Demographic Impact on University Enrollment - Essay Example

Demographic impact on enrollment The diversity of demography has drawn scholarly interest thus raising controversy between scholars and policy makers. As the study of population and its dynamics, demographic profiling is the critical analysis of a part of the population in reference to gender, age, or class. Gender disparity has been a constant hurdle that many societies have managed to overcome. The society has also redefined their roles from the initial homecare givers to carrier women who have managed to gain considerable accreditation from all over the world (Scott, Crompton, & Lyonette, 2010, p 4). They have struck a balance between their home functions and their work related responsibilities. On the other hand, men and women have drawn various preferences alike as to the choice of the universities that they would like to attend. Therefore, this paper will take a broad look into the impact of demography on higher education enrollment, the university choice, and the preference by women regarding university courses. Additionally, it will highlight the influence of race in reference to the same concept and ideology majorly in Australia and the world at large (Hugo, 2010, p 4). According to a survey to ascertain the number of undergraduate applicants for university placement for the main intake of 2011 conducted in Australia, the female applicants were more likely to receive a place at universities as compared to their male counterparts. The 2011 Undergraduate Application Offers and Acceptances report was the name of the findings. As per the survey, the percentage of female applicants was above average, as it constituted 58.3% of the total number of applications. On the other hand, it was the other way round in the Tasmanian region as the percentage of male applications given offers was high than that of the female by 2.1% for it stood at 76.2%( Department Of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations, 2011, p 7). Interestingly, the acceptance rate was undoubtedly different from the offers available as the male gender accepted study opportunities at a 72.6% rate compared to the opposite gender, which stood at 70.5 % (Scott, Crompton, & Lyonette, 2010, p 21). Even with these shocking statistics, the women who showed interest in joining these institutions turned to be accomplished achievers. Most of them took up many of the top positions in their respective classes. Despite their number being few, the statistic was equally rewarding. In another survey done by Catherine Hill to ascertain why women tend to pick on the lighter science subjects, she established that the social and environmental factors facilitated the choice. For instance, girls tended to perform or take up engineering when challenged by those that influenced their lives. The idea that intelligence and knowledge only came through experienced learning and not on a silver platter meant that girls had an equal opportunity to explore their potential. In essence, the study also found out that girls were better performers a mathematically than boys unlike the negative stereotyping that existed. The negative stereotyping of girls had adverse effects on the psychological abilities of women and girls. Therefore, the learning environment offered by the primary and high school immensely influenced the outcome of the girl child. In addition, the self-assessment aspect on the girls as per this survey indicated that it had adverse influence in the choice of lighter sciences. Since time immemorial, girls tended to view their mathematical capabilities as inadequate hence making them incapable. Therefore, parents and teachers needed to encourage the girls that they could achieve as much as the boys can in engineering and other hard courses. In order to bridge the created gap, universities and other institutions of higher learning need to integrate female faculties. This would mean that the institutions would be to the specific need of the female students. Essentially, this will be more of gender mainstreaming to attract more female students. Moreover, the government can also involve tracking of students especially girls from an early age to ensure that their interests develop from an e4arly age. Tracking will be effective for the girls because their teachers will identify and nurture their interest from an age where molding is possible. In addition, the universities can incorporate mentorship programs in to their systems, as this would encourage many girls to achieve to the levels that their female mentors have attained or greater. Essentially, this will challenge the young women that it is possible and achievable to venture in the hard sciences. Despite the limitations, women taking science related subjects have increased tremendously though the men’s number is still higher. Men have continued to dominate this field, as the upper most professionals continue to be them. The increase has been mainly due to a theory impacted on the females that intelligence only comes through experience and continued applied efforts in to learning. This would mean that the way they perceive science and mathematics to be then that is how it would be for them (Reay, David & Ball, 2010, p 1). Therefore, they limit their thinking to the point of viewing these subjects as hard hence going for the perception that their chances of understanding them would be low. Consequentially, it inhibits their intellectual growth. According to this finding, it is what Hill, Corbett & St. Rose (2010, p 37) is all about t in relation to preference of course choice. For many years, diverse societies have embraced the notion that boys have studied more than girls have. On the contrary, the upcoming crop of women has become deaf to this lie and instead chosen to maximize on their untapped potential. To cancel this myth, emphasis has been on showing that the intellectual abilities within both genders are the same and only need tapping to yield results (White, 2001, p 67). Evidently, demography has adversely influenced the enrollment into Australian universities especially for the female gender. The university choice for females has also lifted many eyebrows. Subsequently, the number of female direct applications was higher than that of male applicants by a more than ten thousand margin according to the 2011 Australian research (White, 2001, p 70). However, their male counterparts chose to apply indirectly citing the risk of a high number of applicants to these universities hence creating unwanted competition. To them, this would lower their chance of acceptance and admission in to campus making them not able to further their studies. To the females, competition was slightly lower for those wishing to join the institutions of higher learning compared to that of the males through this process. Additionally, the women went into these universities on the platform of equal opportunity and leveled the playing field presented to them to compete with the men. As at 2010, the number of female students had drastically increased to a remarkable 55.6%. This figure denoted Australian natives only not including the foreigners who also study in their universities. Contrary to common belief, girls do perform better than boys do when it comes to research related courses (Germov & Poole, 2011, p 448). This is highly due to their ability to multi task and be keen on detail. The memory capacity of women is also intriguing as they are able to store much more information. The Australian government has set a 40 % target attainable by 2025 for its young women to attain education up to a degree level. Tremendously, the country has managed to measure up to its goals as many women are now going for degree studies (Scott, Crompton, & Lyonette, 2010, p 7). In conclusion, as White (2001, p 65) puts it in his journal, the women imbalance that existed in Australia in professorate two decades ago has markedly been contrasted by the rates of women in both undergraduate and postgraduate level. Arguably, Australia has sought to narrow the educational rift for the females to better the living standards of its population. First, it has implored the services of conclusive reports and surveys regarding the improvement of the same. Secondly, in this island nation, demographic has also had its fair share of impact on access to universities in relation to choice and preference. Recently, some of the factors inhibiting this are taking a back seat due to the female genders’ keen interest in attaining gender equality in the developing nations (Floros, 2008, p 43). People now say that what a man does, a woman does it better hence challenging them in all aspects of life. Women are now venturing into fields of study that in the past were male domineering fields. They have diversified from their house-based responsibilities into being carrier women in the scientific and engineering fields of study hence making them jacks of all traits. Finally, this challenge faces not only Australia is also evident in many African countries though what makes Australia stand out is the achievements they have gained compared to their African counterparts. Bibliography Department Of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations. 2011. Undergraduate Applications ,offers and Acceptances 2011. Floros, M. K. 2008. Of, By, and for the People? How Demographic Pressure Affects Participation in Inter- and Intra-state Conflicts. Pittsburgh: University of Pittsburgh. Germov, J. & Poole, M. 2011. Public Sociology: An introduction to Australian Society. Social transformations. Hill C., Corbett C., & ST. Rose, A. 2010. Why so few? Women in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (2010) AAUW. Hugo, G. 2010. Demographic Change and Liveability Panel report. A sustainable Population of Australia issue paper. Available online from: http://www.environment.gov.au/sustainability/population/publications/pubs/demographic-panel-report.pdf Luck, G.W., Racce, D. & Black, R. 2010. Demographic Change in Australias Rural Landscapes: Implications for Society and the Environment. London: Springer. Reay, D., David, M. E., & Ball, S. 2005. Degrees of choice: class, race, gender in higher education. Stoke-on-Trent, Trentham Books. 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