When parents are troubled about their daughter's performance in a public middle school setting, they may start thinking about private high schools. An all-girls Catholic school could provide a change in environment for a girl who is too distracted by or uncomfortable around boys. Mothers and fathers may also want their daughters to focus more on the Catholic faith throughout the day while also receiving a top-quality education.

Graduation Rate Comparisons

The graduation rate for Catholic high schools is 99 percent. A full 86 percent of those graduates continue to four-year colleges.

In contrast, only 85 percent of public high school students graduate. That number varies significantly by state, with some states having less than 80 percent graduating. Almost all the states have public high school graduation rates at lower than 90 percent.

Faith-Based Curriculum

God is not ignored in the coursework. The textbooks may include a discussion of God and Jesus as related to various subjects. In a biology course, students can study both creationism and the theory of evolution. They learn about the religious beliefs of the country's founding fathers. The coursework emphasizes acquiring intellectual information about scientific theories and knowledge from a faith-based viewpoint.

Often, all grades have a Bible study course as part of the curriculum. There may be a weekly or more frequent all-school Mass.

In contrast, teenagers in public settings might never say or hear the name of God in a classroom except during the Pledge of Allegiance. The exception would be educational facilities that offer a course about world religions.

Conservative Moral Standards

All-girls Catholic high schools embrace and support the conservative moral standards of Christianity in general and Roman Catholicism in particular. For example, health classes teach abstinence instead of birth control. The schools do not condone alternative sexual lifestyles. They emphasize marriage between one man and one woman as a sacrament.

Public schools tend to have some problems with students indulging in alcohol and illegal drug use, as well as sexual experimentation. The conservative moral stance of Catholic high schools significantly decreases this risk. The students meet other girls of the Catholic faith who share similar ethics and religious beliefs.

A Rewarding Fresh Start

Enrolling in an all-girls Catholic school can be a rewarding fresh start for young ladies who have been struggling in a public education setting. When the family is ready to apply, they can reach out to learn about the enrollment process.