Table 1 Analysis of Survey Item #2
“How important were each of the following reasons for why you took AP Statistics in high school?”
Estimate Standard
95% Confidence Limits
Reason of Mean Error of Mean
for Mean Importance
Importance* Importance
Lower Upper
(a)(b)(c)(d)(e)
You were interested in statistics 3.06 0.05 2.96 3.17
You were interested in mathematics 3.27 † 0.06 3.16 3.38
You were thinking of studying mathematics or statistics in college 2.48 † 0.07 2.35 2.61
A teacher suggested you take AP Statistics 2.78 0.08 2.63 2.93
The course fit into your class schedule 2.95 0.06 2.82 3.08
Your high school offered a limited number of AP courses, and AP Statistics was one of them 2.45 † 0.07 2.31 2.60
AP Statistics would improve your chances for admission to college 3.09 0.08 2.94 3.24
Other reasons 3.37 † 0.16 3.05 3.70
Mean Importance of All Responses 2.89 0.04 2.81 2.98
* Responents were asked to rate the importance of each reason on a scale of one to five, with one being “not at all important” and five being “extremely
important.” No interim values were labeled.
† Significantly different from the mean importance of all responses for this item at a 95 percent confidence level.
Source: The College Board
Note: Estimates have been corrected for (1) sample selection probability and (2) unit nonresponse probability.
Rick Morgan and Behroz Maneckshana evalu- statistics courses than non-AP Statistics examin-
ated the number of same-discipline courses taken by ees. Mary Ellen Bock, former president of the
students who took at least one of 28 AP exams and American Statistical Association, wrote an article
found that for all but three (U.S. History, English titled “The Statistics Major,” in which she noted
Language and Composition, and English Literature her concern about the current lack of qualified
and Composition), AP examinees were more likely master’s and doctoral statisticians, but cited an
than non-AP examinees to take courses in the disci- encouraging trend reversal that she tied directly to
pline of the exam. While Morgan and Maneckshana participation in AP Statistics. She believes expo-
did not analyze the relationship of AP Statistics’ par- sure to statistics before matriculation to college or
ticipation and subsequent course taking, they did university leads to an awareness of and enthusi-
report a robust finding across 25 exams and 21 col- asm for the statistical sciences.
leges and universities.
Jerry Trusty, in a Journal of Counseling and
Purpose
Development article, analyzed the more general rela-
To explore the relationship between AP Statistics
tionship of high-school mathematics and science
exposure and educational outcomes, which is of
course work with choice of a math or science major
great interest to the College Board and the ASA, the
in college. Trusty estimated separate models for men
two organizations collaborated on a survey of past
and women, given previous findings of significant
AP Statistics examinees. Among the stated goals of
gender interaction effects. He found that even after
this survey was to evaluate the relationship of the
controlling for racial/ethnic group, socioeconomic
participation in AP Statistics to continuation of
status, eighth-grade mathematics and science exam
statistical study in a postsecondary setting. Of the
scores, and high-school educational attitudes and
19 questions asked in the survey, those that related
behaviors, course-taking patterns in high school do
to the rationale of taking both AP Statistics and
have a significant relationship with choice of a math
college-level statistics follow:
or science major.
• How important were each of the following
Just as the empirical evidence above indicates,
reasons for why you took AP Statistics in
anecdotal evidence also suggests that AP Statistics
high school? (See Table 1 for the list of
examinees may be more likely to take college-level
response options.)
MAY 2009 AMSTAT NEWS 7
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