My daughter would like to apply to college as a physics major. I would like to know if that major has an equal distribution of girls and boys or if there are more boys who choose this major. She loves physics but also wants to choose a major that will increase her chances of acceptance.
Physics faculty can approach even male to female ratios, at least at some colleges. By inference, then, it seems young women must be reasonably well represented as students in undergraduate physics programs. Notably, women have often contended for Apker Awards (the top recognition for undergraduate research in physics) in recent years:
https://www.aps.org/publications/apsnews/201908/apker.cfm
https://www.aps.org/publications/apsnews/201808/apker.cfm
Regarding college selection, your daughter may want to consider schools at which all majors are made available to all students without significant restrictions.
Unfortunately, this is not the case. Women are woefully underrepresented in physics programs. Here’s the 2017 graduation numbers:
[ul][li]BS - 1404 women (20%); 5465 men (80%)[/li]
[li]MS - 391 women (24%); 1230 men (76%)[/li]
[li]PhD - 296 women (18%); 1395 men (82%)[/ul][/li]Source: US Department of Education, “Bachelor’s, master’s, and doctor’s degrees conferred by postsecondary institutions, by sex of student and discipline division”
As for an admissions boost, that probably depends a great deal on the college in question. It may help more at a college like Rose-Hulman (75% male) than at a women’s college like Smith or Bryn Mawr, for example.
Yes, I shouldn’t have made the jump from personal impressions (even if quantified) to general inference. Nonetheless, it still appears worth mentioning that the American Physical Society has actively encouraged inclusiveness in recent years.
Ironically, one of the reasons that Cornell is being sued for gender unfairness is that it hosts a national student group called “undergraduate women in physics” (they have one in chemistry as well, I believe), but there is no corresponding group for men.
There is a lot of support available but ime most physics departments have faculties that are more reflective of the student split, especially if you look at the seniority levels.
Imo, a terrible idea, not least b/c it is unlikely to work. Further, the closer to true something is, the more likely it is to persuade other people of it’s truth. And, frankly, if the only way she can get in is to pretend to like something she doesn’t, is that really the place for her?
if she is applying to the most highly selective schools, it depends on her stats and if her ECs, coursework, essays and recomendations support her interest and aptitude in physics.
At less selective schools, the intended major and consistency of narrative is less important.
Thanks for all of your comments. She is done with college acceptances and chose USC. She will embark on her pre-med journey this fall.