As school time approaches, parents of twins everywhere are making a decision that may affect their children's academic career for years to come: Should their twins be placed in the same classroom or not?

Theresa Barnes, a public relations consultant from Denver, Col., spent the first six years of school separated from her twin. Looking back, she wonders what might have been if they hadn't been in different classrooms. "We were told that it made it easier on the teachers," says Barnes. "I'm not sure it made it easier on us."

In first grade, Barnes' twin, Lisa, had a wonderful and supportive teacher while Barnes drew a teacher that wasn't so wonderful. "While my twin spent most of her day enjoying school, I spent mine hating it," says Barnes. "Then we would return home to discover how different things were for each of us. At a grade level in which we could have been supportive of one another, we were separated."

The pros and cons of having your twins in the same classroom are many and should be addressed before any decision is made. Dr. Erika Karres, parenting expert and author of the book, Make Your Kids Smarter: 50 Top Teacher Tips (Andrews McMeel Publishing, 2002), feels that parents should get as much information as possible before making the final decision. "Some of the pros include having a built-in friend and best study buddy," says Dr. Karres. "Some of the cons include being constantly compared to one another."

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