The effects of a high school curriculum reform on university enrollment and the choice of college major

• Published in: Education economics Vol. 26; no. 3/4; pp. 321 - 336
• Main Authors: Görlitz, Katja, Gravert, Christina
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Abingdon Routledge 01.01.2018; Taylor & Francis Ltd
• Subjects: attendance; choice of college major; College; College Bound Students; College Choice; College students; Colleges & universities; Comparative Analysis; Control Groups; Core curriculum; Curricula; Curriculum; Curriculum Development; earnings; Education & Educational Research; Educational Change; Educational Sciences; Enrollment; Enrollment Rate; Enrollments; Evaluation; Experimental Groups; Foreign Countries; Gender Differences; gender-gap; Graduation Requirements; heterogeneity; High School; High school curriculum; High School Graduates; High School Students; higher-education; Hochschulbildung; in-differences; labor-market outcomes; Majors (Students); Males; math; Mathematics; Probability; Reform; reform evaluation; Reforms; Regression (Statistics); Schulwahl; Science; Science and technology; Science Interests; Secondary School Curriculum; Secondary school students; Secondary schools; Statistical Analysis; STEM; STEM Education; student aid; Student Interests; Technology; university education; Universität; Utbildningsvetenskap; Germany
• ISSN: 1469-5782; 0964-5292; 1469-5782
• DOI: 10.1080/09645292.2018.1426731

This paper evaluates the effects of a high school curriculum reform on students' probability to enroll at university and to choose a Science, Technology, Engineering or Mathematics (STEM) major. The reform increased the difficulty of graduating from high school by increasing the instruction time in core subjects and by raising the graduation requirements. Based on administrative data covering all students, the analysis is carried out by applying a difference-in-differences model. The results show that the reform increased university enrollment rates for both genders. With regard to choosing STEM as college major, we find a robust positive effect on males.