1. Why Go to College? Continued…

2. SocLexicon Ideal Type Ideal Type Group Solidarity Group Solidarity Labor Market Labor Market Selectivity Selectivity Tracking Tracking School Culture School Culture Contest Mobility/Sponsored Mobility Contest Mobility/Sponsored Mobility Equality of Opportunity/Equality of Outcome Equality of Opportunity/Equality of Outcome

3. Today Tracking Tracking 3 Studies 3 Studies Read Hallinan and Oakes before section tomorrow Read Hallinan and Oakes before section tomorrow First Memo due on Monday (in class) First Memo due on Monday (in class)

5. “Tracking” Tracking refers to grouping students by ability for instructional purposes: Tracking refers to grouping students by ability for instructional purposes: Eg., Advanced, Honors, Regular, Basic Eg., Advanced, Honors, Regular, Basic AP Courses AP Courses IB Curriculum IB Curriculum Some form of tracking is found in 80% of American schools Some form of tracking is found in 80% of American schools

6. The impact of tracking: Research shows that most students would learn more if there were no tracking Research shows that most students would learn more if there were no tracking Tracking increases cognitive inequality Tracking increases cognitive inequality Tracking amplifies early gains and losses Tracking amplifies early gains and losses Tracking is an academic disaster for all students except those at the very top Tracking is an academic disaster for all students except those at the very top The effects of tracking are particularly profound on young children The effects of tracking are particularly profound on young children

7. Tracking affects school culture because it tends to separate academically successful kids from less successful kids throughout the day Tracking affects school culture because it tends to separate academically successful kids from less successful kids throughout the day “School-within-a-school” “School-within-a-school”

8. Tracking is the mechanism by which some students are oriented toward school, while others’ interest drifts away Tracking is the mechanism by which some students are oriented toward school, while others’ interest drifts away

9. The effect of tracking on Friendship patterns No tracking tracking

10. Tracking influences friendship choices But do friendship choices affect course-taking? But do friendship choices affect course-taking? i.e., are these processes mutually reinforcing?)

11. The Role of Gender and Friendship in Advanced Course Taking Riegle-Crumb, Farkas, and Muller (2006) Does same-sex friends’ academic performance predict advanced course taking in the 11th and 12th grades for female and male students? Does same-sex friends’ academic performance predict advanced course taking in the 11th and 12th grades for female and male students? Is the effect of the academic performance of same-sex friends more important in predicting girls’ advanced course taking in the traditionally male- dominated areas of math and science than it is in the more traditionally female dominated field of English? Is the effect of the academic performance of same-sex friends more important in predicting girls’ advanced course taking in the traditionally male- dominated areas of math and science than it is in the more traditionally female dominated field of English? Is there an interaction between same-sex friends’ performance and the gender composition of the friendship group that is particular to promoting girls’ advanced course taking in science and math, such that the effects of friends’ performance are greater in the context of a predominantly female friendship group? Is there an interaction between same-sex friends’ performance and the gender composition of the friendship group that is particular to promoting girls’ advanced course taking in science and math, such that the effects of friends’ performance are greater in the context of a predominantly female friendship group?

12. Analysis of Add Health Data Nationally representative sample of Adolescents attending High School in the US (n ≈ 20,000) Nationally representative sample of Adolescents attending High School in the US (n ≈ 20,000) Respondents followed for ten years Respondents followed for ten years Extensive data on friendships Extensive data on friendships Linked to high school transcript data Linked to high school transcript data

14. Findings Physics Math English

15. Answer: Friendship patterns can influence course-taking Friendship patterns can influence course-taking Especially important for girls Especially important for girls Especially important for girls in math and science (traditionally girls have lower achievement in these subjects) Especially important for girls in math and science (traditionally girls have lower achievement in these subjects)