Race-Specific High School Course Intensity and Student’s Post-secondary Education Attainment

Post-secondary educational attainment is an increasingly important prerequisite to many valued outcomes. This paper examines the association of racially-specific high school course of study with student’s postsecondary educational attainment using ELS 2002–2012 and a comprehensive measure of course intensity derived from students’ patterns of course-taking. Results support a partial presence of racially-specific association of high school course of study. We also find that only Asian-American and American Indian/Alaskan Native students in the middle course intensity and Asian-American students in high course intensity ranges are more likely to obtain at least a 4-year college degree than same-race students in the low course intensity group. However, the same pattern is not evident for White, African-American, multi-racial, and Hispanic students, indicating that they do not experience the same benefit from academically rigorous courses of study. Also, educational expectations do not mediate the relationships among race, course of study, and postsecondary educational trajectory differently for students of different racial groups, i.e., they do not play a larger role in mediating the relationship between course of study and postsecondary educational trajectory for White students.     

我国城乡大学生择校差异的实证研究

根据对我国大陆31个省市175所普通高校4.7万名2007级大学新生的调查发现：农村子女就读一般公办本科院校和公办高职高专院校的较多,而＂211＂高校和独立学院中城市子女占多数;与农村大学生相比,城市大学生对其所读大学达到＂满意＂的比例更高;择校时,城市大学生更看重＂父母、家人或其它亲属的影响或建议＂,而农村大学生更看重＂学费和生活费用因素＂。因子分析的结果表明：影响农村大学生择校的有＂高校自身的特征＂、＂外人的影响＂、＂地缘和学缘＂和＂高校招生宣传信息＂等4个主要因素,而影响城市大学生择校的3个主要因素分别是＂高校自身特征＂、＂地缘、学缘和特殊项目＂及＂外人的影响＂。     

Choosing differently? College application behavior and the persistence of educational advantage

We use administrative data from Ireland to study differences in college application behavior between students from disadvantaged versus advantaged high schools. Ireland provides an interesting laboratory for this analysis as applicants provide a preference-ordering of college programs (majors) and marginal applications are costless. Also, college admission depends almost completely on grades in the terminal high school examinations. Thus, we can compare the application choices of students who have equal chances of admission to college programs. Conditional on achievement and college opportunities, we find that students from advantaged high schools are more likely to apply to universities and to more selective college programs. They are also more likely to have preferences that cluster by program selectivity rather than by field of study. Our results suggest that, alongside differences in achievement, differences in college application behavior also cause persons from advantaged high schools to be more likely to enrol in selective colleges and enter more selective programs. Importantly, we find that enrolment gaps for equally qualified applicants are smaller than differences in application behavior; the relatively meritocratic centralized admissions system based on achievement undoes much of the effect of the differences in application behavior.     

AN INVESTIGATION OF CRITICAL MASS: The Role of Latino Representation in the Success of Urban Community College Students

The community college has historically functioned as a primary access point to postsecondary education for Latino students. This study, an investigation conducted through an analysis of the Transfer and Retention of Urban Community College Students (TRUCCS) project, focuses on Latino students enrolled in urban “minority-majority” community colleges, where Latino students have a high representation. The specific interest of this research is the role and effect of the level of representation of Latino community college students on their academic outcomes. The relationship between the level of representation of Latinos, and the levels of academic success are analyzed in concert with other variables, such as, the level of representation of Latino faculty on campus, student age, attitude, academic integration, English ability and aspiration. Findings indicate a relationship between academic success of Latino community college students and the proportion of Latino students and faculty on campus. The findings thus suggest that a critical mass of Latinos may be a positive influence encouraging “minority” students to higher academic performance.     

Does high school quality matter? Evidence from admissions data

This paper examines the effect of attending elite private high school on college placement using admissions data from the most selective high school in a large metropolitan area. To overcome omitted variable bias, we limit the sample to admitted applicants and control directly for the scores assigned by admissions based on in-depth analyses of the applicants and their families. In addition, we control for a wide set of covariates including student and family characteristics and entrance exam scores. Results indicate that attending selective private high school rather than other public and private high schools causes students to attend more selective universities. Effects are driven by gains for girls and students from lower-income neighborhoods.     

