Abstract:

Decisions with career implications such as whether and when to attend university or college are made during adolescence and early adulthood. While there may be a risk of inappropriate educational choice for those of younger age due to low career maturity, a substantial ‘price’ may also be paid for delayed entry. The literature has overlooked factors affecting age of entering academic education, and especially gender and SES, which were found to the major determinants in shaping different aspects of transition to adulthood. Accordingly, the main purpose of our study is to investigate gender and SES (socio-economic status) differences in age of entering academic education in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics).

This research was conducted through an online survey among a representative sample of 313 Israeli Jewish STEM students. We ran a GLM analysis for linear variables for the dependent continuous variable "age of entering academic education”. The average age of entering academic education was an age of 23.2 years. We found that high SES men enter STEM academic education earlier compared to low SES men, while among women these differences were non-significant. Moreover, among women both from low and high SES, timing of entering academic education was similar to those of high SES men. All of these three mentioned groups started their academic education significantly earlier than men from low SES.

A possible explanation of the timing similarity among high and low SES women may reside in traditional gender-role socialization processes. Being aware of multiple future maternity leaves, they have to start their career earlier to minimize their career “penalties” in terms of promotions and economic rewards.

In contrast, among young men SES matters. The male students from higher SES are more likely to enter academic education earlier. One of the possible explanations for young men from low SES entering STEM education later than their counterparts from high SES is that they need to base themselves economically before starting a demanding educational field. In addition, young people from low SES, who are more likely to grow up in a disadvantaged neighborhood with weaker schools and out-of-school activities, as “first generation academic students” may feel confused and disorientated without guidance and advice from the close environment. They thus need more time in order to collect relevant information, reach vocational maturity, make an appropriate educational choice and enter an academic institution. In the competitive labor market, with its pronounced preference for younger specialists, older graduates may end up being “punished” based on any “delayed” entry to a STEM path of education in terms of difficulty in accessing appropriate employment, career promotion, job satisfaction and economic rewards. As delayed graduation (as a result of the delayed entry) may be “punished” in a competitive youth-oriented STEM labor market, the timing of entering academic education should not be overlooked in social stratification models and theories.

Keywords:

STEM academic education, age of entering academic institution, gender and SES differences.