Same Sex High School vs. Co-Ed (Jersey City, Union City: catholic schools, college, live) - City-Data Forum

EEEPNJ · 07-18-2008, 09:56 AM

All this HS talk has me thinking...

any of you go to all girl or all boy hs's in NJ? IF so, what are your experiences and opinions on them.

I started at a Catholic All-Girl school that closed and then I went to my town's public school (co-ed of course).

In my part of Jersey City A LOT of the kids went to Catholic HS and many single sex... now when I ask them what they thought it seems those who were in all girl or all boy had a much better HS experience than I did. I'm just looking for opinions.....

Spincycle · 07-18-2008, 10:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by EEEPNJ

IF so, what are your experiences and opinions on them.

A lot depends what you made of it (e.g. academics, athletics, network building. etc.). Private HS offer one to surround themselves with more driven and succesful people. IMO the drawback of private HS is that they lack the community bond (sense of community)that the public schools seem to establish which can be a more fun experience. With all factors being equal (rank, SAT, etc) a college won't automatically favor a private HS graduate over a public HS graduate. Maintaining a high class rank in a private HS could be challenging (versus a public HS) and could in some instances put one at a disadvantage for college acceptance.

CuCullin · 07-18-2008, 11:11 AM

Take this for what it is - a view of same-sex schools from only 9-10 years ago, from a guys perspective.

All girl catholic schools were the best for me at the time; whenever there was an event, the girls were so revved up from not having daily contact with guys that I would easily pick up a hot girl that night, every time, for a little fun. They also tended to do... lets just call it more "experimental" stuff

Now co-ed, the girls were so used to guys that they sometimes were more of a pain to deal with, but they also were quick to get down to do the basics.

Couple friends of mine went to an all-boy school, and I used to rag on them plenty about it - its to be expected, comes with the territory.

All in all, I personally think the public hs experience is more valuable, private schools are just way too sheltered for my taste. And I don't rate schooling, I didn't learn much after 7th grade or so, it was just the same crap repeated, so the rest of it is what I consider important - socialization.

joe moving · 07-18-2008, 11:23 AM

more than separating sexes, i think we should required uniforms even in public schools

i went to public co-ed schools my whole life though.....

EEEPNJ · 07-18-2008, 11:28 AM

You know it is funny, I remember being in 8th grade and looking at private schools - both single sex and co-ed, and thinking "Oh no, I need to be a co-ed...I want a boyfriend!" lol My friends who were in all girl schools said "DOn't worry about that we all have boyfriends." So I went to an all girl HS that closed ... and then I would up in my co-ed public school. I ended up dating a guy from my block who went to an all boy private school for all of HS. LOL So much for that. At the time, I thought co-ed was so much better - we were cooler, right? lol

But now I talk to aforementioned bf (who is now a VP at a major corporation - and I was the dumb fool that DIDN'T marry him! LOL) and his friends, and my girl friends who went to all girl hs's.... all of them really preffered their experience. They said that they were in school more for school and didn't have to worry about trying to impress some guy or some girl while they were there. As my friend who went to River Dell HS said, "I spent at least half a class worrying about which way I should walk to my next class so I could see the guy I was checking out for maybe a nanosecond." That got me to thinking.... maybe I'd prefer my kids in a private, same sex school.

I think the "what you are willing to do" clause comes more from the values you are brought up with and who you are. I have a family member who is EXTREMELY anti-private school (Catholic in particular) not too long ago when driving past IHA at dismissal she was all too happy to point out the hiked up skirts and tell me what "hos" these girls were. Needless to say, a few weeks later we were both in the car and driving past Ramsey HS when class was letting out, I mentioned how "innocently" the girls were dressed there... (rolls eyes). So that can be the same anywhere.

As for quality of education... I think that could be good in either... there are good and bad in both public and private. It's about selection....

But I also think that for girls, they may get a better shake at things in an all girl school. Especially when it comes to traditionally "boy" subjects like math & science.

EEEPNJ · 07-18-2008, 11:29 AM

[quote=joe moving;4508237]more than separating sexes, i think we should required uniforms even in public schools

i went to public co-ed schools my whole life though.....[/quote

I LOVE uniforms Now, when I was 16 you would have NEVER heard me say that... but I love them on every level.....

tahiti · 07-18-2008, 01:12 PM

i went to an all girls catholic HS in bayonne and I wouldn't subject my kids to a same-sex school, LOL. i just didn't like it.

what school did you go to? St. Al's?

EEEPNJ · 07-18-2008, 01:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tahiti

i went to an all girls catholic HS in bayonne and I wouldn't subject my kids to a same-sex school, LOL. i just didn't like it.

what school did you go to? St. Al's?

So you were a Holy Family girl? You know, I don't know anyone who came out of HFA that liked it. LOL I did have people who liked St. Dominics though and Holy Rossary (now closed) in Union City. My friends from IHA (Washington Twp) and AHA (Demarest) SWEAR by their experiences.

NO, i was in St. Michaels in Union City, but when they closed my parents decided that I was not woth the tuition and shipped me to DICKINSON. LOL

tahiti · 07-18-2008, 01:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by EEEPNJ

So you were a Holy Family girl? You know, I don't know anyone who came out of HFA that liked it. LOL I did have people who liked St. Dominics though and Holy Rossary (now closed) in Union City. My friends from IHA (Washington Twp) and AHA (Demarest) SWEAR by their experiences.

NO, i was in St. Michaels in Union City, but when they closed my parents decided that I was not woth the tuition and shipped me to DICKINSON. LOL

hopefully you graduated a LONG time ago! LOL

I have a cousin who went to AHA, I think she was ok with it, I'll have to ask her.

As far as HFA, glad to see I'm not alone, LOL.

EEEPNJ · 07-18-2008, 02:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tahiti

hopefully you graduated a LONG time ago! LOL

I have a cousin who went to AHA, I think she was ok with it, I'll have to ask her.

As far as HFA, glad to see I'm not alone, LOL.

LOL - yeah, I had a few friends who left HFT calling themselves "recovering Catholics" so I don't think I'd ever send my kid there, even if I still lived near by! LOL!

You know, if I had my life to do over again, I would not have gone to St. Michael's (wasn't such a great school) or Dickinson... but on the other hand, they both are part of what made me who I am today and I'm not complaining...so....

Dickinson was scary, esp since I was coming from a really nice/safe elementary school and while St Mikes was not good academically, it was safe... I was TERRIFIED at DHS. But I will say this... I found out it was not as bad as I thought (though I'd NEVER send my kid there). You could actually get an education IF you really applied yourself (which most teens will not) but the one thing that I took away from there that was a positive lesson is a true respect for diversity. A relative said of my Prom pictures "It looks like the freaking UN." I said "Thank you." I had friends of every race, nationality, some had $, some were poor, many were from very bad sitations...I got to understand that EVERYONE is a person and everyone deserves respect. I try not have contemnpt for anyone, but I do have a special loathing for the ultra rich spoiled white kids... I try to deal with it, because my faith teaches me not to be prejudice at all, but it's hard. That's why I can't move off to Chatham like many of my family have. Just can't do it. Not that I'm going back to JC either....

Anyway - I'm on a tirade here and I just meant to say, it was not great, but I did get something very valuable that I may not have had otherwise, from it.