Women are winning the race. They have surpassed their counterparts in college enrollment, making up 58 percent of undergraduate students nationwide.
“Women are increasingly being successful in post-secondary education. They’re making strides much faster than boys are,” said George Noell, psychology professor.
Noell said he thinks men are not necessarily falling behind, but women are going to school more and surpassing men at a steady pace.
Thirty years ago men made up 57 percent of undergraduate students at the University, compared to 48 percent this year, according to the Office of Budget and Planning.
“Women are being given more opportunities for higher education and are really taking advantage of it and excelling,” said Susan Dumais, associate professor of sociology.
Dumais’ focus of research includes society and gender within education and culture.
“Males, having always had opportunities, are not as motivated to pursue degrees,” she said.
Young boys are twice as likely to be diagnosed with learning disabilities and more likely to be placed in special education courses, according to Newsweek.
“As a society, we have become interested in diagnosing problems whether they exist or not,” Dumais said.
Dumais said that today people overlook the fact that grade-school-age boys are just active and have trouble sitting down. Doctors diagnose restlessness as a learning disability instead of recognizing a need for discipline, Dumais said.
According to the 2006 National Survey of Student Engagement, college-age men were considerably more likely to spend extra hours per week relaxing and socializing instead of studying and preparing for class but also more likely to speak with the faculty after class about questions and concerns.
Noell said boys in grades fourth through ninth outperform girls in math and science on standardized achievement tests, while girls exceed boys in English and language arts.
Dumais said one reason there is a higher percentage of women in post-secondary education is because girls tend to mature earlier than boys.
Noell said the main reason for this gender swap is the way society has altered.
“Society has changed. Women are expected to work,” he said.
He said that in the ’60s women’s life goals were to stay home and start a family.
Girls have more chances to further their education than they did 40 years ago, he said.
“But if both are moving, it is difficult to say one is failing, one is succeeding,” Noell said.
—–Contact Claire Ohlsen atcohlsen@lsureveille.com