For several years, Ohio University has mirrored a national trend in which more women are enrolling in college than men.
Since 1988, women have outnumbered men on OU's campus. This academic year, women comprise 52.9 percent of the student population, nearly 6 percent more than men. In 2002, when OU hit a record 20,042 enrolled students, the difference reached 7.6 percent.
Nationwide, the gender gap is even larger. The United States Census Bureau reported that in 2003, 10 percent more women were enrolled across the nation. That year, OU was only at a 6.2 percent difference. Statistics indicate that the national gap is widening each year.
This social trend was even acknowledged by First Lady Laura Bush in the Feb. 28 issue of Newsweek, when she proposed educational reforms and a national summit on education later this year.
Sociology professor Edward Morris said a prevalent theory on this trend involves early socialization of males and females.
One of the most common theories is that socialization practices especially tend to socialize women into types of behavior that are more conducive within the educational environment
Morris said. People have (also said) that a lot of the time schools and parents emphasize sports more for boys and for the girls again
behaviors that are conducive (to education) are emphasized.
