Some say that all-girls' schools provide superiour learning environments to co-ed schools while others think that they are restricting. The quality of education depends on the individual schools, so the differences can be shown mostly in the characters of the students. Keep in mind that I've only been to one of each in the past 2 years, and this is only my view of things.

I did not like my co-ed school very much, particularly the students. The girls were so intent in their gossip sessions that they forgot about the class going on. They also spent a lot of time preening for the guys, but trying to make it look like they were ignoring them. The guys, meanwhile, were too busy cracking dirty jokes to notice. Yet, the guys remained the determining factor in daily dilemmas. In other words, I've seen a lot of the "Britney Spears" attitude- "I don't care what I have to lose, but I have to be thin and popular". I'm not saying that most people will get breast implants, but I've seen some pretty pathetic lunches. The guys encourage this Britney-esque behaviour by pining after the same Barbie-like girl. She’s thin, pretty, and she doesn’t need to have a personality.

Another thing: Even though I know that some people got really bad marks, I didn't see too many upset faces; marks weren't the top priority and no one wanted to be known as a "smart person." To me, the goal of most people wanted to fail, just so they could be able to laugh it off.

Studies have shown that boys get more attention than girls in co-ed schools when it comes to important areas like math and sciences. Generally, girls are said to be afraid of speaking in class because they might get teased.

However, girls in a co-ed environment are more skilled at living in a mixed environment. They interact with guys on a daily basis, so they are more accustomed to their behaviour.

The girls in my new school do talk, but they're not oblivious to what's going on around them. They're usually quiet once the class starts, and try to do well. Marks are a definite priority, and being smart is considered a really good thing. Of course, there are exceptions, but not many.

Also, the girls I know in all-girls schools are usually more self-confident than their co-ed counterparts. They tend to have higher academic expectations and have formed closer bonds with their class-mates. Girls in co-ed schools are more catty and seem to be in perpetual competition with each other for the benefit of the guys.

I’m not saying that guys are horrible beasts, or that all-girl environments are for everyone. I do like guys, but I find that the environment in an all-girls' school is much more conducive to learning. I know quite a few people who don’t like the no-guys aspect, and a lot more who could never stand it. However, maybe sacrifices must be made for something as important as education.

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