>Once barriers to female careers were lowered and their access to higher education was expanded, two key factors may have played a role in the female college advantage: relatively greater economic benefits of
college for females and relatively higher effort costs of college going and prepara-
tion for males. (girls exceeded boys in secondary school performance
and attainment)
https://scholar.harvard.edu/goldin/publications/homecoming-a...
>Once barriers to female careers were lowered and their access to higher education was expanded, two key factors may have played a role in the female college advantage: relatively greater economic benefits of college for females and relatively higher effort costs of college going and prepara- tion for males. (girls exceeded boys in secondary school performance and attainment)