Single Sex Education

I’m diving into this article with a twinge of personal regret and a torrent of professional enthusiasm. The dream of working for an all-girls private school will remain just that—a dream—as I move into consulting. Yet, the strategist in me can’t help but unleash a part of what could have been my approach to illuminating the distinct advantages of all-girls education if I had the role of dean of enrollment. Why, you might wonder, am I so fixated on this? Because there lies a vast, untapped potential in demonstrating why an all-girls school isn’t just another educational choice but a strategic advantage for one’s daughters. This isn’t just about education; it’s about setting the stage for empowerment, leadership, and success. So here’s what I propose: a provocative challenge to parents to rethink and reevaluate. It starts with a simple yet profound survey that poses the ultimate question: “Is an all-girls school the right choice for my daughter?” Understanding the mindset of parents in this decision-making process is crucial. We have parents who themselves are products of all-girls schools, seeing it as a natural progression for their daughters, convinced by their positive experiences. Then, there are those swayed by the conventional appeal of co-ed schools, yet harboring a persistent, nagging doubt that something isn’t quite right. There are others who don’t see it as natural. Then, we have many shades of these ideas. Most of these parents go about their daily lives without a clear trigger to reconsider their schooling choices. It’s here that we find our mission. Our communication needs to do more than just inform them about how good our school is—it needs to provoke thought, to stir questions that lurk in the parental subconscious. Are we, as enrollment management professionals, leveraging every tool at our disposal to bring up the questions in their minds? From print ads to social media blitzes, from our websites to engaging webinars, are we truly challenging the status quo? This isn’t about disparaging co-ed schools; rather, it’s about spotlighting what girls can gain in an environment tailored for them—an environment that champions their potential from every podium and lab bench. As enrollment management professionals, our task is twofold: not only to present the benefits but to equip parents with the criteria to see for themselves why an all-girls school might just be the superior choice. It’s time to develop that checklist for them—a strategic tool that doesn’t just list features but punctuates the unique benefits, turning every bullet point into a compelling argument for all-girls education and equipping the parents with plenty of validation. If we believe in the advantages of all-girls schools, are we not almost obligated to guide, influence, and persuade? Let’s start with equipping the parents with a checklist. I created a cover letter and the survey idea to send to the parent here. (Email is required for you to open it.) This tool is to provoke their thinking. Make them ask the question, “What is the right education for my daughter?” You want to get this information from families so that you understand which are their greatest pain points. Once you have a sense of that information, which you gather from asking them for a copy or calling them up and having a discussion about it, start sharing your program. Don’t forget to track whether or not they open the document, so you can send it to them again when they don’t click. My Approach: See if I can get them to fill out the survey and have it go into my spreadsheet. I would offer them a summary of their ideas in a way that they can digest the results easily. Convince them that they are going to get information that would take them time and effort, and you can do it for free. After I send them the summary, I would later send them my marketing material from my lead magnet ideas that I developed. Here are the ideas to get you started. Adjust the survey, letter, and lead magnets according to your needs.  Ultimately, your goal is to demonstrate how your all-girls school is not just an educational institution, but a vibrant community that fosters confidence, strong voices, resilience, and success in every student. With these strategies, you can attract prospective families, engage the broader community, and ensure that your school continues to stand above the co-ed schools and the other girls’ schools to be a place where girls excel and lead.