College Admission: Tough Times For Girls?

More Female Applicants Miss Out As Schools Try To Maintain Gender Equilibrium

(U.S. News & World Report) 


Sensitive topic. Moreover, it's difficult to gauge how much impact a college's desire to maintain a balanced student body has on the decision to accept or reject a particular applicant. Schools don't like to discuss their selection process, and they're especially sensitive when it comes to preferential treatment. While the Supreme Court has weighed in on the issue of affirmative action for minority students, it has not directly addressed gender targeting in admissions. "There's no easy answer as to what's legal and what isn't legal," says Marcia Greenberger, co-president of the National Women's Law Center.

'Boy gap.' The reason for lower admissions rates for female students is simple, if ironic: From the early grades on, girls tend to be better students than boys. By the time college admissions come into the picture, many watchers of the "boy gap" agree, it's too late for boys to catch up on their own. Girls watch less television, spend less time playing sports, and are far less likely to find themselves in detention. They are more likely to participate in drama, art, and music classes – extracurriculars that are catnip for admissions officers. Across the board, girls study more, score better, and are less likely to be placed in special education classes.
Females graduate from high school at a slightly higher rate than men and are more likely to forgo the workforce for an advanced degree. All of these factors help explain why the percentage of women in higher education has been steadily growing: From rough parity in 1980, women made up 57 percent of the 16.6 million American college-goers in 2006.

By 2010, the U.S. Department of Education expects the ratio to be around 60- 40. In other words, that thumb on the boys' side of the admissions scale will have to press much harder in the coming years to keep those male dormitories at Richmond fully populated.

At the universities that attract the most applicants, balancing enrollment appears to happen naturally, based on the admissions data. At Harvard University, for example, the pool of more than 22,000 applicants has remained equally divided between men and women, meaning that both sexes are admitted at an equal - if dauntingly low - 9 percent. Princeton, Stanford, Rice, Duke, and Yale are similar; ditto for the elite liberal arts colleges such as Amherst, Williams, and Middlebury.

Where girls face the biggest challenge is at small liberal arts colleges like the University of Richmond and Kenyon College in Ohio. An op-ed entitled "To All the Girls I've Rejected," published in the New York Times last year, set the college admissions world atwitter when it outlined the reality of what most officers had been seeing for years. "The fat acceptance envelope is simply more elusive for today's accomplished young women," wrote Jennifer Delahunty Britz, the dean of admissions at Kenyon, which, according to the U.S. News data, is not even among the schools that most heavily favor boys in their admissions.

An hour's drive east of the University of Richmond, the College of William and Mary also is altering its admissions rates to achieve gender balance, if not parity. In the past decade, the school's portion of women in the undergraduate body has fallen from 60 percent to 54 percent. Overall, because of the rising number of students applying to colleges, the admissions rates for both men and women at William and Mary have plummeted, from 51 percent for men and 43 percent for women in 1997 to 44 and 26 percent in 2006. Over that period, men had an admittance rate an average of 12 percentage points higher than their female counterparts had.

Striving for balance. Colleges contend that their schools are best served by keeping things balanced. "I don't think that's an issue of equity; it's an issue of institutional prerogative [to create] a community that will best serve both the men and the women who elect to be members of that community," says Henry Broaddus, director of admission at William and Mary. "Even women who enroll ... expect to see men on campus. It's not the College of Mary and Mary; it's the College of William and Mary."

Indeed, says sophomore Carrie Bruner, it's important to have men on campus in and outside the classroom. "Males have perspectives to offer that a woman doesn't have," she says. She also says that she and her female classmates do sometimes joke about a shortage of men to take to dances. And indeed, anecdotal evidence suggests that once a campus reaches, say, a 60-40 split in favor of either gender, the college becomes less attractive to applicants of both sexes. "Frankly, students care about the dating scene on campus, and no one wants to be outnumbered," says Bari Norman, a former admissions counselor at Barnard College who runs mycollegecounselor.com.

That helps explain why traditionally male-dominated schools are relishing the influx of women. Lafayette College in Easton, Pa., went coed in 1970 and has tried to attract women ever since, a challenge because one of its strengths is its engineering program, a discipline in which women have been historically underrepresented. As the school approached and finally reached gender parity in 2000, its applications from both girls and boys soared.

Nationwide, women fill the majority of places in higher education. And since most colleges are "open admission," meaning they admit all or nearly all qualified applicants, women have a higher overall admissions rate than men. "Students have very little control over admission in general, and their gender is something that they have no control over," says Janet Rosier, an independent counselor based in Connecticut. "Worrying about this aspect of an already secretive process will only cause kids more stress." Sitting in the admissions office at the University of Richmond, Marilyn Hesser agrees. Students, she says, need to follow their hearts in finding the best place for them to live and study. Chasing numbers can be problematic. "We could do more to get applications from men," she says, "but that would also result in more applications from women."

