It's Different For Girls -- Because Boys Don't Graduate High School

Today's Times includes an apologetic op-ed from someone on the admissions committee at Kenyon College who seems to think that the inequality in male and female college applicants is a purely "demographic" event: "Demographers predict that by 2009, only 42 percent of all baccalaureate degrees awarded in the United States will be given to men."

I get that fewer female applicants makes it harder for them to get into the college of their choice, and I know demographic trends do change the numbers from decade to decade. But, as may be no surprise to readers of this site, I don't think this is a purely demographic event. It has much to do with how boys do in school.