Um, how CMU:SCS has a gender ratio higher than average is because they accept more women. In 2000 the acceptance rate for women was 39%, for men it was 9% [1].
This is completely boring, MIT could make it so its CS class was 100% women if it wanted to, and because loads of very intelligent people apply to MIT I am sure that class of 100% women would do well. But, this is not a tactic that your average school who struggles to get qualified applicants at all can utilize.
I take it from your comment that you infer that it was 39% because they had lower standards for women. Therefore, they are affirmative action babies who shouldn't be there.
I think it is more likely that their outreach programs (through CS AP teacher training etc.) that encouraged the best and brightest women to apply were successful, so that the pool of women were significantly more qualified.
Also, I wonder what the more recent numbers look, as 2000 was a long time ago.
> I think it is more likely that their outreach programs (through CS AP teacher training etc.) that encouraged the best and brightest women to apply were successful, so that the pool of women were significantly more qualified.
That is entirely implausible. Those straws are miles away, dude.
That could perhaps explain a 20% difference, not a 330% difference.
This is completely boring, MIT could make it so its CS class was 100% women if it wanted to, and because loads of very intelligent people apply to MIT I am sure that class of 100% women would do well. But, this is not a tactic that your average school who struggles to get qualified applicants at all can utilize.
[1] https://www.cs.cmu.edu/~lblum/PAPERS/women_in_computer_scien...