Exploring the Relationship Between High School Math Course-Taking and College Access and Success

• In Event: Understanding Precollege Access Factors

Abstract

Despite the notions of benefits of mathematics in students’ future educational attainment and labor market success, it is unclear whether and how the course-taking in mathematics in high school affect access to and completion of postsecondary education. We investigated how varying levels of math courses a student took differently affect students’ chances of attending and completing postsecondary education. We find that taking advanced level of mathematic courses significantly raises students’ chances of attending four-year colleges and graduation with an Associate’s or Bachelor’s degree. Also, racial sub-group analyses reveal that taking advanced math curriculum is most beneficial for African American students in terms of four-year college attendance, while it is most beneficial for Whites in terms of earning a Bachelor’s degree.

Authors

• Stephen L. DesJardins, University of Michigan

• Brian McCall, University of Michigan

• Jiyun Kim, University of Michigan

• Jeongeun Kim, University of Michigan