This discussion is now closed.

Check out other Related discussions

girls , why don't you do science degrees (maths,compsci,engineering,physi cs)?

I'm applying for Computer Science next year, but there are no girls in my school's Computing or ICT classes. I will be the only girl in my A2 Maths class next year as well. Most people I talk to don't enjoy the subject. I talked to a family friend who did a degree in the sciences who said she was surrounded by sexist work colleagues through most of her life and was told she would never reach the top jobs in her field because of her gender. She said it's different now and it was just that particular lab that was the worst, but it was similar elsewhere. I think having messages like that at that time would have put people off.
I think the lack of girls may put a small number of people off, which just ends up with this vicious cycle.
For me, it encouraged me further as there are several scholarships available to women in engineering.

Reply 21

Viva Emptiness

20

Original post by Pride

Oh right I see, your post was even more self-deprecating than I initially thought... :teehee:

It has the added bonus of being the truth (apart from the arts degree thing - I would never even consider one of those).

Reply 22

Robbie242

Original post by ThePhoenixLament

I'm applying for Computer Science next year, but there are no girls in my school's Computing or ICT classes. I will be the only girl in my A2 Maths class next year as well. Most people I talk to don't enjoy the subject. I talked to a family friend who did a degree in the sciences who said she was surrounded by sexist work colleagues through most of her life and was told she would never reach the top jobs in her field because of her gender. She said it's different now and it was just that particular lab that was the worst, but it was similar elsewhere. I think having messages like that at that time would have put people off.
I think the lack of girls may put a small number of people off, which just ends up with this vicious cycle.
For me, it encouraged me further as there are several scholarships available to women in engineering.

Yeah the amount of girls in some of my A-level classes are shocking, we've got 1 girl with us doing A2 maths 0 girls doing A2 Further Maths and 2 girls doing Economics. :K:

whilst history consists of 60% women 40% men

Reply 23

ArtGoblin

16

I've never felt confident in my mathematical or scientific ability like I have with arts based subjects. Despite being in the top sets at school I often felt inferior to others in these areas and was constantly worried about being moved down a set. I knew from year 5 that I would drop those subjects as soon as I could. Before TSR I had no idea that some subjects were more respected than others so it never occurred to me to continue with them - I didn't enjoy them as much so that's all there was to it. If I had known my A level choices definitely would have been different, but I don't know whether I would have gone as far as to take on a science subject.

Reply 24

miser

20

I think men are simply more likely than women to prefer technical fields. I would imagine it is a consequence of differing evolutionary selective pressures for each gender, but it's probably also to a degree cultural.

Reply 25

Le Nombre

16

Original post by Robbie242

Yeah the amount of girls in some of my A-level classes are shocking, we've got 1 girl with us doing A2 maths 0 girls doing A2 Further Maths and 2 girls doing Economics. :K:

whilst history consists of 60% women 40% men

History's more even than some, English Lit is generally very female.

I did Langs and that's massively female dominated, our year was 82:18, so I don't know if it's necessarily stuff like guys being more career focussed, as languages are generally pretty good employment wise.

Reply 26

OHNOGEM

15

I know lots of girls who are going into chemical engineering this year (and myself) and quite a few doing maths, so I'm not sure why those are mentioned above.. however I do agree with physics, there are very few girl actually going into that area I know of..

Reply 27

contradicta

16

My mum and dad both have Compsci degrees.

I (female) am more into the arts myself because I find them one more fun and you only get one life might as well try and enjoy the job you do.

I also find maths a breeze and science not too difficult so it's not due to lack of skill in those areas.

Reply 28

Ndella

18

Original post by Red one

Why?

I honestly do not take interest in solving a problem involving numbers, or learning about the body. I take an interest in other things, like reading or learning about developments of the world. I can't really explain further.

