Can Anxiety Explain Sex Differences in College Entrance Exam Scores?

Society knows well that males outperform females on mathematics portions of college entrance examinations. In 2003, for example, males scored an average of 537 points on the mathematics section of the Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT), whereas females scored an average of 503 points. Less well known is the fact that males also show a slight advantage on the verbal portion of the SAT. In 2003, males scored an average of 512 points, whereas females scored an average of 503 points. These gaps appear to be closing, but are still a significant source of concern for students, parents and educators alike.