In the wake of a couple of NYT stories on the higher-ed gender gap–i.e., women outperforming men in college–comes this interesting observation from a Georgia State University teacher in a letter to the editor (scroll down):

During the last three years, I have taught hundreds of students in introductory college history classes, and I can confirm that my female students usually perform better and work harder.
But there has been a notable exception: male military veterans. Returning soldiers have been among my best students: responsible, respectful, diligent and engaged. They bring their worldliness to the classroom, enriching the educational experience for the other students.
I’m not advising universal military service, though it appears to work wonders for some young men. But maybe young men shouldn’t be rushed into going off to college at 18, just as most young women are no longer advised to marry young.