Ben Wildavsky, author of the The Great Brain Race, put in a lot of years at U.S. News, a magazine that has invested some good research into college gender gaps. Now, Wildavsky notes the international aspect of the gender gaps.
An explanation for women faring better in college:
one reason women have been outpacing men in earning degrees is their superior "noncognitive abilities" -- that is, as the authors spell out in their earlier paper, the ability to stay organized, prepare for exams, pay attention to their instructors, and so forth.