The Ironic Costs of Performing Well: Grades Differentially Predict Male and Female Dropout From Engineering

Abstract

Stereotype threat may not only affect academic performance and persistence but also the relationship between the two variables. An analysis of the trajectories of 2,397 individuals who began majors in engineering shows a gender gap in graduation rates for those with high and average GPAs. Survey data (N = 455) furthermore highlight that good grades, while reducing academic self-doubt, ironically accentuate female students' social discomfort, and that after dropout, women are more likely than men to show signs of disidentification. For a minority that is met with negative competence expectations, good intellectual performance is no guarantee for persistence.