STEM Graduates and Secondary School Curriculum: Does Early Exposure to Science Matter?

Abstract

This paper explores the effect of strengthening the science curriculum in secondary school on STEM university education. By exploiting the staggered implementation of a reform that encouraged secondary schools in England to offer more science courses to 14-year-olds, I find that taking five more hours per week of science classes increases considerably the probability of enrolling in and graduating with a STEM degree. These results mask substantial gender heterogeneity: more exposure to science only increases boys' likelihood of enrolling in a STEM degree. Treated girls, although induced to choose more challenging degrees, still opt for more female-dominated (mostly non-STEM) ones.