Top of the class!

It seems that women are excelling in the area of intellectual pursuits, considerably outperforming their male counterparts. It has been reported that women are gaining a higher proportion of places at top universities and are achieving higher grades in their degrees in comparison to men. Is this because we now have more opportunities, are more focused on what we want, more determined or are simply smarter?

The Higher Education Policy Institute’s report challenges the notion that men dominate the top subjects and institutions, revealing that women outnumber men in high-status subjects including law and medicine. And staying with the subject of medicine, it has also been reported this month that in 4 years time, half of all GPs will be women, who reportedly make up 40% of all doctors to date. And by 2017, women will be in the majority.

From doctors to showbiz, women have also dominated the media with their impressive performances on a number of top shows; Yasmina fighting her way to the top in The Apprentice; University Challenge’s brain box, Gail Trimble, who was said to be the cleverest contestant of all times; and now Nancy Dickmann, winner of Mastermind 2009. Nancy Dickmann, a children’s publisher, boasted the highest score of the series after breezing through her specialist questions on The Lewis and Clark Expedition, 1804-06.

So what are your views on women being top of the class? Let us know what your experiences are.