---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If a female student wants to drop a…"
description: "\"If a female student wants to drop a physics course, no one questions her, but if a male student tries to drop it, he will get pushback and encouraged t..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ded/eileen-pollack-15253_feminism_if-a-female-student-wants-to-drop-a-phys_2929969.jpg"
---

#  If a female student wants to drop a physics course, no one…

![“If a female student wants to drop a physics course, no one questions her, but if a male student tries to drop it, he will get pushback and encouraged to stay in, since he will need it later in life.” quote by Eileen Pollack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ded/eileen-pollack-15253_feminism_if-a-female-student-wants-to-drop-a-phys_2929969.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ded/eileen-pollack-15253_feminism_if-a-female-student-wants-to-drop-a-phys_2929969.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ded/eileen-pollack-15253_feminism_if-a-female-student-wants-to-drop-a-phys_2929969.jpg)

> “If a female student wants to drop a physics course, no one questions her, but if a male student tries to drop it, he will get pushback and encouraged to stay in, since he will need it later in life.”

[Eileen Pollack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eileen-pollack/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Societal expectations pressure men to persist in STEM, while women face less scrutiny when opting out, revealing gender bias in academic encouragement.

**In simple terms:** Men are pressured to stay in physics; women face less pushback.

Key Takeaway

Recognize and challenge gendered expectations in education.

Themes

gender bias education STEM social expectations equity

Mood

frustrated reflective

Type

analytical critical

When to use this quote

- college advising
- career counseling
- student support groups
- policy making

Key Concepts

stereotype threat role conformity academic pressure

Questions to Reflect On

- How do these expectations affect long‑term career choices?
- What can institutions do to equalize support?

A Different Perspective

Men may experience stress to conform, and women may miss opportunities due to lack of encouragement.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Female Student](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/female-student-2854181/) [Feminism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/feminism/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Male Student](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/male-student-4313455/) [Physics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/physics/) [Pushback Encouraged](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pushback-encouraged-4313454/) [Questions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/questions/) [Stay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stay/) [Student Wants](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/student-wants-1882175/) [Will](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/will/)

## Related quotes

> [“I’m white and everything is made for me.” A black female student said, “I’m straight. I can hold hands with my boyfriend without fearing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bren-brown/i-m-white-and-everything-is-made-for-me-a-black-female-student-said-i/)

[Brené Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bren-brown/)

> [Those things for which the most money is demanded are never the things which the student most wants. Tuition, for instance, is an important…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/those-things-for-which-the-most-money-is-demanded-are-never-the/)

[Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/)

> [My son is trying to be a sports writer, and my daughter is a college student. She wants to be a comedy writer, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-schultz/my-son-is-trying-to-be-a-sports-writer-and-my-daughter-is-a-college/)

[Howard Schultz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-schultz/)

> [A female student of mine tutors almost every guy in school!...She is such a nice girl.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/a-female-student-of-mine-tutors-almost-every-guy-in-school-she-is/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [I was nearly as far behind in calculus as I was in physics. But I wasn't the only woman in the class, so I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eileen-pollack/i-was-nearly-as-far-behind-in-calculus-as-i-was-in-physics-but-i-wasn/)

[Eileen Pollack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eileen-pollack/)

> [I follow a simple formula when I compose. I ask myself, 'What would the audience want to hear?' and 'Why would they buy my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-r-rahman/i-follow-a-simple-formula-when-i-compose-i-ask-myself-what-would-the/)

[A. R. Rahman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-r-rahman/)

> [I think if you're too embroiled in the need to relate too closely to the character, then you start to judge the character for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cate-blanchett/i-think-if-you-re-too-embroiled-in-the-need-to-relate-too-closely-to/)

[Cate Blanchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cate-blanchett/)

> [I take my laptop with me on the road. When I come home, I log onto AOL, go to the Web site, and answer…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/butch-trucks/i-take-my-laptop-with-me-on-the-road-when-i-come-home-i-log-onto-aol/)

[Butch Trucks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/butch-trucks/)

> [All the questions, all the speculation, No. 2 driver and so on, it doesn't get to me. It doesn't matter.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/valtteri-bottas/all-the-questions-all-the-speculation-no-2-driver-and-so-on-it-doesn/)

[Valtteri Bottas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/valtteri-bottas/)

> [“Love first; ask questions later.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeremy-courtney/love-first-ask-questions-later/)

[Jeremy Courtney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeremy-courtney/)

> [I was allowed to believe things that weren't true and I would ask questions about them and talk about them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marjorie-taylor-greene/i-was-allowed-to-believe-things-that-weren-t-true-and-i-would-ask/)

[Marjorie Taylor Greene](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marjorie-taylor-greene/)

> [“The best questions are ones never asked.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-cory-molloy/the-best-questions-are-ones-never-asked/)

[Robert Cory Molloy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-cory-molloy/)

