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Why do girls continue to shun STEM - science, technology, engineering and maths?

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It depends. I loved Maths at GCSE, but I didn't feel I would get an A or B at A level, so I didn't choose it. I didn't want to study Physics at A level, but the timetable didn't allow me to change to any other subject that seemed worthwhile. If you have a genuine interest in a STEM subject, then do it. Don't take the easier option, even if you find it even more interesting.

I feel like you're confirming what I said...

Reply 41

Mansun

Original post by ILovePancakes

I feel like you're confirming what I said...

What I am saying is, if you have some interest in a STEM subject, choose that, even if it means sacrificing another subject you like even more. But if the STEM subject is likely to be too difficult, then leave it. It is a balance act. I wouldn't want to see someone try a STEM subject at A level and then get poor grades and be left with a weak university, I'd rather see them do a non-STEM subject and do well enough to get into a top university. Generally speaking.

Reply 42

Mansun

Original post by inachigeek21

Well, at least now you have prevailed in your successions or desires. And you know what, I really have no idea what's wrong with the universities present these days. I guess education has become even more laborious for students and all are determined to endeavour for their wishes.

It will be an expensive venture nonetheless. You have to get a first or a very high 2.1 at a top RG university to study for a PhD at UCL these days in the Sciences. My low 2.1 from Nottingham and an MSc from Birkbeck was deemed not good enough, and they recommended an MSc at UCL would be a good stepping stone to a PhD with them.

Reply 43

Rosey203

Original post by StrangeBanana

You say their difficulty can't be compared, and then try to show that the Arts are harder. :curious:

The reason it's more difficult to get a first (and impossible to get 100%) on Humanities courses is that the subjects lack rigour (i.e. an essay on the influence of the Renaissance on Literature cannot be strictly "correct", as the subject is - by nature - subjective).

No, it does not suggest the Arts are harder. Sciences require you to take in far, far more info and there's simply less room for error. On the Arts, you have to write insanely good essays to do really well. They are both incomparably difficult.

Reply 44

Rosey203

Original post by Mansun

Do you have any proof of that? Try doing a final year lab project involving using lab techniques you haven't seen before, and sequencing the base pairs of nucleotides for DNA that has been amplified using PCR, and later finding possible drug targets using SNPs, as detected by using bioinformatics tools, again with little or no previous knowledge. A lot of ability and independent thought is needed to score well enough to get a first on a lab based project in the biosciences. Any help along the way and you get downgraded significantly.

Yes, statistically less people get firsts in the Arts then in Sciences. It doesn't make the Arts harder, but certainly, as difficult.

Reply 45

Noble.

Original post by Rosey203

Yes, statistically less people get firsts in the Arts then in Sciences. It doesn't make the Arts harder, but certainly, as difficult.

Less people get firsts in humanities/arts subjects by construction, not because it's genuinely more difficult to get a first. Also, humanities/arts subjects dish out a lot less 2:2s and below than the sciences - so it's much easier to coast in humanities/arts and end up with a good degree classification than it is in the sciences.

That said, I don't categorically agree all (or even most) STEM subjects are more difficult than humanities/arts subjects, so don't read too much into what I've said above.

Reply 46

cmdexe

I'm female and just finished A level maths and chemistry, I enjoy them both and am good at them so that's why I took them, however in my classes there were way more boys than girls and the girls that there were during AS dropped them for A2, in part because the boys in the maths class were quite intimidating, and there was a sense that we weren't welcome!

The teachers were very encouraging though, I think it was just unfortunate that a particular group of boys made people feel unwelcome. In my experience at 2 grammar schools I've found that girls generally have a high interest in maths and science, in some years (like this year's y12) there are more girls doing STEM subjects than boys. Maybe because there is an overall opinion that academic subjects are best, so few girls feel obliged to pick arty subjects when they'd prefer academic ones, which might be different at other, less academically-focused schools.

Reply 47

ndunleavy

I'm female and just completed my A-levels which consisted of Maths, Chemistry, Technology and Physics. Although I see your point about girls seeming to shun stem subjects as some stem related degrees contain a majority of males, there are now more girls than previous years in my school taking these subjects as there are larger class sizes now than in any previous years. So I do not feel it fair to ask why girls shun stem subjects because it is down to the individual, male or female, not down to a whole gender to decide if they are interested in a specific subject area

Reply 48

Mansun

Original post by Rosey203

Agreed. In Arts subjects anyone with half a brain can get a 3rd or a 2.2 at a respectable university. Not so with STEM subjects. Either you can understand and do Maths, Pharmacy, Engineering, Biochemistry or you can't.