Learning ability, socioeconomic status, and student placement for undergraduate studies in Israel

Choice of institution and field of study for a bachelor’s degree in Israel was found essentially meritocratic although influenced by socioeconomic status (SES) as well. As expected, students of higher ability attend universities and those of lower apply to academic colleges. However, among students of higher ability, those of higher SES opt for prestigious professions, such as medicine and law, or natural or social sciences, while those of lower SES choose economics and management, computer science, paramedical professions, and engineering. For students of lower learning ability, the differentiating effect of SES is smaller. Those of higher SES prefer university to college, even if they have to study in a less prestigious field, such as education or the humanities. On the other hand, students of lower ability and lower SES apply to colleges for studies such as education, social sciences, computer science, economics and management, and engineering. Overall, students who master financial resources and higher cultural capital prefer more ‘theoretical’ fields in a more extended course of study, while students of lower SES assume more ‘practical’ studies, which will enable them a faster entry to paying positions on the job market.     

College Credit on the Table? Advanced Placement Course and Exam Taking

Millions of high school students who take an Advanced Placement (AP) course in one of over 30 subjects can earn college credit by performing well on the corresponding AP exam. Using data from four metro-Atlanta public school districts, we find that 15 percent of students’ AP courses do not result in an AP exam. We predict that up to 32 percent of the AP courses that do not result in an AP exam would result in a score of 3 or higher, which generally commands college credit at colleges and universities across the United States. Next, we examine disparities in AP exam-taking rates by demographics and course taking patterns. Most immediately policy relevant, we find evidence consistent with the positive impact of school district exam subsidies on AP exam-taking rates. In fact, students on free and reduced-price lunch (FRL) in the districts that provide a higher subsidy to FRL students than non-FRL students are more likely to take an AP exam than their non-FRL counterparts, after controlling for demographic and academic covariates.     

Articulation,transfer, and student choice in a binary post-secondary system

This paper investigates the intersection of system articulation, transfer, and the choices that secondary school students make when they apply to college and university. The investigation is based on the results of a study that was undertaken to determine factors that influence choices that secondary school students make between enrolling in community college or university, and in particular whether or not those choices are affected by the degree of “articulation” within a public system of post-secondary education. There are several studies that have emerged recently in the United States and Canada that examine factors that influence the choice of university and 4-year college. There are a few studies that examine the choice of community and 2-year college. None, however, either in Canada or in the United States, has sought to examine “college choice” comparatively among students who apply to baccalaureate (4-year colleges and universities) and sub-baccalaureate (community colleges) programs. This study examines college choice on the basis of two series of longitudinal surveys conducted in the province of Ontario since the late 1980s, and on a series of surveys and interviews of students, parents and guidance counselors in six secondary schools, each with a different student population, since 2004. The third study—called the “college choice” project—tracked secondary school students as they made decisions about attending college or university, and as they finally selected the institutions that they would attend. The study concludes that greater conventional articulation will not significantly affect rates of transfer, that for most students plans to transfer develop after they enter college and are not a major factor in their initial “choice,” that the rate of transfer is highly dependent on the corresponding arrays of programs at colleges and universities, and that articulation might better be thought of as a subset of other basic forms of inter-institutional cooperation. An earlier version of this paper was presented to the ASHE Annual Conference, Louisville, Kentucky, November, 2007.     

ECONOMIC LITERACY AND THE INTENTION TO ATTEND COLLEGE

In this paper, I empirically study the effect ofeconomic literacy at the high school level on students'intention to attend college. Using a multinomial logitmodel and the data from the National Assessment of Economic Education survey, I find that astudent's perception of the helpfulness of economics inthinking about getting more education positively affectsthe intention to attend college. Other factors found to be influential include ethnicbackground, academic ability, performance in highschool, parents' education, per capita personal incomein a student's county of residence, and tuition ofvocational/two-year colleges in the student's home state.     

