Yes they can have it with lower qualification. Although there are many examples in my mind but I can give you an example when i was a TA in US university in my last semster. I used to grade all the students male and female in an equal way as male students can have grievance if this is not so. As females were very less in an Bs Engineering class when i used to grade the exams or home works. Only they (females) used to see the grades of all the other students before picking up their exams. The natural tendency in their minds that they are discriminated. They a group of three + 1 US Navy officer complained to the professor about the grading. Professor called me and said okay what were their mistakes, i told him the mistakes which were severe, he agreed completely for the Officer and the girls.

But then he said nothing and just requested me to let him change their grades, i smiled. He changed them in front of me by explaining no reason. Then he told me that adanan i can only say that please open your mind?.

There was another student who was a male and US marine officer (11 years of service) he did not change any thing on his exam but he suggested some more mistakes. The faculty took care of female students much more.