Citation

Smith JB, Niemi N. Gend. Issues 2017; 34(2): 105-128.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2017, Springer)

DOI

10.1007/s12147-016-9164-7

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

Few studies have investigated the interactions of gender and social class as they relate to the decision made by adolescent students concerning college attendance, particularly in light of socio-cultural assumptions about men's and women's changing roles. We use evidence from the Education Longitudinal Study of 2002 (ELS:02) to investigate this complicated relationship, using parent data to establish family socio-economic status. Using participants' tenth grade answers to questions about their personal values, and their plans and reasons for attending college, we tested whether social class as well as 10th grade values toward family and work functioned differently for male and female students in their path to and enrollment in post-secondary education. Our findings reveal important gender differences in the relative importance of adolescent values in linking to post-secondary educational goals.

Language: en