Girls’ expectations for higher education have risen significantly since the 1980s, while boys’ expectations have remained flat, finds a study posted online by the National Bureau of Economic Research.
The researchers say their findings, out this month, suggest one reason female students are outpacing males in college-going. In the 1980s, seniors of both genders had similar expectations for higher education, but by the 2000s, girls were 8 percentage points more likely to aspire to college. In that same time, girls’ GPAs rose, while boys’ GPAs have stagnated.
