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From: timlee@bnrmtv.UUCP (Timothy Lee)
Newsgroups: net.women,net.sci
Subject: Re: Clarification about college admissions
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Date: Mon, 4-Aug-86 11:48:33 EDT
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Posted: Mon Aug  4 11:48:33 1986
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> [sorry, I dd'ed too much]
> [about article in Physics Today about female graduate students]
>
> Studies have shown that women fare better after the percentge of
> women exceeds a certain threshold, i.e., women do better academically
> in the presence of more of their peers.  Therefore, admitting more
> women could improve the self confidence of the women and, consequently,
> their performance.  The author felt hat admission of more women was the
> most important factor which would increase women's success.  She
> never felt that the women students were inferior in their knowledge
> or education.

What was the threshold?  If it's greater than about 15%, then there's a
problem:  only 15% of BS degree graduates in science and engineering are
female.

Those extra women admitted must have been well qualified.  Otherwise, the
presence of unqualified peers could have a negative effect on academic
perfoemance.