The impact of a college counseling program on economically disadvantaged gifted students and their subsequent college adjustment

The impact of a college and career counseling program on economically disadvantaged gifted students and their subsequent college adjustment was assessed. Fifty‐five students from public high schools in a major urban school district in the midwest were compared to a group of economically advantaged students who participated in a special summer program for high school students at a private midwestern university. Results indicate that both before and after the program, the groups were similar with respect to the basis for their college choices, motivation to attend college, and career readiness. The economically disadvantaged students changed their plans to finance college as a result of the program and expected college to be significantly more lonely. A three‐year follow‐up revealed that economically disadvantaged gifted students were more likely to enroll at in‐state colleges, to experience college as significantly more boring, dull, and snobbish, and to have more difficulty adjusting socially and forming attachments to their universities.     

The undergraduate experience: Commonalities and differences among colleges

Item and scale responses of students in 42 colleges to the College Student Experiences Questionnaire were examined to determine the frequency with which students had engaged in a wide variety of college activities. Results suggested that students most commonly attended and carried out activities related to studying and classwork, but typically did not engage in a great many intellectual and extracurricular activities. Students in selective and general liberal arts colleges were more active and involved in their colleges' lives than students in doctoral universities or comprehensive colleges and universities. Community college students were just as active as other students in academic areas, but were far less involved in out-of-class activities.     

The full extent of student-college academic undermatch

This paper quantifies the extent of student-college “academic undermatch,” which occurs when a student's academic credentials permit them access to a college or university that is more selective than the postsecondary alternative they actually choose. Using a nationally representative dataset, we find that 41 percent of students undermatch in their postsecondary choice. We also find that academic undermatch affects students with a range of academic credentials, but is more common among those students from low socioeconomic status families, who live in rural areas, and whose parents have no college degree. Finally, we show that between the 1992 and 2004 high school senior cohorts, academic undermatch has decreased by nearly 20 percent. The decrease is partially due to students being more likely to apply to a matched college.     

Students choosing colleges: Understanding the matriculation decision at a highly selective private institution

This paper provides an econometric analysis of the matriculation decisions made by students accepted to Williams College, one of the nation's most highly selective colleges and universities. Using data for the Williams classes of 2008 through 2012 to estimate a yield model, we find that—conditional on the student applying to and being accepted by Williams—applicant quality as measured by standardized tests, high school GPA and the like, the net price a particular student faces (the sticker price minus institutional financial aid), the applicant's race and geographic origin, plus the student's artistic, athletic and academic interests, are strong predictors of whether or not the student will matriculate.     

Parental influences on the high school students' academic achievement: A comparison of Asian immigrants,Asian Americans,and White Americans

This study investigates the differences in parental influence on academic achievement of Asian immigrants, Asian Americans, and White Americans. The sample consisted of a nationally representative sample of 10th grade students obtained from the National Educational Longitudinal Study of 88, first follow-up, sponsored by the National Center for Educational Statistics. Results indicate that both Asian immigrants and Asian Americans spent significantly more time on homework and perceived higher parental educational expectation than did White American students. White American students, on the other hand, reported more parental involvement in school activities. A negative relationship between parental involvement and academic achievement was found for the Asian immigrant and Asian American students. Implications of the findings on academic achievement are discussed based on cultural perspectives. © 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

The Effect of High School Socioeconomic Status on the Predictive Validity of SAT Scores and High School Grade‐Point Average

Research has often found that, when high school grades and SAT scores are used to predict first‐year college grade‐point average (FGPA) via regression analysis, African‐American and Latino students, are, on average, predicted to earn higher FGPAs than they actually do. Under various plausible models, this phenomenon can be explained in terms of the unreliability of predictor variables. Attributing overprediction to measurement error, however, is not fully satisfactory: Might the measurement errors in the predictor variables be systematic in part, and could they be reduced? The research hypothesis in the current study was that the overprediction of Latino and African‐American performance occurs, at least in part, because these students are more likely than White students to attend high schools with fewer resources. The study provided some support for this hypothesis and showed that the prediction of college grades can be improved using information about high school socioeconomic status. An interesting peripheral finding was that grades provided by students’ high schools were stronger predictors of FGPA than were students’ self‐reported high school grades. Correlations between the two types of high school grades (computed for each of 18 colleges) ranged from .59 to .85.     

