Study Confirms: Girls’ School Graduates Have an Edge

Contact: Wendy Jenkins Phone: 804-443-3357 Fax: 804-443-6781 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Tappahannock (March 27, 2009) St. Margaret’s School graduates know they are prepared for the challenges and choices of their first year in college. New research confirms that girls’ school graduates have an edge over their coed peers. The study reveals that girls’ school alumnae assess themselves stronger across the academic disciplines. The advantage is statistically significant in seven important areas: • Academic confidence and performance • Academic engagement: more time studying or doing homework, talking with teachers outside of class, tutoring peers and studying with others • Confidence in math and computer abilities at the start of college • Public speaking and writing skills • Career aspirations in engineering • Political engagement • Considering college a stepping stone to graduate school		St. Margaret’s all-girls setting and smaller class size allow students to have more academic confidence and better academic performance.
The research, commissioned by the National Coalition of Girls’ Schools, is part of a national study released by UCLA’s Graduate School of Education & Information Studies. The findings, analyzed by UCLA’s Dr. Linda J. Sax and her colleagues, make descriptive comparisons as well as statistical analyses to compare the achievements, aspirations and behaviors of 6,552 graduates of 225 independent girls’ schools and 14,684 of their peers from 1,169 coeducational high schools (public, independent and parochial). “This study confirms the priorities we have set here at St. Margaret’s,” Head of School Margaret R. Broad said. “For the past 20 years, we have put research on teaching girls into practice. How our students use their time and resources sets patterns that will guide them throughout their lives.” A mix of climate, culture and community in a girls’ school combined with high expectations contribute to generating self-confidence and a “can do” attitude. In the absence of social distraction and gender stereotyping, girls exercise their abilities, take learning risks and explore new horizons. At St. Margaret’s, the focus is on learning and achieving. In addition to a challenging academic program, St. Margaret’s is recognized as a leader among boarding schools in character and life skills education. The co-curriculum program has been cited as a model by Education Week. Competitive sports teach girls important life lessons about team work, strategy and persistence. By demonstrating the value of volunteer service, St. Margaret’s prepares girls to become adults who contribute to the community. The St. Margaret’s experience helps students succeed in college and beyond by setting high standards and teaching the way girls learn. St. Margaret’s is a girls boarding and day school located on the banks of the Rappahannock River in Tappahannock, Va. Affiliated with the Episcopal Diocese of Virginia, St. Margaret's actively seeks and admits qualified students in grades 8-12 of any race, color, religious affiliation and national or ethnic origin.