Higher Education: Gaps in Access and Persistence Study

Numerous studies have documented persistent gaps between the educational attainment of White males and that of Black, Hispanic, American Indian/Alaska Native, and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander males. The NCES report Higher Education: Gaps in Access and Persistence Study presents 46 indicators of important developments and trends in the education of males and females within and across specific racial/ethnic groups. These indicators focus on student demographics, school characteristics, student behaviors and after school activities, academic preparation and achievement, students’ college knowledge, postsecondary education, and postsecondary outcomes and employment. In the chapters that follow, we use the most recent data available to explore the educational achievements and challenges of males and females, noting where the groups are similar and where they differ. The primary focus of the Higher Education: Gaps in Access and Persistence Study is to examine differences between males and females overall and within racial/ethnic groups. The racial/ethnic groups of interest include Blacks, Hispanics, Native Hawaiians/Pacific Islanders, and American Indians/Alaska Natives. The secondary focus of the report is to examine overall sex and racial/ethnic differences. In addition to the indicators, this report also includes descriptive multivariate analyses of variables that may influence male and female postsecondary attendance and attainment in different ways.