Gelbgiser, Dafna, & Alo, Sigal
Researchers: Dafna GelbgiserSigal Alo
University Affiliation: Cornell University; Tel-Aviv University
Email: dg432@cornell.edu
Research Question:
This study examines the relationship between chosen field of study and the race gap in college completion among students at elite colleges.
Published: Yes
Journal Name or Institutional Affiliation: Social Science Research
Journal Entry: 58(2016), 150-164
Year: 2016
Findings:
- Fields of study influence the graduation likelihoods of all students, above and beyond factors such as students’ academic and social backgrounds. This effect, however, is asymmetrical: relative to white students, the negative effect of the institutional arrangements of math-oriented fields on graduation likelihood is greater for black students.
- Black students, relative to whites, enroll in more math intensive fields.
- The authors find no evidence that the selection regime channeling students to math-oriented fields is different for Black students. For example, in both groups, students with stronger academic preparation are more likely to enroll in math-oriented fields.
- Enrolling in math-oriented fields, like STEM fields, is detrimental to the graduation likelihoods of all students, but especially to those of black students, net of personal attributes, academic preparation, propensity to enroll in these fields, and institutional characteristics. Consequently, the race gap in graduation rate in math-oriented fields is larger than in other fields, which contributes to the overall race gap in graduation likelihoods at these selective schools.
- In fields characterized by low math intensity, the race gap is not significant.
- The main conclusion from this analysis is that the size of the race gap varies by field math intensity, regardless of student characteristics.
- These results indicate that a nontrivial share of the race gap in college completion is generated after matriculation, by the environments that students encounter in college.