Average scores this year rose to 533 for men and to 498 for women. However, the gap between men's and women's scores in math is narrowing. The 41-point advantage men had in the 1980s was reduced to 36 points in the 1990s. According to Caperton, the gender gap could be attributed to several factors. In addition, women test-takers are more ethnically diverse, and a higher proportion of them come from families where neither parent attended college.
Women also are less likely to take rigorous courses in high school, although that is changing.
Caperton attributes the upward trend in average math scores to the fact that more students are taking rigorous courses. The SAT math scores of students who take these courses are well above the national average. He urged schools to offer challenging curricula and urged students to take advantage of rigorous courses. 22 percent of women took calculus, increases of 4 and 6 percentage points since 1990. A record 88 percent of students reported at least three years of natural science in high school, up from 78 percent 10 years ago.