The Gender Factor in College Graduation: Female Vs. Male Students

BY DREW HENDRICKS

Over the years there has been a change to the number of males graduating from college versus their female counterparts, and 2018 collefe grad were about 58% female and 43% male

Past studies show, boys face numerous problems when attending high school and graduating college and the trend looks to be on the rise.

Some of the difficulties found among boy students involve reading, writing, and standardized testing. There are other noticeable factors, as well, but we are not sure exactly what causes the male versus female college grad rate.

Boys may lack motivation to be in high school or to complete homework, they participate in criminal activity and violence, as well as, face school expulsion, or end up dropping out of school altogether.

When the time comes for boys, who are now young men, to go off to college, many end up choosing a different route.

Whether it is due to the reasons listed or not, more and more young men are choosing to opt out of gaining a college education.

Female students, on the other hand, are continuing to succeed in secondary schools, causing the number of female college graduates to outnumber that of males, and there is no true sign of this changing any time soon.

Data from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), show, in 1979, female students became the majority of students enrolled in post secondary schools, and for the past decade have accounted for approximately 58 percent.

 

Academic Preparation: Are Children College Ready?

Most parents believe when their child graduates from high school they are ready to move on to college, but this is not always the case.

In 2017, the Hechinger Report investigated forty-four states and found, a large number of public colleges report more than half a million of students, who enroll into their schools, are not ready for college-level work.

This is not only detrimental to the development and pocketbooks of many young students, their lack of preparedness for college is also taxing on government and college funds, costing billions of dollars of debt, each school year.

The numbers reveal there is a major problem with the education system, and that having a high school diploma does not automatically mean students are academically prepared for college.

The Era Of Technology: Is A College Diploma Still Relevant?

Today’s world is much different than it was ten years ago due to it being the era of technology.

People of all ages are definitely more tech-savvy and society’s dependence on various gadgets and devices has grown.

We live on a planet where Google has all the answers, Television shows make you an instant star, and where YouTube sensations exist– and none of these require individuals to be in possession of a college diploma.

Having a degree does not seem to hold the same value as it once did, which could be a sign to the start of the college diploma becoming irrelevant.

Along with technology, “experience” is replacing the need for secondary education. In fact, some employers accept it as “being” equivalent to having a college degree.

There is no doubt, some schools are experiencing a decline in the number of student enrollments, female vs. male attendees, academic preparedness, disruptive technology, and education relevancy, which all contribute to the decrease in the number of students graduating in America.

What does this say about where our future is headed, as it does lie in the hands of younger generations?

As we become more informed about how many young adults are not being formally educated, can we truly grasp the repercussions, which may come from this drastic academic change?

It is hard to say, but, in gaining this knowledge, we now have the ability to do something with it, and it requires us, as a society, to take action before it is too late.

For us to make a real difference in the education of our children, in raising the number of college graduates each year, and ultimately, improving the state of our future, the time for action starts now.

Drew Hendricks
Freelance Writer & CMO

http://Blogpros.com