England: Gender Gap In University Applicants at An All Time High

The gender gap in university applicants is at a record high in England. And it isn’t skewed towards men. In England, young woman are 36 percent more likely to apply to colleges than young men. This is data from Ucas, the application forum where students submit their papers to colleges.

For the first time in a thousand years, women outnumber men in Oxfords’ newest class. 

Figures for 2018 show that there were 29,1000 more undergraduate applications from 18-year-old women in England, compared to their male peers.

For the first time in a thousand years, women outnumber men in Oxfords’ newest class.

According to data by the Universities and College Admissions Service 1070 women have been admitted to Oxford as compared to 1,025 men who have been admitted.

Total number of applications falling:

The total number of students applying dropped by 0.9 percent and is at 559,000 applicants. This is because of a 2.5 percent decline in the number of 18 years olds in the UK. University applications from older students also took a dip.

Across the U.K it holds true that the most advantaged 18 year-olds are more likely to apply to university.

Alistair Jarvis, Chief Executive of Universities UK, said: “While the strong demand from 18-year-olds is positive, the continuing drop in mature applicants must be addressed by government if we are going to meet future skills needs.” He further added: “If the country is to thrive, particularly in the light of Brexit, it needs more, not fewer, skilled graduates.”

Western universities have more women:

The gender gap in education was overcome in the 1990s and 2000s in the United States and in Britain. By 2000, in Britain, more than 133,000 women earned a first degree, the equivalent of a bachelor’s in the United States, as opposed to fewer than 110,000 men. By 2011, women had completed 197,565 first degrees, versus 153,235 men.

In the United States, women make up 56 per cent of college and university students.

Elite colleges are different

In the US, elite colleges have a different gender ratio. Harvard’s freshman class is less than 50 per cent female and Stanford’s is 51 per cent female.

College Admissions in India 

The number of women attending even elite schools in India is low. IITs had an average of 9 per cent women accepted to its schools. All IITs will now increase the number of admissions so that they have at least 14 per cent girls in every new batch starting from 2018.

Also Read: IITs To Up Seats, To Have 14% Female Students In New Admissions