University of Michigan Study Finds Gender Differences in Participation in Extracurricular Activities

Data from the Institute for Social Research at the University of Michigan finds vast gender differences in participation in extracurricular activities for high school seniors. For example:

• Slightly more than 11 percent of women were involved with the high school newspaper or yearbook. This is about double the rate for male high school seniors.

• About 46 percent of male high school seniors were members of an athletic team. Only 31.4 percent of female high school seniors were on an athletic team. The percentage of women participating in high school sports has dropped from 35 percent in 2004.

• Some 13.1 percent of women who were high school seniors were members of student council or other school government body. This is more than double the rate for male high schools seniors.

• More than 16 percent of female high school seniors were members of an academic club, compared to 11.6 percent of male high school seniors.

• Thirty percent of female seniors participated in music or the performing arts. For high school males, the participation rate was 17.8 percent.