From MIT and NBER, this just in:
“…almost all girls with the ability to reach high math achievement levels are not doing so.” (Here’s the paper.)
The basic premise, which I believe in my bones to be correct, is that half of the very best math students in this country — the female half, by and large — do not participate in the ranking systems that serve to identify them.
The end result is a mess all around:
- The US continues to lose its competitive edge in math, technology, and science
- These students lose a crucial opportunity for self-actualization
- Because they are not identified early, these students experience the stress of the mainstream ranking system, which by and large does not rank them accurately.
Good news, though: fixing the problem is as simple as raising awareness. Any girl who has yet to finish 12th grade can participate in these competitions. If you know a good candidate, send her to maa.org/amc, to dtmath.com/amc, or to this short video series on YouTube.