Male and Female Students' Perceptions of Their Academic Environment and Future Career Plans: Implications for Higher Education

Abstract

A total of 298 male and 634 female students completed a study questionnaire in 1981. Some important gender differences were found regarding students' career goals and their perceptions of the academic environment. Female respondents selected careers traditionally defined as acceptable for women and expressed less confidence that they would be successful in their work. Students' work and life style goals were shaped primarily by family and peers. While most students held positive views of college life, they credited the academic environment with little influence upon their career goals. Women and men differed in their perceptions of academic life. Women enjoyed their classes more and they claimed better study habits and a greater involvement with their courses. Despite these advantages, women consistently perceived themselves as more reluctant than men to participate in class discussions, less willing to speak out and question their teachers, and less likely to feel they could “hold their own” in discussions with their peers. Women reported less growth in mathematical and quantitative skills, a liability that may severely limit their future career options. The study concludes with specific policy recommendations aimed at providing a more facilitating academic environment for women and men.