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ERIC Number: ED561044
Record Type: Non-Journal
Publication Date: 2011
Pages: 40
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: N/A
EISSN: N/A
Available Date: N/A
Advanced Placement® Exam Participation: Is AP® Exam Participation and Performance Related to Choice of College Major? Research Report No. 2011-6
Mattern, Krista D.; Shaw, Emily J.; Ewing, Maureen
College Board
Previous research has found a positive relationship between AP® participation and performance with various college outcomes. Building on this work, the current study investigated the relationship between AP participation and performance with choice of college major. Specifically, this study examined whether students who take an AP Exam in a certain content domain are more likely to major in that domain than students who did not take an AP Exam in that area, controlling for relevant student characteristics. Results reveal a positive relationship between AP participation and majoring in a related field in college. This was true across all content areas examined; however, the effect was stronger for some areas than others. For example, there was a strong link between taking an AP Exam in computer science and majoring in computer sciences in college. Alternatively, taking an AP Exam in humanities or social sciences was not as strong of an indicator of a student subsequently majoring in that respective area in college. Additionally, students' AP scores in that content domain were also related to their likelihood of majoring in that domain. Results showed that students who took no AP Exams were more likely to be undeclared.
College Board. 250 Vesey Street, New York, NY 10281. Tel: 212-713-8000; e-mail: research@collegeboard.org; Web site: http://research.collegeboard.org
Publication Type: Numerical/Quantitative Data; Reports - Research
Education Level: High Schools; Secondary Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: College Board
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A
Author Affiliations: N/A