Stacey Pollack, a sophomore English major, did not have trouble describing the typical male college student.

“He studies a lot-probably, tries to go to class, slides by on papers last minute-the night before, likes sports and women,” Pollock said.

Kyle Sakowicz, a senior elementary education major, found providing a description of the typical collegiate female to be a difficult task.

As The DEN reported Wednesday, women generally outnumber men at colleges and universities across the country, and women appear to be outperforming men in the classroom.

Linda Ghent, a professor in the economics department, said this trend is difficult to assess.

“Some research has indicated that females have higher attendance rates in classrooms, and often get better grades, but I don’t know why that is,” Ghent said.

Catherine Polydore, a professor in the secondary education department, specializes in the field of educational psychology and has professional interest in equity in academics.

“I believe that women, to attain the same social status as men, kind of turn towards education,” Polydore said, “because it’s the one sure means of getting prestige, getting power… we see that playing out on the educational level.”

Pollack is the first in her family to seek a degree. Both of her parents are successful, she said, yet neither had the opportunity to go to college.

“I just think if you get an education, a degree, you have more of a chance of getting a job, I wanted to do that,” Pollack said.

Sakowicz said his father did not go to college, but that his mother did.

He said when he started off at a community college he was unsure of what major to purse, and that after taking a year off, decided he would have more opportunities if he earned a degree from a university.

“I approach my education as a gateway to the world,” he said. “To achieve things thing I want, like traveling and all that stuff, I figure an education is key.”

Pollock stated her opinion about differences in the way men and women perform in school.

“I think I value it more. I think I work harder as opposed to a lot of males,” Pollock said. “I’m not saying every male, but a lot of them are just trying to get through it, they’re not trying to get an ‘A,’ they’re just trying to slide by with a ‘C’ or a ‘D;’ just passing, instead of achieving an ‘A’ or a ‘B,’ which I try very hard to obtain.”

Sakowicz had similar feelings.

“I think girls spend a lot more time studying and preparing for classes, whereas guys maybe don’t worry about homework and quizzes, but when test time comes around, sort of get with it,” Sakowicz said.

Stephen Lucas, an assistant professor in the secondary education and foundations department, is a former high school teacher and principle. He recently was the principle at Edison Middle School in Champaign.

Lucas remembered a theory he had heard while working on his doctorate degree about why boys are more likely to have difficulties in school.

“Schools tend to reward things girls have traditionally done, comply with rules, respect elders, etc.,” he said. “Boys tend to be more rambunctious.”

William Addison, a professor in the psychology department, studies something he calls “academic maturity.” Addison said he believes a disproportionate number of men fall into the category of underachieving students.

“One of the most frustrating things is a student who is obviously bright but not doing the things needed to succeed,” Addison said. ” I have to say, that case of the underachiever, probably we see more men fall into the category.”

Sakowicz said he did not appreciate school as much at a young age because he found a set curriculum to be restraining, but that he has come to feel confident as a university student. “You’re working toward something you like, something that’s goal oriented.”

Jeanie Ludlow, coordinator of the women’s studies program, said the problem with the difference in gender in education might be institutional.

“For a long time the message has been reinforced to girls you need to have this education, you need to be independent,” Ludlow said. “I think we haven’t said the same things to boys, we assume we’re raising boys to be independent, we assume we’re raising boys to handle the responsibilities in their lives w.”

Pollock said she does not see a difference in the way men and women are treated in the classrooms, but she does see a lot more men participating, depending on the class.

Pollock also said she thinks there are more women in the English Department, but that she would expect to see more men in political science, philosophy, math and business; subjects they seem to be interested in.

Polydore said there is a trend of men being favored in certain subjects.

“We have the stereotypes that in certain subject areas that men are better, so therefore we naturally call upon them more in class.”

Polydore said this all goes back to the fact that people are shaped by societies’ expectations since they are born.

“For example, providing a little boy with Legos and he gets the opportunity to build and break build and break, and all that interaction with his environment actually creates the synapses and lays the foundation for future learning,” Polydore said. “And we have little girls playing with dolls so she learns a domestic kind of thing, not so much that critical thinking creative.”

Ghent said that if teaching is a female dominated profession due to a social guidance toward the career that creates a

discrepancy between males and females.

“If, on the other hand, it’s done by choice, and women choose to become teachers because they truly, truly, truly want to become teachers and it has nothing to do with all the influence we’ve pushed on them all their lives, than that’s not discrimination,” Ghent said. “It’s just differences in tastes and preferences.”

Jason Hardimon can be reached at 581-7942

or at [email protected]