The All-Girls Advantage
Here, every leader is a girl and every girl is a leader. Discover why the SMA all-girls High School creates confident, accomplished young women ready to change the world.
“Notice not what is missing from the all-girls experience, notably boys, but what is obvious to our community: the incredible presence of confidence, composure, and courage that flourishes in this empowering environment.”
-Iswari Natarajan, SMA President & Head of School
The Research-Backed Advantages
The benefits of an all-girls education are proven by decades of research. When girls learn in an environment designed exclusively for them, something remarkable happens. They find their voices. They pursue their passions without hesitation. They see themselves as leaders in every field, from STEM to the arts. The data tells an incredible story of what becomes possible when we remove barriers and center education around girls’ success.
Belief in Glass-Free Ceilings
In our High School, the spotlight shines brightly on girls, creating an environment where they are the central and only focus of attention and development. When every student in AP calculus, physics, and astronomy, or on the SMAbotics team, is a girl, it sends an inspiring message to all the other girls that success in these fields is within their reach.
Every day, our teachers, advisors, and college counselors convey this important message to their students: this is the ultimate destination for individuals to unlock their full potential.
- All-girls graduates are six times more likely to consider math, science, and technology majors when compared to girls in coed environments.
- The majority of girls’ school graduates report higher self-confidence than their coeducational peers.
Proven Higher Performance
An impressive 80% of girls attending single-sex schools report that their classes truly inspire them to reach their full academic potential, in contrast to just 44% of girls in coeducational public schools.
- Girls in classrooms alongside high-achieving females tend to chase ambitious educational goals.
- Girls' schools have consistently provided exciting STEM experiences made purposeful by rich experiences in the arts and humanities.
- 56% of the SMA Class of 2025 are embarking on journeys in STEAM/STEM majors. This figure stands ten points above the national representation of female students in STEM fields across the U.S.
Unabashedly Bold
In girls' schools, students are inspired to express their thoughts freely and confidently, fostering an environment of open communication.
To be a great leader, students need to know how to hear as much as to be heard. In girls' schools, young women discover their leadership potential and embrace their unique strengths, all while supporting each other, an unusual and valuable aspect of an all-girls education.
- Graduates from girls' schools excel in public speaking and writing, outperforming their coed high school peers by an impressive margin of up to ten percentage points!
- SMA students are exceptionally well-spoken and strong writers, snagging state titles and trophies in Mock Trial, Speech & Debate, Model UN, and DECA.
Where Wellbeing Is a Winning Proposition
Schools for girls wholeheartedly embrace their dedication to providing a multidimensional, values-driven education. Beyond the academic program, every student at St. Mary’s Academy is involved in:
- An athletics program that wins state championships. More than 80% of the students participate in at least one sport, alongside advanced academic classes.
- A faith education that explores Judeo-Christian scriptures and philosophies alongside world religions.
- Additional wellness programs such as Sources of Strength peer-led suicide prevention, Mental Health Awareness Day, engaging book studies on the “anxious generation,” phone-free classrooms, and the dedicated presence of a counselor and school nurse full-time.
- Dozens of student-run clubs and organizations for fellowship, service, and education.
Concierge-Level College Counseling
Our college counselors are also teachers who truly know each student, their interests, passions, and strengths, and are committed to working with students and families to determine what will be best for them. Our integrated program begins in Grade 9, ensuring four years of personalized guidance.
At SMA, the Class of 2025:
- 80% received a merit scholarship, honors college acceptance, or national merit distinction.
- 100% acceptance to four-year colleges and universities.
- 95% accepted into their first or second choice of college/university.
- 56% entering STEM disciplines, 19% in business-related fields, and 23% in humanities.
An Inclusive and Supportive Sisterhood
Imagine having 250 incredibly smart, incredibly kind sisters cheering you on. That’s the reality at SMA. Without the social pressures and competitive dynamics common in coed schools, authentic friendships flourish. Students take risks, ask questions, and express themselves freely because they know they’re surrounded by peers who lift them up.
- 87% of students in all-girls schools feel their ideas are valued compared to 58% in coed schools
- 95% feel supported by their teachers (compared to 84% of girls at coeducational public schools), 90% report feeling supported by other students (compared to 73%), and 83% feel supported by their school administrators (compared to 63%).
Living our Loretto School Values
We stand with Mary at the Foot of the Cross, understanding what it means to stand with others in justice and respect. Our priority every day is nurturing the members of our school community to be confident in their roles and committed to their callings, who live our Loretto School Values of faith, community, justice, and respect throughout their lives. We take pride in our Loretto heritage and are a living testament of a community where values and service shape character and purpose.
“I want to pursue a major in a field that is heavily dominated by men. The video game industry is practically infamous for its male-centric environment, and I hope to help widen the path for future girls like me who find joy in similar hobbies. Digital and 3D art is the future, and video games are testaments to human creativity. I would like to help create a space that is welcoming to women, rather than discriminatory and alienating.”
-Pascale Drake ‘25 and current student at the University of Washington
ARE YOU READY TO BE A WILDCAT?!
14
Average class size
80%
Of class of 2025 received a merit scholarship, honors college acceptance, or national merit distinction
95%
Of students are accepted into their first or second choice school
52%
Of students hold a leadership role in a club, organization, or team
98%
Of class of 2025 took at least one AP class
120+
College admissions representatives visit SMA each year
56%
Of graduates pursuing STEM/STEAM majors (10 points above national average)
80%
Of current students participating in athletics alongside advanced academics
More than 4,000 women have graduated from St. Mary's Academy since we were founded over 160 years ago—a few of them might be familiar:
CONDOLEEZZA RICE ’71
U.S. Secretary of State
JANE LUBCHENCO ’65
The first woman to serve as Chief of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
JANE NADY SIGMON ’66
Senior Advisor to the Director, Office to Combat Trafficking in Persons, U.S. Department of State
Quick Facts. NCGS. https://www.ncgs.org/research/quick-facts/