Reply 29

L'Etudiant

13

Well, if you think about it it's not like STEM subjects are hugely popular with either gender. I think it may be about the image associated with Sciences too - people think it is nerdy, too hard and thus do not even consider it. I am glad that this perception of STEM subjects is changing though. Glen Johnson of Liverpool is doing a part time degree in Maths and Charlotte Church is thinking of doing a degree in Physics.

I also remember hearing that about 1% of all UCAS applications in an academic year is for Mathematics. I am not sure about other Sciences but I believe Physics had a similar amount of applicants too. Could someone tell me how to access the statistics regarding the number of applicants per subject on UCAS so I can check if this is correct?

Reply 30

Mysticmeg

10

Original post by cah846

I actually slightly agree. I'm a girl (surprise surprise) who's applied for MPhys this year, and I'm sick of being the only girl on the visit days. Please, we need more intelligent girls!!

Are you suggesting that girls who do university degrees in humanities and the arts are unintelligent? :s-smilie:

Reply 31

username1107539

12

Original post by Mysticmeg

Are you suggesting that girls who do university degrees in humanities and the arts are unintelligent? :s-smilie:

No, not at all, I just wish that more girls took subjects that made them sound cleverer than men so that men would shut up about women not taking 'intelligent' subjects...

And yes, that is a disgustingly simplistic way of saying it, but I figured if I wrote it like that then people might understand where I'm coming from. My point is simply that I'm sick of being in a minority AGAIN. I've grown up in a minority, and been constantly bullied for it, and I'm sick of it. I would like to be in a group where I don't stick out like a sore thumb, and where I can actually feel safe and accepted, instead of bullied and judged.

Reply 32

laalNick

15

Original post by GenghisKhan'sDNA

i know there are exceptions, i am not talking about every single girl in the world. but the degrees i mentioned have very few girls in the compared to boys. so i want to hear from the girls (the vast majority) who didn't choose to pursue them , why did you avoid them?

Why do people continually feel the need to point out gender ratios? I would think that because of that some people wouldn't want to be a 'token' gender and surely it should be based more on the person and not what gender they are? Or is that me living in an ideal world? :colondollar:

Instead of being told you're an exception or part of the common majority. I would feel a lot better personally if emphasis wasn't on what gender you are and repeatedly told the differences between them. Maybe if it's stopped being pointed out then more females will enter STEM subjects and more males enter arts & humanities as everything is more relaxed.

Reply 33

Gherk

13

Because women don't want to be surrounded by computer geeks for three years.

Reply 34

pugnacious duck

Original post by GenghisKhan'sDNA

i know there are exceptions, i am not talking about every single girl in the world. but the degrees i mentioned have very few girls in the compared to boys. so i want to hear from the girls (the vast majority) who didn't choose to pursue them , why did you avoid them?

personally, I'm planning to take these degrees, but I agree that many girls don't persue it... I think it may partly be down to stereotypical views that they are subjects for boys, not girls, which put girls off... I don't know, I guess it's a good question!

Can I also say that I like the way you phrased the question to cause as little offence as possible... :smile:

Sexual dimorphism.

Because my grades for maths, physics and chemistry were horrible at school and I didn't enjoy them.

Reply 37

username991125

14

Female Civil Engineering graduate here. Generally, the girls I spoke to just didn't know what it meant. They said I was too girly/petite for the subject as they imagined hard hats, physical labour and spending life on construction sites.

Reply 38

Davelittle

13

Maybe it's because traditionally, men have always taken up technical roles (obviously some women have had them in the past) and tradition isn't all that easy to change. Especially when peer pressure/trying to conform to society comes into play!

I have 10 girls/8 boys in my maths class however, maybe times are changing?

Reply 39

TheAsian

9

I really enjoy Science and Maths, more than anything (sciences, Maths and FMaths taken to A2 Level), but a career in Engineering seems so boring?! Having said that, Humanities and English etc seem waaa aay more dull (English to AS).

girls , why don't you do science degrees (maths,compsci,engineering,physi cs)?

Related discussions

Latest

Trending

Trending

Articles for you