• Don't Worry: There's A College For You • Warning! Helicopter Parents At 1,000 Feet! • Tough Times For Girls? • Time To Think Globally • Paying With Less Pain • Coming Up With A Short List • The Early-Bird Dilemma • Need Extra Help? Don't Be Afraid To Ask • How U.S. News Does The Ranking

[veryradiant]

Hmmm.... We spent the last 40 years trying to bring females up to males in education (both K-12 and college). It looks like we overcompensated on the effort to elevate females and left the males behind. The majority of our attention has been towards improving education for females. I know it is hard to change a way of thinking after a generation. But our society needs both males and females to be successful. This means we need to reevaluate our educational system at all levels to meet the needs of males who are failing at all levels.

[agnim]

"Dear you done put him in his place and well said.
Posted by MichelleM99 at 12:09 PM : Aug 18, 2007"

I thought you claimed that you couldn''t see?
You are only able to see in order to marry misery? LOL

[agnim]

"Yeah, and you are doing a peachy job at it! War, hate, intollerance, violence, pollution... wow, behold the power of men! Funny also how the more advanced a society, the greater the role women have in it.
Posted by sy2502 at 02:31 AM : Aug 18, 2007"

You are making my point. The warmongers abound because of the bitter wombs from whence they continue to fall.

And no society can ''advance'' if the children are left behind by foolish females and moronic moms, who think that a sterile ''career'' chasing man-like roles trumps raising healthy and successful children, being good mates and moms!

I should be happy at your self-delusion that your are more educated (I think that you mean MIS-EDUCATED) and the measure of your worth in salary.
Ain''t that like the ho''s mentality not not be able to appreciate the more profound values of life?

We have a few decades on the planet. The value of existence transcends the superficial trinkets and mis-education.

No female can be worth any amount of gold and the like that has more value than being a good mate and mom. A female existence is pretty much worthless on its own, regardless of how deluded the mind may get about superficial things.

[michellem99-2009]

Dear you done put him in his place and well said. The war,hate,control,etc. Oh by the way THE BIBLE that was writ by men and for men.. Very out dated for today. I don''t base my life on it.

[sy2502]

I''''m not sure what is your beef?
Posted by Agnim at 10:52 PM : Aug 17, 2007

None, honey, just rubbing your nose in the fact that I, a woman, am more educated then you and make more money than you, and as much as it gets on your nerves (which is fine with me!) there is nothing you can do about it.

Of course the whole blame goes back to the lost and confused males; since they are the ones naturally endowed with the responsibility and the POWER to determine a healthy and efficient society.
Posted by Agnim at 10:52 PM : Aug 17, 2007

Yeah, and you are doing a peachy job at it! War, hate, intollerance, violence, pollution... wow, behold the power of men! Funny also how the more advanced a society, the greater the role women have in it. Societies that treat women like you would like them to be treated are all stone-age level (Talebans, Africa, etc). Yeah, you can really see how women have absolutely nothing positive to contribute to society. Let''s leave it to men, they sure know what they are doing! LOL!

As I said, you are going extinct in the civilized world. We won''t miss you.

[michellem99-2009]

I have never had children but it is worth the ladies who have to shave this. Also men can''t multi task. They just can''t plus they don''t understand us as we don''t them. We are wired differently if that makes any sense. I am older so hope the young ones are not trapped in a life that don''t fit them. Men must not force them to be this/that way. The dark ages are gone hopely for good.

[sverre5-2009]

Posted by MichelleM99 at 12:05 AM : Aug 18, 2007

Very well said, many people don''t understand what women have to go through at childbirth, and keeping a house. Men can easily say that it is their purpose to do so, when they have not experienced it themselves.

[michellem99-2009]

This battle has been going on for years. I recken you think children who end up in abusage foster homes and poorly school are not worth it. So men don''t want to do the jobs that he thinks is too good for him,well he will learn things the hard way. Each gender has to do. So you men think a female is not a whole person unless a baby is born to her. Well not true. It hurts their male pride to be put in their place which need to be done .I feel men make to many messes. Time to clean house. So are you prond of the ladies who so unselfishly do the thankless jobs,in combat now that did shock me as they went. We should not have prove anything to a man. I was told that childbirth would kill a man,I really don''t know. They like to be babied.

[sverre5-2009]

It is possible for a family with two working parents to adequately cope with peer pressure. The most effective way to debunk the possibility of kids experimenting with drugs is to raise them in an environment where they understand the dangers of drug abuse. This can be done with two working parents. Not all men are fortunate enough to receive an income that can support an entire family on their own. Financially, the world is becoming more and more complex, and in many situations, it is more logistically reasonable to have two working parents. Also, not all women are the same. While some may enjoy being a stay-at-home mom, others need to find out and "understand" what makes them happy. Some women don''t feel that staying at home is satisfying enough, and feel trapped when in a stay-at-home situation. An organized household can be established even if both parents are working. Also, you speak of "natural male dominance". Is it not the wonder of the human species that we are able to overcome natural urges, and adapt to fit the times?

