Girls rule, boys drool.

A series of studies show that girls test higher and get better grades than boys do.

“I think girls tend to do better in school. They tend to be more mature, and it’s easier for them to focus. I also think they typically do a better job of doing what the teacher asks of them,” explains Rick Cardis, history teacher.

A four year study done by the Annual Statistical Report shows that girls at ETHS on average have a GPA that is .26 points higher than boys. Cardis, who teaches freshman history and AP US History, says that age also correlates to the academic achievement of boys and girls.

Cardis adds, “I think it’s even more profound at the freshman level where boys have a harder time focusing. They have a lot more energy and get distracted a lot easier than girls do and I think this is less so as students get older.”

Ryan Cunningham, junior and one of Cardis’ students, agrees, explaining that despite the fact that he does his homework and is a good student, he finds it very hard to focus in class. Cunningham, a male, explains, “I don’t know why gender is relevant to work in my classes, I’m pretty sure we get the same amount of work.”

However, sophomore Zoe Lydon disagrees. “I feel that my workload is fairly the same as boys. I also feel that the boys in my classes don’t stress out about grades and homework as much as girls do,” explains Lydon.

According to Atlantic Magazine, girls do better in school because of the way the school system is set up. Girls are more likely to set goals for themselves and plan ahead as well as focus on impressing themselves, their peers and their teachers.

Despite the stereotype that boys excel in math and science, girls get higher grades in all subjects. Regardless of these statistics, however, ETHS still has numerous support systems for their female students. WiSTEM is one of these programs.

“I think that programs like WiSTEM push girls to break the barrier between women and men,” explains Kyle David, sophomore.

Although the gender gap is closed within the school system, in the job market the gender gap is still alive and present. With a new wave of smart motivated girls, hopefully women will set out for more academic jobs.