High School Course-Taking Decisions: Exploring the Role of College Affordability and Aspiration

• In Event: AERA Roundtable Session Sunday 8:00 am Four Seasons Ballroom 2-3
  In Roundtable Session: How to Support High School Students Pursuing Postsecondary Education (Table 9)

Abstract

The present study analyzed the course-taking patterns of high school students, shifting the focus from externally given features such as gender and ethnicity, as seen in previous studies, to internal characteristics such as educational aspiration and perception of college affordability. Utilizing data from the High School Longitudinal Study of 2009, a latent profile analysis was conducted, incorporating SES, educational aspiration, perception of college affordability, and course-taking in math and science. Three latent groups emerged from the analysis, each with diverse combinations of these variables. The results suggest a need for policy interventions aimed at improving students' perceptions of college affordability and efforts to bridge the gap between students' course-taking behaviors and their educational aspirations.

Authors

• Seungbae Kim, Florida State University

• Junwon Lee, Dong-A University