Online Program

Return to main conference page
Thursday, October 18
Thu, Oct 18, 3:45 PM - 5:00 PM
Caprice 3-4
Speed Session 2

The Making of Scholars: Gender and Environmental Factors Leading to Success in Graduate School (304837)

*Caitlyn M Hale, Castleton University 

Keywords: gender, graduate school

Research by Coy-Ogan (2009) shows that family influence, peer influence, preparation for college, awareness of and access to financial aid, and relative functionalism help first-generation, low-income students succeed with the leap from high-school to college. This study examines whether those same factors help similar college students succeed in transitioning from undergraduate status to successful completion of graduate school, and what role gender plays in that successful transition. Using data from the National Center for Education Statistics, including the National Science Foundation Survey of Earned Doctorates (SED) as the basis of analysis this study also explores how the financial burden affects these students going on to graduate school, as well as whether gender strongly affects the success rate in graduate school overall.