Disparities in Perceived Disciplinary Knowledge Among New Doctoral Students

Allyson Flaster, Kristen M. Glasener, John A. Gonzalez

Key Findings

Upon starting PhD programs, female and underrepresented racial minority (URM) students have lower levels of perceived (self-assessed) disciplinary knowledge than their male or non-URM peers. Academic credentials, such as undergraduate GPA and GRE scores, show little correlation with perceived disciplinary knowledge, except for an unexpected negative association with high verbal GRE scores. Anticipatory socialization experiences, such as prior research experience, professional practice, and faculty encouragement, also shape these perceptions.