I am one of those first year college dropouts, but thankfully I earn a decent middle-class income regardless. I've never understood the value of temporarily cramming specific facts into your head or resounding a teachers opinion, so I decided not to. I suspect this will not sound PC, but generally speaking I think women are less likely to challenge the authority of their parents or teachers. Consequently they have fewer issues just doing what's expected in the classroom.  I mean if a college degree guaranteed high income and happiness I probably would have stuck with it, but of course that's not the case.