Research has documented that the self-esteem of girls plunges at adolescence. Whether this is true for girls educated outside the school system was studied through interviews with 20 homeschooled girls, a questionnaire completed by 20 more, and tape-recorded responses of 5 others. Subjects were asked to describe themselves and their interests, family relationships, friendships, and educations. Many of these girls chose to act in ways that resisted society's expectations, and many were very self-reflective about the paths their families had chosen for them, or the paths they were working out for themselves. Most of the girls talked about trusting themselves, pursuing their own goals, and maintaining friendships even when they and their friends were not in agreement. Looking at the attitudes and successes of homeschooled girls provides an oblique look at schools and their effects on girls and young women. The eight chapters in the book are entitled: (1) "'They cannot understand the freedom'"; (2) "Family Context"; (3) "'We don't have to agree'"; (4) "'I like who I am'"; (5) "Acts of Resistance"; (6) "'A whole different person'"; (7) "'More aware of my femaleness'"; and "Brining Resistance into School." (Contains 37 references.) (SLD)