ERIC Number: ED586772
Record Type: Non-Journal
Publication Date: 2018
Pages: 41
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: EISSN-
EISSN: N/A
Available Date: N/A
The Puzzle of Missing Female Engineers: Academic Preparation, Ability Beliefs, and Preferences
Shi, Ying
Grantee Submission, Economics of Education Review v64 p129-143 2018
This paper uses administrative North Carolina data linked from high school to college and national surveys to characterize the largest contributor to the STEM gender gap: engineering. Disparities are the result of differential entry during high school or earlier rather than postsecondary exit. Differences in pre-college academic preparation account for 5 to 7% of the gap. Females' relative lack of academic self-confidence explains 8%, while other-regarding preferences and professional goals capture a further 14%. Empirical evidence using identifying variation in the gender composition of twins in North Carolina shows that opposite-sex pairs are more likely to pursue gender-stereotypical majors.
Descriptors: Females, Engineering, Professional Personnel, Gender Differences, STEM Education, College Preparation, Self Esteem, Preferences, Occupational Aspiration, Twins, Sex Stereotypes, High Schools, Academic Aspiration, High School Students, College Students, College Entrance Examinations, Grade Point Average
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: Secondary Education; High Schools; Higher Education; Postsecondary Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: Institute of Education Sciences (ED)
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Location: North Carolina
Identifiers - Assessments and Surveys: SAT (College Admission Test); ACT Assessment
IES Funded: Yes
Grant or Contract Numbers: R305B130017
Author Affiliations: N/A