Boys’ Lack of Effort in School Tied to College Gender Gap

“The world has changed around boys, and they have not adapted as well as girls,” said Claudia Buchmann, a professor of sociology at Ohio State University and co-author of The Rise of Women: The Growing Gender Gap in Education and What it Means for American Schools (Russell Sage Foundation, 2013).

Some commentators blame schools and argue that schools have become too “feminized” and don’t support the way that boys learn. Some have asserted that single-sex education is the best way to help improve boys’ academic achievement.

[T]here’s little evidence to support these arguments

“But what is striking is that at every level of cognitive ability, boys are getting lower grades than girls. It is not about ability – it is about effort and engagement,” Buchmann said.

“Success in academics, like success in sports, requires time and effort. Because boys put forth less effort and are less engaged, they get lower grades and are less likely to get through college,” Buchmann said.

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