> [Curiosity is the essence of human existence. 'Who are we? Where are we? Where do we come from? Where are we going?'... I don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/curiosity-is-the-essence-of-human-existence-who-are-we-where-are-we/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [The book is not simply the object that one holds in one's hands, and it cannot remain within the little parallelpiped that contains it:…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-foucault/the-book-is-not-simply-the-object-that-one-holds-in-one-s-hands-and/)

[Michel Foucault](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-foucault/)

> [At minimum, we must recognize that there are legitimate, unanswered questions about whether the Obama Justice Department involved themselves in a political project targeting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-meadows/at-minimum-we-must-recognize-that-there-are-legitimate-unanswered/)

[Mark Meadows](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-meadows/)

## More by Eileen Pollack

> [I write and teach creative nonfiction. I was a reporter.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eileen-pollack/i-write-and-teach-creative-nonfiction-i-was-a-reporter/)

[Eileen Pollack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eileen-pollack/)

> [“If you're making love to a man of God, then God must endorse your lovemaking.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eileen-pollack/if-you-re-making-love-to-a-man-of-god-then-god-must-endorse-your/)

[Eileen Pollack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eileen-pollack/)

> [I was nearly as far behind in calculus as I was in physics. But I wasn't the only woman in the class, so I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eileen-pollack/i-was-nearly-as-far-behind-in-calculus-as-i-was-in-physics-but-i-wasn/)

[Eileen Pollack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eileen-pollack/)

> [Many of my friends are scientists.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eileen-pollack/many-of-my-friends-are-scientists/)

[Eileen Pollack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eileen-pollack/)

> [I miss my former teachers, John Hersey and James Alan McPherson. I would love to see either or both and ask what I could…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eileen-pollack/i-miss-my-former-teachers-john-hersey-and-james-alan-mcpherson-i/)

[Eileen Pollack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eileen-pollack/)

> [Figuring out why people who choose not to do something don't in fact do it is like attempting to interview the elves who live…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eileen-pollack/figuring-out-why-people-who-choose-not-to-do-something-don-t-in-fact/)

[Eileen Pollack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eileen-pollack/)

> [Judging the political climate in my state by walking around lefty Ann Arbor is like a polar bear judging global warming by staring at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eileen-pollack/judging-the-political-climate-in-my-state-by-walking-around-lefty-ann/)

[Eileen Pollack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eileen-pollack/)

> [When I was in 7th grade, we were all given an exam. It was science and math, and the boys who did well were…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eileen-pollack/when-i-was-in-7th-grade-we-were-all-given-an-exam-it-was-science-and/)

[Eileen Pollack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eileen-pollack/)

> [If you're a white male growing up in this society, you're constantly receiving encouragement to go on in science in the form of all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eileen-pollack/if-you-re-a-white-male-growing-up-in-this-society-you-re-constantly/)

[Eileen Pollack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eileen-pollack/)

> [I think women need to hear more encouragement in any field, because I see it - I teach creative writing. And even though it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eileen-pollack/i-think-women-need-to-hear-more-encouragement-in-any-field-because-i/)

[Eileen Pollack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eileen-pollack/)

> [My brother had been given a chemistry set for his bar mitzvah, but he wasn't interested in it. It was upstairs in the attic,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eileen-pollack/my-brother-had-been-given-a-chemistry-set-for-his-bar-mitzvah-but-he/)

[Eileen Pollack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eileen-pollack/)

> [Given that many girls are indoctrinated to believe that they should be feminine and modest about their abilities, as well as brought up to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eileen-pollack/given-that-many-girls-are-indoctrinated-to-believe-that-they-should/)

[Eileen Pollack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eileen-pollack/)

> [To make computer science more attractive to women, we might help young women change how they think about themselves and what's expected of them.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eileen-pollack/to-make-computer-science-more-attractive-to-women-we-might-help-young/)

[Eileen Pollack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eileen-pollack/)

> [If a person's self-worth derives from being the only woman in the field, how much affection can she feel toward another woman who might…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eileen-pollack/if-a-person-s-self-worth-derives-from-being-the-only-woman-in-the/)

[Eileen Pollack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eileen-pollack/)

> [We still raise girls to look to other people for assurance they are attractive and smart, while boys are raised to determine their own…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eileen-pollack/we-still-raise-girls-to-look-to-other-people-for-assurance-they-are/)

[Eileen Pollack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eileen-pollack/)

[Explore all 43 Eileen Pollack quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eileen-pollack/)

## More Feminism quotes

> [“But benevolent patriarchy is still patriarchy.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sue-monk-kidd/but-benevolent-patriarchy-is-still-patriarchy/)

[Sue Monk Kidd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sue-monk-kidd/)

> [It's easier to change a law than an age-old mentality. Deep down, many prejudices, many hostilities, many fears persist. But if we take a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dacia-maraini/it-s-easier-to-change-a-law-than-an-age-old-mentality-deep-down-many/)

[Dacia Maraini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dacia-maraini/)

