From Screens to Schooling: Associations Between Adolescent Technology Use and Gendered College Enrollment

Young women now surpass young men in college enrollment. While research suggests that this gender gap emerges during adolescence, less is known about the role of adolescent technology use in shaping which youth go on to pursue higher education. This study draws on two youth-focused supplements to the Panel Study of Income Dynamics to follow a cohort of adolescents into young adulthood, examining whether patterns of technology use in 2007 predict college enrollment in 2017. Using latent class analysis, I identify three distinct profiles of adolescent technology use: Connected Communicators, Web Browsers, and Digitally Disconnected. Results from multivariate analyses reveal that the relationship between adolescent technology use and college enrollment varies significantly by gender. Among boys, Connected Communicators were more likely to enroll in college than their peers in other classes. Among girls, however, Connected Communicators were less likely to enroll in college than other girls and boys in the same class. These findings suggest that the educational benefits of digital engagement may be more pronounced for boys than for girls. In the context of ongoing concerns about gender disparities in higher education, this study offers new insight into how adolescent technology use may contribute to gendered pathways to college.