High School Course-Taking Patterns and Factors That Impact Postsecondary Enrollment

• In Event: Quantitative Methods and College Access

Abstract

This study seeks to identify the science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) and non-STEM course-taking patterns of high school students and how these influence college and career readiness using the High School Longitudinal Study of 2009 (HSLS:09) and social cognitive career theory (SCCT). SCCT examines the connection between attributes in which individuals have control (e.g., goals, interests, actions) and in which they do not (e.g. sex, race, disability status, environment). This study investigates the relationship between student and school characteristics (e.g. sex, race, urbanicity), course-taking patterns, and post-secondary enrollment using latent class analysis (LCA) to identify course-taking patterns and mediation analysis to model the relationship between aforementioned factors.

Authors

• Katherine Wong Regelson, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

• Melissa Kisubika, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

• Julia Snider, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

• Anthony Sullers, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign