Question

Using Human Capital theory, Explain why the amount of Female college enrollment numbers caught up to males in 1979 and eventually surpassed males. And why male college enrollment numbers declined in 1983 ?

Answer 1

The Human Capital Theory states that a rise in education levels will result in individual benefits both material and non- material. Countries, regions, communities and groups where the education level is high always reflect better living conditions than places with low education.

According to statistics, women secure more than half of all the undergraduate degrees in college since the late 70's. The reason why female enrollment numbers were low during the early and mid 1900's is not because the corporations were not willing to take educated women but it was due to the social order that instigated women to bear children and take care of households. Statistics have shown that women with young children have earning potential that is much lesser than women, who are single and with no child.

With respect to college education, women were generally discouraged from taking certain courses which at that point was perceived to be suitable only for their male counterparts. That view, however, changed towards the end of the 60's and early 70's as it was realised that higher education meant better jobs and better living conditions. Even those who wanted to have a family realised that more income in the family ensured better education for their children, ability to provide good healthcare and greater savings. This encouraged more number of women to take up college education. Female population realised that the household division of labor restricted their financial independence and earning potential.

Women went on to get law, medical, engineering and business degrees. They started to fill the areas that were generally reserved for male candidates.

Reasons for increase in women enrolling in colleges:

• Need to support the family- Rising costs and standard of living drove women to earn degrees and get well paying jobs in order to conribute to their families.
• Increase in purchasing power-- Women who worked had higher purchasing power than the ones who were unemployed.
• Access to higher education-- Increase in the number of intake of women in all kinds of courses in almost all universities opened doors for better livelihood for females.
• A rise in the number of women owned business-- Women owned businesses increased and this naturally meant that more opportunities for women to work and it also served as an inspiration for women.

A statistical report revealed that there are now 1.35 women students for every male student in a university. Studies also revealed that women are generally more in tune with academics than men during their teenage and early adulthood. Change in lifestyles during early adulthood (i.e) the need to earn rightaway in order to satisfy their immediate trivial needs that were ego-driven rather than pursuing higher education which could secure their future is one of the main reasons for the drop in male college enrollment numbers.

Another reason is that young men who grew up in the absence of a father felt strongly to start contributing financially as soon as possible rather than add more expenses to the household.

Higher education meant high fees and more debt for those who came from moderate and poor backgrounds. And in a market that started to favour women as they had proven their excellence in academic fields, males started to question such a high investment in education.

These were some of the factors that contributed to a drop in male college enrollment numbers during the 1980's