[agnim]

"Also, getting a career does not necessarily make a woman ''''masculine'''', it can be a maturing experience that allows them to understand themselves more than if they were confined doing something they did not wish to do.
Posted by Sverre5 at 10:47 PM : Aug 17, 2007"

Ever thought that the reason that women would feel ''confined doing something they did not wish to do" relates to the fact that women do not "understand themselves", which is one of my point? LOL
Women are becoming truly lost! Pity the children.

And there is no escaping that drug use can be traced back to lack of parenting, which causes the children to grow up mentally weak and more susceptible to peer pressure and the like.

If parents spend more time with their children than their dumb peers do, then how could the peers succeed in having more influence than the ADULT PARENTS?

It makes no sense that DISORGANIZED children can have more impact on other children than MORE ORGANIZED ADULTS can.

If the relatively dumb peers are having more influence, it can only mean that the ADULTS aren''t spending as much quality time with the children!

There is no way that a younger mind is going to have more influence on another than a more mature/adult mind can!

Peer pressure is an adult/parent cop out!
The parents don''t want to acknowledge that they are not spending the time to have influence on their children over other mere children

[agnim]

"Oh well, your kind will go extinct very soon thankfully.
Posted by sy2502 at 06:33 PM : Aug 17, 2007"

LOL

I''m not sure what is your beef?
However, you must not have spent any time looking at the history of humanity and the NATURAL roles of males vs females?

Freakish societies where the females abandon their primary roles of being good mates and moms are the exception; and such few and far between societies never last.

Of course the whole blame goes back to the lost and confused males; since they are the ones naturally endowed with the responsibility and the POWER to determine a healthy and efficient society.

[vancouverboo]

Welcome to the world of Quotas - oops, I mean Cultural Diversity - ladies.

[sverre5-2009]

Drug use can be attributed to many more factors than just inadequate mothering. Absent fathers, peer pressure, certain neurological and psychological processes, and many other factors can contribute to drug use in a child. Also, getting a career does not necessarily make a woman ''masculine'', it can be a maturing experience that allows them to understand themselves more than if they were confined doing something they did not wish to do.

[agnim]

"Agnim, what you are saying doesn''''t make any sense. The kids who are troublemakers are boys who have absent fathers.
Posted by wangbang747 at 10:29 PM : Aug 17, 2007"

And the females who are getting more aggressive while drugging and prostituting themselves are ''absent'' whom? LOL

The fact is that boys are likely to become very rough/aggressive and seek the soothing influence of drugs due to a LACK OF ADEQUATE MOTHERING AFFECTION in early years. The same is true for girls.

American mothers just don''t devote enough time, attention and AFFECTION to the children; and so the children grow up becoming a problem for themselves and for the society as a whole!

The females are getting ''tough'', more male-like freaks.
The females of course will never be ''tough'' enough to equal or overcome the natural male dominance; but that doesn''t prevent them from deluding themselves with the feminist follies.

[sverre5-2009]

What some people fail to understand is that the view of the relationship between male and female is rapidly changing. And, that perhaps it might be a good thing. First, I believe equal education is a right that everyone deserves. Second, in this day in age, it is very difficult to support a family financially with only one working parent. Not everyone is satisfied being a stay-at-home mom, and they should be allowed to follow the career they want to. Women are eager to learn, and they should receive every opportunity to do so. And at this point, if women were no longer allowed to get an education and work, our economy would shut down. America''s work force relies on both genders equally, and is a key component that helps us compete globally.

[wangbang]

Agnim, what you are saying doesn''t make any sense. The kids who are troublemakers are boys who have absent fathers.

[michellem99-2009]

I don''t buy the controling male as he wants it his way or all hell breaks loose. I don''t ,as I see a funny side. But must point out that maybe you ladies need to educate Mr. WHO EVER get it yerself I am not yer maid.. ha-ha., I need to get my white cane go for a walk. Thanks for yer words lass.

[keithle1]

Most of the things that we enjoy today were invented by men: computer, phone, car, airplane, light bulb, etc.

Nuff said.

[sy2502]

MichelleM99,
don''t get worked up with some of the comments. With what you had to overcome in your life, you are much stronger than some of these whining children that call themselves "dominant male". They should be learning from you what true strength is. You are an example for both men and women.

[michellem99-2009]

I think most girls want to learn. In my day the teachers said no you can''t as that is for boys. So they tryed to shut it down. So Girls can and should. I boned with my fafher and not my cold mother who was 17 when I came into this world. She hated me as I was born too early and disabled. So she walked. So my life qas foster homes and poor education. I was the only blind child at school and foster home. So it was law that I sat in school even tho the teachers would not teach me ....the girl vs boy,the sighted vs the blind. So it never ends as long as the boy wants his cake and eat it too. A man helpped me with computer. Men yer manners..