Dynamics of the Gender Gap in High Math Achievement

Working Paper: NBER ID: w24910

Authors: Glenn Ellison; Ashley Swanson

Abstract: This paper examines the dynamics of the gender gap in high math achievement over the high school years using data from the American Mathematics Competition. A clear gender gap is already present by 9th grade and the gender gap widens over the high school years. High-achieving students must substantially improve their performance from year to year to maintain their within-cohort rank, but there is nonetheless a great deal of persistence in the rankings. Several gender-related differences in the dynamics contribute to the widening of the gender gap, including differences in dropout rates and in the mean and variance of year-to-year improvements among continuing students. A decomposition indicates that the most important difference is that fewer girls make large enough gains to move up substantially in the rankings. An analysis of students on the margin of qualifying for a prestigious second stage exam provides evidence of a discouragement effect: some react to falling just short by dropping out of participating in future years, and this reaction is more common among girls.

Keywords: gender gap; math achievement; high school; American Mathematics Competition

JEL Codes: I20; J16

Causal Claims

Cause	Effect
Gender gap in high math achievement (I24)	Boys outperform girls in high-achieving categories (I24)
Girls are less likely to make large gains necessary to move up in rankings (I24)	Widening gender gap (J16)
Girls exhibit higher dropout rates from AMC contests (I21)	Widening gender gap (J16)
Discouragement effect (H31)	Girls are more likely to drop out after falling short of qualifying for prestigious exams (I21)
Girls’ mean improvements from year to year are lower than boys’ (I24)	Systematic disadvantage for girls (I24)
Variance of improvements among girls is less than boys (I24)	Systematic disadvantage for girls (I24)