Essay 1.2 (rebuttal)

In the L.A. Times Editorial section you will find that there is a post bringing light to the gender gap in colleges and universities all across America. Many wonder as to why this is, and see this as a growing issue. Females are now being admitted at a higher rate, which is an accomplishment in itself, but the males are being admitted with a slight boost to keep diversity, yet the numbers of males remain lower. In the editorial the author brings in certain speculations as to why this is such. Some hypothesize that males need special attention based on how they take in information. Race and ethnicity have even been included into factoring into this rising problem. However these factors may excuse a small percentage of males, it does not excuse all males from lagging behind.

Some may ask the question, “What is happening with the education of males in this country?” In USA Today, Mary Beth Marklein speculates that the, “female majority may be higher education’s new normal.” In the editorial the author (also states) that at the University of California’s UCLA campus, more women apply than men. In order to maintain equality in the admissions process, the university admits an equal percentage of each gender from those who apply. As a result, a wider gender gap has been created.

As the author in the L.A. Times article mentioned, there are different types of learning styles for both male and females. This author mentioned that males are more likely to learn by using senses; visual or working with their hands, and that schools should accommodate to these needs. The question is, “do colleges need to change all the time for every single type of student?” The answer would be no. Linda Sax, a scholar in gender issues, writes in Her College Experience Is Not His that both male and females have to overcome their own challenges in order to obtain a good college education. She continues to say that women put a greater emphasis on the value of education, devoting more time to school work than men do, and achieve higher in academics, creating a larger gap. Sax and the author of the editorial both agree, “…colleges need to consider strategies for encouraging greater academic engagement among male students” (Sax 16). Is this really the best solution? Valeria E. Lee and David T. Burkam, authors of Inequality at the Starting Line, may disagree and believe that this issue begins at a much earlier stage.

In Lee and Burkam’s book, they state that the inequalities of children’s mental aptitude begin at the ‘starting gate’. The ‘starting gate’ refers to the notion that not all children start off as equals going into Kindergarten. The main factor that is observed in measuring the “inequality” of students is the socioeconomic status (SES) of the child and family. The National Center for Education Statistics defines SES as a measure of an individual or family’s relative economic and social ranking (The Condition of Education). From there, schooling can magnify those inequalities due to low resources and funding. Along with schooling, family and social backgrounds can influence the success or failure of a child’s potential to achieve a good education; these factors include race and ethnicity, poverty, parenting structure, and the education level of the parent(s). Today it is becoming harder to keep up with education without the proper tools. Most schooling now involves computer usage, but if a family is low on income then a computer may not be easily accessible. Good child care is can also burn a hole in your pockets, and studies show that early childhood development is key to getting a good start in school (Lee and Burkam).

With race being stated, there is another gap within races in education. Statistics from Inequality at the Starting Gate shows that there are “substantial differences by race and ethnicity in children’s test scores at they begin kindergarten”. SES and race are interconnected. Lee and Burkam noted that on average, that the lowest scores are produced by 34% Black children, 29% Hispanic, and only 9% of White children. The actual race and gender of a child is not what makes the gap, but the SES of the general population of a specific race.

With this being said, there is more to academic success rate than simply the gender of a child. Yes, males and females minds are wired differently, affecting how they work, but there is more to it than genetics. There are always going to be challenges that each gender must overcome. The family life based on socioeconomic status and even race need to be factored into this equation in order to gain a “deeper understanding of the nuances and implications of the gender gap in college” (Sax). For years colleges have done what they can for their students, but it takes two to tango. Students also have to learn to adapt to the new college life and learning; it is part of the whole experience of growing up, overcoming obstacle to reach your goal.