Women face obstacles to obtain an education
Many things are associated with the college experience, like crazy frat or sorority parties and living on macaroni.
However, when thinking about college, many individuals do not consider the hurdles women encounter to pursue a higher education.
According to the U.S. News & World Report America’s Best Colleges, many colleges are struggling to maintain gender equivalence when admitting students to their school. According to the study, more women than men are applying and enrolling in college. This is because women have a tendency to study more, score better and graduate in greater numbers than men, making them more qualified for college.
While it seems like a progressive step for such high numbers of women to be in college, it presents a difficult situation for the admission process.
U.S. News reported qualified females are being turned away from college for the purpose of creating gender parity. The female-dominated schools are less attractive for both male and female applicants.
The study states an unequal ratio affects the dating scene and can possibly create a shortage of educated men for women to marry. The study suggests for women who get turned away from a particular school to reconsider their chosen field of study. Women who want to study engineering, for example, may have an advantage.
Also, university admissions need to be sure women will not feel neglected while seeking to explore issues facing men.
In 2002, the U.S. Department of Education reported that women made up 57 percent of the 16.6 million American college students.
In 2005, about 43 percent of women ages 18 to 24 were enrolled in college, compared with 35 percent of young men. The number remains high, and the Department of Education expects to see an increase.
The increase in women applying for college is evident as demonstrated in fall 2007 at USU. The Common Data Set for USU 2007-08 reported there was 3,434 first-year freshmen women who applied compared to 2,611 men who applied.
Another issue facing women after they are admitted has to do with retention and graduation. Certain factors put them at risk to fail or leave college.
The 2006 Journal of College Admission published a study done in 1994 by Ford and Goode, who surveyed the health behaviors of undergraduate students at a historically black university. The findings were to provide an idea of how academic performance was affected by health issues.
The results of the survey provide a snapshot of the quality of life and health issues for male and female college students.
Ford and Goode said the study showed when students consume alcohol, more female students reported that one or two glasses were consumed on each occasion, compared to males.
Ford and Goode also discovered a larger percent of female college students indicated they never exercised opposed to the male college students. When students were asked to rate sources of stress such as not coping academically, poor finances and family problems, the majority of females expressed feelings of high stress levels.
The study emphasizes exercise serves to reduce stress. The combination of no exercise and high stress in females can lead to disease, obesity and poor overall health.
Madison Roderick, junior majoring in public relations, said she thinks guys are more anxious to be outdoors than indoors studying.
“I think guys are more motivated to go outside and play sports,” she said. “Girls like to focus on studying and indoor activities. My mom is a dietician, so I am very concerned with keeping a balance. I just do little things whenever I can to keep active, like take the long way when walking. We have all of these great facilities at our disposal here, and we should use them.”
When Ford and Goode asked students if they experienced psychological or psychosomatic problems such as headache, irritation, difficulty in concentrating, anxiety, depression or tiredness, females reported a significant higher difference compared to males. Depression was a difference of just under 10 percent.
Roderick said she feels women have a tendency to be overwhelmed.
“I think women take things to heart more,” she said. “We are more emotional and this causes us to be more stressed out.”
USU offers services for anyone with these or other mental or health issues at the Student Wellness Center and the Student Health Center. The Nelson Fieldhouse Recreation Facility offers students a place to exercise.
A woman who graduates, despite these factors, still has to jump a few more hurdles. Women are disadvantaged in the post-college labor force.
According to the Census Bureau, women on average earned 77 cents to each dollar paid to male counterparts in 2004. In other words, women’s earnings, compared to those of men, haven’t kept up with their increase in education. A woman working full time in 2005 had weekly earnings of $585, a man made $722.
Roderick said it is hard for women in workforce.
“It can be hard to assert yourself at college and in the workforce because you don’t want to come off as pompous,” Roderick said. “Powerful women aren’t always the face a company wants to portray.”
–storee.powell@aggiemail.usu.edu