<p>So, the data shows that a higher percentage, relative to applications, of females are admitted and attend than males, even with the entering classes favoring women by about 10%. From what I have seen on here and in the WaPo article, there are the following theories as to why this is:</p>
<p>1) The Cream of the Crop
The Holistic admission process also provides the cushion room to say that the admits are equal. Should admittees be selected based on the number of their gender peers that also applied?</p>
<p>2) Selection Criteria
Who’s to say that, for example, the College can’t place a high value on athletics?</p>
<p>3) Building a Class
W&M sets
And that this balance is desired by those attending and applying. </p>
<p>4) **W&M hates women. **
Which is kind of odd, since W&M was the first Virginia public school to admit women, starting in 1918.</p>
<p>5) Capacity
There are costs to converting dorms, too.</p>
<p>6) Other factors come into play, including enrollment/yield rates, graduation rates, oos vs in state for both of these, geographic factors, etc…</p>
<p>7) Simpson’s Paradox: [Simpson’s</a> paradox - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia<a href=“plays%20into%20theory%20#5%20a%20bit,%20too”>/url</a>
</p>
<p>8) Combination of many of the above.</p>
<p>It may be interesting to note the legal side of this too. See intermediate scrutiny:
[url=<a href=“http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Suspect_classification]Suspect”>Suspect classification - Wikipedia]Suspect</a> classification - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia](<a href=“Simpson's paradox - Wikipedia”>Simpson's paradox - Wikipedia)</p>
<p>I hope this helps organize the debate somewhat.</p>