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Completing Algebra II in High School: Does it Increase College Access and Success?

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  • Jeongeun Kim
  • Jiyun Kim
  • Stephen L. DesJardins
  • Brian P. McCall

Abstract

Noting the benefits of mathematics in students' future educational attainment and labor market success, there is considerable interest in high school requirements in terms of course-taking in mathematics at the national, state, and school district level. Previous research indicates that taking advanced math courses in high school leads to positive college outcomes. However, these studies often fail to account for the self-selection of students into curricular pathways that may result in biased estimates of the effect of course-taking on subsequent educational outcomes. Applying an instrumental variable (IV) approach, we investigate how the level of math courses a student completes in high school differently affects their chances of attending and completing postsecondary education. Using longitudinal student unit record data from Florida, our results indicate that a statistical model that does not account for students' self-selection produces results different from a technique that corrects for this potential source of bias. Specifically, completing Algebra II significantly increases the probability of attending college, particularly two-year colleges, but has no significant effect on degree attainment.

Suggested Citation

  • Jeongeun Kim & Jiyun Kim & Stephen L. DesJardins & Brian P. McCall, 2015. "Completing Algebra II in High School: Does it Increase College Access and Success?," The Journal of Higher Education, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 86(4), pages 628-662, July.
    • Handle: RePEc:taf:uhejxx:v:86:y:2015:i:4:p:628-662
    DOI: 10.1080/00221546.2015.11777377
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    Cited by:

    1. Zhuang Hao & Benjamin W. Cowan, 2019. "The Effects of Graduation Requirements on Risky Health Behaviors of High School Students," American Journal of Health Economics, MIT Press, vol. 5(1), pages 97-125, Winter.
    2. Yu Chen & Xiaodan Hu, 2021. "The Nudge to Finish Up: A National Study of Community College Near-Completion Students," Research in Higher Education, Springer;Association for Institutional Research, vol. 62(5), pages 651-679, August.
    3. Nandan Kumar Jha & Elizabeth M. Stearns, 2018. "Race-Specific High School Course Intensity and Student’s Post-secondary Education Attainment," Research in Higher Education, Springer;Association for Institutional Research, vol. 59(6), pages 765-791, September.
    4. Dan Fitzpatrick, 2020. "Challenges Mitigating a Darwinian Application of Social Capital: How Specific Advising Activities by High School Counselors Shift Measures of College Readiness But Not College-Going," Research in Higher Education, Springer;Association for Institutional Research, vol. 61(5), pages 652-678, August.
    5. Kai Zhao & Toby J. Park-Gaghan & Christine G. Mokher & Shouping Hu, 2023. "Self-Placement in Math Courses at U.S. Community Colleges: Contributing Factors and Impacts on Student Success," SAGE Open, , vol. 13(2), pages 21582440231, May.

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