– Women who are enrolled in a class with higher ability peers are less likely to graduate with a STEM degree, while men’s persistence in STEM is unaffected by class composition.
– The author also showed that the decline for women is most pronounced for those in the bottom third of the ability distribution.
– However, both men and women receive higher grades in classes with higher ability peers.
– Overall, these results suggest that class composition as an important factor in determining STEM persistence for women and provide a novel explanation for part of the STEM gender gap in post-secondary education.
* Not Finished. Waiting for published article!