This study explored the transition from secondary to postsecondary education among a national sample of students who had or had not studied music in high school. Using evidence from the High School Longitudinal Study of 2009, a nationally representative longitudinal study of 21,440 American high school students who were ninth graders in the 2009–2010 school year, music and nonmusic students were compared for college admission outcomes. Specifically, music and nonmusic students were compared in terms of participation in the college admission process, the selectivity of colleges applied to and attended, scholarship and grant receipt, and election of either an arts or STEM (science, technology, engineering, mathematics) major. Comparisons controlled for the well-documented preexisting differences among those students who do and do not elect high school music study. Results showed that music and nonmusic students dropped out of high school, applied to college, attended college, received college scholarships and grants, and majored in STEM fields at statistically similar rates. However, music students were considerably more likely to major in a visual or performing arts field than nonmusic students. These results suggest that school music study does not disadvantage students in the transition to college even when compared with peers who elected additional “academic” subjects in lieu of music.

这项研究探索了在高中学习过音乐或没有学过音乐的国家样本中，从中等教育向中等教育的过渡。利用2009年《高中纵向研究》的证据，对2009-2010学年的21,440名九年级美国高中生进行了全国代表性的纵向研究，比较了音乐和非音乐类学生的大学录取结果。具体来说，比较了音乐和非音乐类学生在大学录取过程中的参与程度，申请和参加的大学的选择，奖学金和助学金的接收以及文科或STEM（科学，技术，工程，数学）专业的选择。比较可以控制那些进行和不参加高中音乐学习的学生之间存在的有据可查的差异。结果表明，音乐和非音乐类学生从高中辍学，申请大学，上大学，获得大学奖学金和助学金，并以统计学上相似的速度主修STEM领域。但是，与非音乐类学生相比，音乐类学生在视觉或表演艺术专业的可能性要高得多。这些结果表明，即使与选择其他“学术”科目代替音乐的同龄人相比，学校音乐研究也不会不利于学生升入大学。并以统计学上相似的速度主修STEM领域。但是，与非音乐类学生相比，音乐类学生在视觉或表演艺术专业的可能性要高得多。这些结果表明，即使与选择其他“学术”科目代替音乐的同龄人相比，学校音乐研究也不会不利于学生升入大学。并以统计学上相似的速度主修STEM领域。但是，与非音乐类学生相比，音乐类学生在视觉或表演艺术专业的可能性要高得多。这些结果表明，即使与选择其他“学术”科目代替音乐的同龄人相比，学校音乐研究也不会不利于学生升入大学。