Increasing Diversity in Science and Health Professions: A 21-Year Longitudinal Study Documenting College and Career Success

Despite decades of precollege science education programs, African Americans, Latinos, and Native Americans remain critically underrepresented in science and health professions. This report describes college and career outcomes among graduates of the Stanford Medical Youth Science Program (SMYSP), a 5-week summer residential program for low-income high school students among whom 97% have been followed for up to 21 years. Approximately 24 students are selected annually, with participation limited to low-income students who have faced substantial personal hardships. Undergraduate and medical students provide key program leadership and training. The curriculum is based on science inquiry education and includes hospital internships, anatomy practicums, research projects, faculty lectures, college admissions/standardized test preparation, and long-term college and career guidance. A total of 476 high school students participated between 1988 and 2008, with 61% from underrepresented ethnic minority groups. Overall, 78% of African American, 81% of Latino, and 82% of Native American participants have earned a 4-year college degree (among those admitted to college, and excluding those currently attending college). In contrast, among 25–34-year old California adults, 16% of African Americans, 8% of Latinos, and 10% of Native Americans earn a 4-year college degree. Among SMYSP’s 4-year college graduates, 47% are attending or have completed medical or graduate school, and 43% are working as or training to become health professionals. SMYSP offers a model that expands inquiry-based science education beyond the classroom, and recognizes the role of universities as “high school interventionists” to help diversify health professions.     

College Match and Undermatch: Assessing Student Preferences,College Proximity,and Inequality in Post-College Outcomes

Recently, multiple studies have focused on the phenomenon of “undermatching”—when students attend a college for which they are overqualified, as measured by test scores and grades. The extant literature suggests that students who undermatch fail to maximize their potential. However, gaps remain in our knowledge about how student preferences—such as a desire to attend college close to home—influence differential rates of undermatching. Moreover, previous research has not directly tested whether and to what extent students who undermatch experience more negative post-college outcomes than otherwise similar students who attend “match” colleges. Using ELS:2002, we find that student preferences for low-cost, nearby colleges, particularly among low-income students, are associated with higher rates of undermatching even among students who are qualified to attend a “very selective” institution. However, this relationship is weakened when students live within 50 miles of a match college, demonstrating that proximity matters. Our results show that attending a selective postsecondary institution does influence post-college employment and earnings, with less positive results for students who undermatch as compared with peers who do not. Our findings demonstrate the importance of non-academic factors in shaping college decisions and post-college outcomes, particularly for low-income students.     

新疆少数民族大学生现状调查与发展对策研究

越来越多的新疆少数民族学生进入普通高校学习,成为高校的“特殊”群体,他们的风俗传统、生活习惯、学习方式等都与汉族学生有着较大的差别,导致高校对他们的教育存在一些不足。为探究起因,调查组以某学院为例,围绕近年来新疆少数民族学生学业、教育管理、受资助、心理状况等方面进行深入调研,通过问卷调查、部门走访、个别访谈、小组对话、个案研究等方式,全面了解新疆少数民族学生在校学习、生活、成长方面的现状及困惑,找到成因,并在此基础上探寻新疆少数民族学生教育管理和促进少数民族学生良好发展的对策。     

When Parents Want Children to Stay Home for College

Although previous studies show that a majority of parents want their children to go to college and graduate with a 4-year degree, the strategies used to accomplish this goal vary widely. While some parents feel it is important for their children to attend school while living at home (college-at-home parents), others do not (college-anywhere parents). This study investigates the influence of these parental strategy preferences on whether children apply to college during their senior year of high school, as well as whether they apply to multiple colleges. Net of measured ability, socioeconomic factors, and students’ own strategy preferences, students with college-at-home parents are significantly less likely to apply to college than students with college-anywhere parents; and among those who do apply to college, students with college-at-home parents are significantly less likely to apply to multiple colleges.     

The role of high school racial composition and opportunities to learn in students' STEM college participation

We analyze longitudinal data from students who spent their academic careers in North Carolina (NC) public secondary schools and attended NC public universities to investigate the importance of high school racial composition and opportunities to learn in secondary school for choosing a science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) major. We consider school racial composition and opportunities to learn as contexts that shape students' decisions regarding college majors. Results of cross‐classified hierarchical logistic models indicate that attending schools with predominantly White students is negatively associated with declaring a STEM major and with graduating with a STEM major irrespective of students' own race. The finding suggests that for students in North Carolina, attending racially isolated White high schools is related to a decrease in adolescents' participation in STEM during college.