Just read what seems like the 90th article on how females outperform males in college. No argument from me. The article cites all sorts of reasons why this might be, and most of them strike me as making sense (including: female college students are more mature than their male counterparts, female students feel more pressure to perform because they lack the "old boy" network for post-graduate jobs, etc.)
But really, the article sort of dances around the idea that girls are just more obediant than their male counterparts. In my personal observation, it's easier for me to make girls pay attention, participate in class, complete assignments, etc. I con't know how much is motivation on their part, and how much is just a tendency to do whatever the person in charge tells them to do (not that I'm really in charge of anything when it comes down to it, but it seems like more of the girls think I am). With the boys, I encounter more of the "why should I do this?" attitude.
In any event - none of this strikes me as a cause for particular worry. I did enjoy, however, the quote from the young lady who had just broken up with her boyfriend because he was playing too many videogames. Her new rule - no dating guys who play videogames. Sounds pretty smart to me.
http://www.nytimes.com/2006/07/09/education/09college.html?pagewanted=1&ei=5094&en=9e7c68c097d2ec04&hp&ex=1152417600&partner=homepage
Posted by mike at July 8, 2006 03:50 PM