Qu’est-ce qui fait courir les filles vers la classe préparatoire scientifique Biologie, Chimie, Physique et Sciences de la Terre (BCPST) ?

• Main Author: Christine Fontanini
• Format: Article
• Language: fra
• Published: Université de Provence 2011-06-01
• Series: Questions Vives
• Subjects: gender; orientation; university
• Online Access: http://journals.openedition.org/questionsvives/805
• ISSN: 1635-4079; 1775-433X

This paper examines why girls are more numerous (70%) in the scientific preparatory classes BCPST (Biology, Chemistry, Physics and Earth) whereas they are a minority in the other scientific preparatory classes (Pons, 2007). How have female and male built their occupational preferences and their school choices for this preparatory class “biology – vet science”? What are their motivations for this pathway which prepares for veterinarian and agricultural engineer? What are the most desired schools? What are their professional plans? Are they different between girls and boys? In order to answer these questions, a questionnaire survey was conducted in September 2008, on a sample of 163 pupils (113 girls and 50 boys) from 4 first year preparatory classes BCPST in 3 Toulousian high schools proposing this school pathway in the academy (regional education authority). The girls are widely majority in preparatory classes BCPST because their career pathways appear more attractive for the girls, particularly the veterinarian schools.