Study: Why most university students are women

Young men are far less likely to attend university than young women, and this gap is largely associated with differences in academic performance and study habits at the age of 15, as well as parental expectations, according to a new study.

In 2003, about one-quarter (26%) of 19-year-old men had attended university. In contrast, almost two in five (39%) 19-year-old women had done so.

College attendance rates were about the same for young men and women.

The study found that the gap in university attendance is largely associated with differences in academic performance and study habits at the age of 15, parental expectations, and other characteristics of men and women.

In fact, more than three-quarters (77%) of the gap was related to differences in the characteristics of young men and women that were available in the study.

Weaker academic performance among men accounted for almost one-half (45%) of the gap. Specifically, young men had lower overall school marks at age 15, and had poorer performance on a standardized reading test.

An additional 11% of the gap was related to the fact that boys spend less time on their homework than girls. About 9% was associated with the lower educational expectations placed upon boys by their parents. Other student characteristics played moderate roles, accounting for a further 12% of the gap collectively.

The study found that men and women have very different characteristics at age 15. For example, only about one-third (32%) of young men reported overall marks of 80% or higher at this age. In contrast, almost one-half (46%) of young girls fell in the same category.

Young men also fared more poorly on a standardized reading test, as only 20% of them scored in the top 25% on the test. In contrast, 30% of young women did so.

Young men and women are also quite different in terms of the amount of time they spend on homework. Only 30% of boys spent at least four hours per week on homework, compared with 41% of girls.

The study also found that young men had lower expectations placed upon them. Although as many as 60% had parents who expected them to complete a university degree, this was well behind the 70% of young women in the same situation.

All of these factors—overall school marks, performance on the standardized reading test, time spent doing homework, and parental expectations—were strongly associated with university attendance.

Other factors, such as motivation and preferences, were not taken into account in the study since they are difficult to measure.

Note: This study used data from the Youth in Transition Survey, cohort A. The survey followed boys and girls starting when they were 15 years old in 1999 to the age of 19 in 2003. The information collected when they were 15 includes overall school marks, time spent on homework, parental expectations, and so on. Information on their university participation was collected when they were 19.

The study, "Why Are Most University Students Women? Evidence Based on Academic Performance, Study Habits and Parental Influences", is now available as part of the Analytical Studies Branch Research Paper Series (11F0019MIE2007303, free) from the Publications module of our website.

Related studies from the Business and Labour Market Analysis Division can be found in the publication, Update on Analytical Studies Research (11-015-XIE, free), available from the Publications module of our website.

For more information, or to enquire about the concepts, methods or data quality of this release, contact Marc Frenette (613-951-4228), Business and Labour Market Analysis Division.