ABSTRACT
Researchers and policymakers in the United States continue to be concerned about the achievement and participation of young women in mathematics. Although there has been considerable increase in the numbers of women receiving bachelor’s degrees in mathematics, the number continuing on for advanced degrees is still far short of parity. In mathematics-based fields such as engineering and computer science, in addition, the situation is even worse. In 1994, only 16% of engineering and 28% of computer science bachelor’s degrees were earned by women (Chronicle of Higher Education, 1996). Mathematics course taking at the high school level is still one variable found related to choice of college major and achievement. A study of the 1990 National Assessment of Educational Progress (Davenport, Davison, Kuang, Ding, Kim, & Kwak, 1998) found that the pattern of gender differences in mathematics course taking paralleled trends in higher education, with males taking more advanced courses and achieving more.
