Final admissions statistics for MIT - Class of 2010:

[molliebatmit]

<p>

A few years ago, an editor asked me to look into the allegation that MIT had adopted an admission policy of lower standards for women. Now, one could argue that the 20 point difference in average math SAT scores of male and female students admitted was hardly significant, especially for a group in which most scored above 700. But suppose, for the sake of argument, that it was. The women admitted subsequently performed, as measured by grades at MIT, as well or better than the male students. (Moreover, this is true across fields so that the women’s success cannot be attributed to differential course taking.) If male and female students taking the same exams in the same courses get comparable grades, in what sense can standards possibly be lower? Even if the women’s SAT scores were 200 points lower, if they subsequently did as well as the men would it matter that MIT used different admission criteria?

from [url=<a href=“http://www.awm-math.org/newsletter/199603/ruskai/node2.html]here[/url”>http://www.awm-math.org/newsletter/199603/ruskai/node2.html]here[/url</a>].</p>

<p>That’s all I’m sayin’.</p>