> [“This story is not at all an uncommon one in tech circles, including gaming. The popular notion is that women who get ahead must…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bailey-poland/this-story-is-not-at-all-an-uncommon-one-in-tech-circles-including/)

[Bailey Poland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bailey-poland/)

> [Without meaning to sound anti-men, ghastly women are the closest you get to a male role.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathy-burke/without-meaning-to-sound-anti-men-ghastly-women-are-the-closest-you/)

[Kathy Burke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathy-burke/)

> [If the women in the factories stopped work for twenty minutes, the Allies would lose the war.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-joffre/if-the-women-in-the-factories-stopped-work-for-twenty-minutes-the/)

[Joseph Joffre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-joffre/)

> [“It took me years to learn to sit at my desk for more than two minutes at a time, to put up with the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erica-jong/it-took-me-years-to-learn-to-sit-at-my-desk-for-more-than-two-minutes/)

[Erica Jong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erica-jong/)

> [“If attempting to make the world a civilized one, makes you a bad woman in the eyes of the dumb patriarchal society, then, by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abhijit-naskar/if-attempting-to-make-the-world-a-civilized-one-makes-you-a-bad-woman/)

[Abhijit Naskar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abhijit-naskar/)

> [“there was something of the women molded into the great, stalwart frame of Hollingsworth; nor was he ashamed of it; as men often are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathaniel-hawthorne/there-was-something-of-the-women-molded-into-the-great-stalwart-frame/)

[Nathaniel Hawthorne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathaniel-hawthorne/)

> [Women rule the world. It's not really worth fighting because they know what they're doing. Ask Napoleon. Ask Adam. Ask Richard Burton or Richie…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-bon-jovi/women-rule-the-world-it-s-not-really-worth-fighting-because-they-know/)

[Jon Bon Jovi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-bon-jovi/)

> [“Bármilyen idiótának, aki azt kérdezi: „Feminista vagy? Akkor elégeted a melltartóidat, mi? HE? Melltartókat égetsz, te feminista?” – szép nyugodtan így kell válaszolni: „Ostoba.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/caitlin-moran/b-rmilyen-idi-t-nak-aki-azt-k-rdezi-feminista-vagy-akkor-el-geted-a/)

[Caitlin Moran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/caitlin-moran/)

> [People are capable of great, great change during the span of one lifetime. And women even more than men.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabrielle-zevin/people-are-capable-of-great-great-change-during-the-span-of-one/)

[Gabrielle Zevin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabrielle-zevin/)

> [Susan B. Anthony must be turning in her grave if she knew that millions of women who have the right to vote are not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madeleine-m-kunin/susan-b-anthony-must-be-turning-in-her-grave-if-she-knew-that/)

[Madeleine M. Kunin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madeleine-m-kunin/)

> [Success will come when the societal attitude changes and not a single woman in America asks herself the question 'What did I do?'.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-biden/success-will-come-when-the-societal-attitude-changes-and-not-a-single/)

[Joe Biden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-biden/)

> [Women know things that men will never know. We keep the best secrets. We tell the best stories.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-hoffman/women-know-things-that-men-will-never-know-we-keep-the-best-secrets/)

[Alice Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-hoffman/)

> [“Women will be at least 50 percent of the communications community workforce … from executive suite to interns. Why? The “integrated” agency will be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yoram-wind/women-will-be-at-least-50-percent-of-the-communications-community/)

[Yoram Wind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yoram-wind/)

[Browse all 15,705 Feminism quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/feminism/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "If a female student wants to drop a physics course, no one questions her, but if a male student tries to drop it, he will get pushback and encouraged to stay in, since he will need it later in life.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Eileen Pollack"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eileen-pollack/if-a-female-student-wants-to-drop-a-physics-course-no-one-questions/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Feminism"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eileen-pollack/if-a-female-student-wants-to-drop-a-physics-course-no-one-questions/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ded/eileen-pollack-15253_feminism_if-a-female-student-wants-to-drop-a-phys_2929969.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ded/eileen-pollack-15253_feminism_if-a-female-student-wants-to-drop-a-phys_2929969.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ded/eileen-pollack-15253_feminism_if-a-female-student-wants-to-drop-a-phys_2929969.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“If a female student wants to drop a physics course, no one questions her, but if a male student tries to…” — Eileen Pollack",
                "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
                "creator": {
                    "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
                }
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "BreadcrumbList",
            "itemListElement": [
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 1,
                    "name": "Home",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 2,
                    "name": "Quotes",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 3,
                    "name": "Eileen Pollack",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eileen-pollack/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "If a female student wants to...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eileen-pollack/if-a-female-student-wants-to-drop-a-physics-course-no-one-questions/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eileen-pollack/if-a-female-student-wants-to-drop-a-physics-course-no-one-questions/#breadcrumb"
        },
        {
            "@type": "WebSite",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "publisher": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "Organization",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "logo": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png",
                "width": 512,
                "height": 512
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
