Article on admissions in new Alumni Gazette

[standrews]

<p>

It means that if you are a woman, it will likely be a little more difficult to get in.

</p>

<p>How is that not a different standard? My point is that the gender gap is not something W&M wants underlined in the article, but it is the reality, just as it is at a number of other schools. The 2006 numbers are even more slanted against women: 26% admission rate vs. 43.8% for men.</p>

<p>Consider this from the Kenyon dean of admissions.

Few of us sitting around the table were as talented and as directed at age 17 as this young woman. Unfortunately, her test scores and grade point average placed her in the middle of our pool. We had to have a debate before we decided to swallow the middling scores and write “admit” next to her name.</p>

<p>Had she been a male applicant, there would have been little, if any, hesitation to admit. The reality is that because young men are rarer, they’re more valued applicants.

</p>

<p><a href=“http://www.nytimes.com/2006/03/23/opinion/23britz.html?ex=1300770000&en=3cfba679d5fb9b06&ei=5090&partner=rssuserland&emc=rss[/url]”>http://www.nytimes.com/2006/03/23/opinion/23britz.html?ex=1300770000&en=3cfba679d5fb9b06&ei=5090&partner=rssuserland&emc=rss&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

<p>Believe me, I’m not happy about the disparity. It helps DS, but hurts DD. However, it is something the college should be addressing. Women account for 64% of the applications, but only 52% of those enrolling. Should W&M allocate more seats to women?</p>