– Author finds no statistically significant effects on academic outcomes for ESG enrollees generally, but women who participate in the program have higher GPAs and complete more credits of coursework.
– Minority students are more likely to major in math, computer science, or electrical engineering after participating in the ESG program.
– Though quite noisy, the results are suggestive that women and minorities in STEM may benefit from learning communities.
– Author finds evidence that female instructors are particularly beneficial for female students at MIT. However, the magnitude of the estimates suggests that the gender-mix of ESG instructors cannot account for most of the academic effects the author observes for female students.
Current Selections
ClearCan learning communities boost success of women and minorities in STEM? Evidence from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Academic Achievement Trajectories of Adolescents from Mexican and East Asian Immigrant Families in the United States
What are the growth patterns of academic achievement of adolescent students from immigrant families?
Low-Income Engineering Students: Considering Financial Aid and Differential Tuition
1) What are the rates of participation in Engineering undergraduate programs at two public, research universities by socio-economic status? 2) What is the actual cost of pursuing a degree in Engineering at two public, research universities by socio-economic status? 3) How does financial aid (e.g., Pell Grants, state aid, institutional aid) fluctuate over time for low-income and other students in Engineering and non-Engineering fields? 4) What are the graduation rates for students in Engineering and non-Engineering majors, by socio-economic status?
The Role of Peers and Grades in Determining Major Persistence in the Sciences
This paper examines the determinants of entering and then persisting in physical and life science majors. Also, it investigates the impact of one’s peers on major persistence.
The effect of instructor race and gender on student persistence in STEM fields
To see if the race or gender of the instructor effects persistence of initial STEM majors in a STEM field after the first semester and first year.
School Choice in a Post-Desegregation World
Discusses evidence with respect to regulated and unregulated school choice.
African-American Students' College Transition Trajectory: An Examination of the Effect of High School Composition and Expectations on Degree Attainment
What is the relationship between highschool composition and students’ degree expectations and their effect on degree attainment for African-Americans?
Education, Social Cohesion, and Economic Growth
Examines the relation between social cohesion, education, and growth. This paper focuses on the role of state schooling in reducing transaction costs by shrinking the “social distance” between individuals in the economy.
Ethnicity, Neighborhoods, and Human Capital Externalities
Investigates the link between ethnic externality and ethnic neighborhoods