<p>Thanks to aspen for posting the link to the GAO report on military education, <a href=“http://www.gao.gov/new.items/d031000.pdf[/url]”>http://www.gao.gov/new.items/d031000.pdf</a>. I have a question about graduation rates for females. We personally know three young women who dropped out of service academies: two left USMA; one quit USNA. All of them were highly qualified in all areas, and two were recruited soccer players. All left for different reasons. Two of the women were somewhat unfamiliar with exactly what they were getting into! The other tried to “enlighten” USMA! The admissions and performance scores in the GAO report show a significant discrepancy between the overall graduation rate 80%, and female graduation rate 71% at USNA, especially when compared to data at the other service academies: USMA (78%overall/76%female), and USAFA (74%overall/75%female). Is this a statistical error? Methodology? Why are female graduation rates significantly lower at USNA than the overall graduation rate? And, why are the overall graduation rates and female graduation rates at the other service academies more in sync?</p>
<p>Reading between the lines of this reference (p.22, admissions stats), it appears that USNA admitted females are, on average, less capable physically and have less demonstrated leadership than USMA and USAF admitted females (I’m inferring this because the USNA females have lower WP scores than the average USNA admit, even though the USNA females are smarter; USMA females have higher WP scores than the average USMA admit, even though they are not smarter; USAF females are both smarter than the average USAF male and have higher WP scores. Let’s assume for the purposes of argument that average USNA=average USMA=average USAF).</p>
<p>A modest confirmation would be that 4 points of the difference in graduation rates at USNA occurs during Plebe summer (according to aspen’s other reference).</p>
<p>Of course, it doesn’t sound like your 3 examples fit into these categories - so I’d welcome other opinions.</p>
<p>there are less females at USNA than USMA or USAFA in general, so that tends to make statistic swings more drastic.</p>
<p>Scitsailor - </p>
<p>First off, congrats on triple q and nomination. Way to go!</p>
<p>I didn’t find historical trends for the academies. But Class of 2008 profile was roughly:</p>
<p>USMA - 200 women
USNA - 250 women
USAF - 260 women</p>