Girls' schools have a long-standing tradition of excellence. Their in-depth understanding of how girls learn and succeed sets them apart from other educational settings.

According to a poll conducted by the American Association of University Women, most girls lose self-esteem rapidly as they enter adolescence. Beginning around age twelve, girls' loss of confidence triggers an academic decline which continues throughout their secondary school career. All-girls schools provide an environment in which academic risk-taking is promoted and supported, and hands-on and collaborative learning are widely implemented so that students' competence and confidence mature simultaneously. Girls fill all leadership roles in clubs, in student government, and on athletic teams allowing them to build self-assurance and develop self-discipline.

What do girls' schools do differently than co-educational institutions?

• They create a risk-taking environment designed for teaching that, in the words of James Joyce, "mistakes are the portals of discovery."
• They counter mass-media influences on female students by giving girls strengthening havens where they can effectively navigate the troubling image of girls in today's media with balance and self-assurance.
• They support a can-do philosophy. All leaders, movers, and doers at the schools are female. Girls' schools show their students that any girl can be president, any girl can play the drums, and any girl can take apart and reassemble a bike.
• They ensure that learning takes center stage without social distractions. Without the presence of boys, girls tend to display their intelligence and curiosity regardless of powerful age-determined notions of popularity, attractiveness, or negative peer pressure.
• They incorporate research indicating that team problem-solving works well for girls by providing extensive opportunities for collaborative learning.
• They guarantee that math, science, and technology education are integral curricular components. Girls are expected to participate fully in these areas and they do.
• They focus on real life issues like career, work, and money.

* Ransom, Whitney and Meg Milne Moulton. "Why Girls' Schools? The Difference In Girl-Centered Education." Fordham Urban Law Journal Dec. 2001: 589 - 599.