Too many women at college?
The NY Times has an interesting piece written by a college dean of admissions - and mother of a college applicant - about how there might be too many highly-qualified women applying to colleges and universities.
Example, from the piece:
Today, two-thirds of colleges and universities report that they get more female than male applicants, and more than 56 percent of undergraduates nationwide are women. Demographers predict that by 2009, only 42 percent of all baccalaureate degrees awarded in the United States will be given to men.
Cue the scary music? Well, the reason it's a problem arises after the author describes a very-qualified female applicant who the admissions office almost turned down:
Had she been a male applicant, there would have been little, if any, hesitation to admit.
A-ha. Well. I can't say I'm going to cry a river for the member of a newly-minted majority experiencing one of the negative effects of trying to ensure that a student body is representative of the general population. As a white male who applied to several undergraduate programs, has spent 10 years in "real-world" jobs, and is currently receiving graduate rejection and acceptance letters, I'm familiar with the process and associated statistics. I support the ideal of such a representative student body, but I recognize the sting that accompanies being shut out in the name of inclusion - although I must say I can't recall an instance where I know for a fact that I was a victim.
It is a remarkable phenomenon, though, whenever any demographic group shifts - the recent surpassing of blacks by Hispanics as largest minority group, for example. Another example is U.S. cities heading toward minority majorities (or majority minorities, if you prefer) in coming years as white flight extends beyond city limits. Washington, D.C., for example, expects to have a white minority in a half-dozen years.
All of these topics will receive increasing media coverage in the coming years, but this male/female thing is more significant when it comes to higher education. Any time you have a minority become a majority presents interesting challenges. (Although women have been the minority in undergrad institutions for at least a decade, I believe.)
If we do have a "national dialogue," as people like to say, on affirmative action in the near future, it will be interesting. The last polls I've seen report that most people oppose the kind of preferences that colleges, universities, and workplaces. I count myself among the minority in that respect, and hope populism doesn't win out. There must be a middle ground.
Example, from the piece:
Today, two-thirds of colleges and universities report that they get more female than male applicants, and more than 56 percent of undergraduates nationwide are women. Demographers predict that by 2009, only 42 percent of all baccalaureate degrees awarded in the United States will be given to men.
Cue the scary music? Well, the reason it's a problem arises after the author describes a very-qualified female applicant who the admissions office almost turned down:
Had she been a male applicant, there would have been little, if any, hesitation to admit.
A-ha. Well. I can't say I'm going to cry a river for the member of a newly-minted majority experiencing one of the negative effects of trying to ensure that a student body is representative of the general population. As a white male who applied to several undergraduate programs, has spent 10 years in "real-world" jobs, and is currently receiving graduate rejection and acceptance letters, I'm familiar with the process and associated statistics. I support the ideal of such a representative student body, but I recognize the sting that accompanies being shut out in the name of inclusion - although I must say I can't recall an instance where I know for a fact that I was a victim.
It is a remarkable phenomenon, though, whenever any demographic group shifts - the recent surpassing of blacks by Hispanics as largest minority group, for example. Another example is U.S. cities heading toward minority majorities (or majority minorities, if you prefer) in coming years as white flight extends beyond city limits. Washington, D.C., for example, expects to have a white minority in a half-dozen years.
All of these topics will receive increasing media coverage in the coming years, but this male/female thing is more significant when it comes to higher education. Any time you have a minority become a majority presents interesting challenges. (Although women have been the minority in undergrad institutions for at least a decade, I believe.)
If we do have a "national dialogue," as people like to say, on affirmative action in the near future, it will be interesting. The last polls I've seen report that most people oppose the kind of preferences that colleges, universities, and workplaces. I count myself among the minority in that respect, and hope populism doesn't win out. There must be a middle ground.
posted by bp at
9:36 AM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home