stories from the nearby all-boys schools. Boys can be pretty brutal/competitive in that setting so I know a few boys that had to drop out. I think the environment would have been more mellow in a co-ed school.

[MelissaTC]

I went coed k-8 and then all girls for high school. It was pretty competitive and catty but I would still prefer it for a daughter. It was empowering and definitely helped build confidence.

M's school is coed.

[ha98ed14]

I was educated in two different independent girls' schools: a day school for middle school and boarding for 9-12. It is the best gift my parents gave me. I think women's education is an amazing experience. It made me who I am today. I grieve the fact that we will never be able to give this to DD!!!

Personally, I think girls benefit more from a single sex education than boys, but that could be because I am a girl. If you are considering an all-girls' school, I highly recommend looking at schools that are members of the National Coalition of Girls' Schools. They have a lot of info that can help you decide if a girls' school is right for your child. To be clear, it's not right for everyone, but for me it was!

[janine]

I went coed k-8 and then all girls for high school. It was pretty competitive and catty but I would still prefer it for a daughter. It was empowering and definitely helped build confidence.

M's school is coed.

Interesting - all the private schools in our immediate area are single sex (we have a girl). I had thought it would be a negative since I worry that she would not have the skills to interact with boys/men having been isolated. Or I worry she would rebel and date random townies, lol.

I went to coed private school (were more boys than girls) and then single sex college. I did not enjoy the single sex experience, too stifling and I found many demonized guys. But this was college, probably different from high school,etc.

[wellyes]

I went to a woman's college and absolutely loved it. I'd love to send DD to a girl's middle school and high school, if it works out for us.

All women in leadership roles + no vanity in getting dressed for class (unless that's just your personality) + less ostracizing outsiders or non-mainstream or not-that-attractive girls. All good stuff. Unless it's a secluded boarding school, the girls will have plenty of interactions with guys outside the 6-7 hours a day at school.

I agree with the PP that single-sex for guys is very different, I'd probably hesitate to send a son to a single-sex school. I'd be OK with a seminary, otherwise probably not.

[infocrazy]

I went to coed K-8, then all girls HS, coed college. I think that it will depend on the girl. For me, I think my defining moments came in college, coed. I had many leadership positions, was outgoing, enjoyed my time, etc... I was still pretty quiet in HS, and although I did well academically, I don't know if the fact that it was because I was in an all girls school made a difference.

Although I wouldn't change where I am now, I think that I would have preferred a coed HS.

[AnnieW625]

I have no BTDT experience, however both of my parents went to single sex high schools and had amazing times. My dad actually went to an all male college until his senior year when they admitted women. Both of my parents said there were ample opportunities to meet guys/girls (they met when my mom was senior in high school and my dad was on a college crew team and her crew team was coached by a father/son team (the son was friends with my dad)). The nearest all girls high school to me and private high school all together was 30 miles away and it wasn't cheap so it wasn't an option for my parents and I never pushed it.

For our girls they will go to k-8 coed Catholic, and potentially the all girls Catholic high school 1.5 miles from our house. There are two other Catholic high schools in a 15 mile radius from us (and two all boys high school, that the girls high schools are sister schools with) so I think either one of those would be fine with us too since they are on my way to work. There is one other smallish coed high school sort of near us but not nearly as convenient as the other, but if it's that or a high school with 4000+ students we'll most likely go that route.

[hellokitty]

I voted for my DH who went to both co-ed and all boys school and he said that the all boys (high school) was optimal, b/c girls were too distracting, lol.