Gender gap persists at highest levels of math and science testing

July, 2010

SAT and ACT results demonstrate a dramatic drop in gender ratio on math and science tests from 1981 to 1995, but little change since then.

Analysis of 30 years of SAT and ACT tests administered to the top 5% of U.S. 7th graders has found that the ratio of 7th graders scoring 700 or above on the SAT-math has dropped from about 13 boys to 1 girl to about 4 boys to 1 girl. The ratio dropped dramatically between 1981 and 1995, and has remained relatively stable since then. The top scores on scientific reasoning, a relatively new section of the ACT that was not included in the original study, show a similar ratio of boys to girls.

www.physorg.com/news197634114.html

Reference:

[1636] Wai, J., Cacchio M., Putallaz M., & Makel M. C.
(Submitted). Sex differences in the right tail of cognitive abilities: A 30 year examination.
Intelligence. 38(4), 412 - 423.

classroom learning

adolescence

Children

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