Differential Participation in and Effects of Extracurricular Activities

• In Event: Roundtable Session 20
  In Roundtable Session: Race, Ethnicity, Class, and Gender in Schools

Abstract

The benefits of participating in extracurricular activities (ECAs) have been documented by a range of studies. Participation in ECAs is an increasingly important criteria by which colleges select students for admission. However, research has also shown that participation in and the effects of ECAs can vary by student characteristics. I expand on prior research examining the moderating effect of student characteristics on ECA participation and outcomes. Employing a nationally-representative dataset of high school students, I show how participation in ECAs varies by student characteristics and type of ECA. I then use preliminary results to frame an analysis plan and research questions that focuses on an important outcome, college admission, and its relationship to ECA and student characteristics.

Author

• Phoebe Ho, University of Pennsylvania