Education shapes most life course outcomes, from labor force participation, to family formation and health, yet we know surprisingly little about the mechanisms that contribute to this. Adolescence and the transition into early adulthood is typically the time when educational experiences become increasingly stratified and when the outcomes of those experiences set the stage for adulthood, including midlife and beyond. The Education and Transition through Adulthood Group (ETAG) group studies pathways through education and how they interact with family life and work. A particular focus includes STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) preparation and careers. Of primary interest is the diversity in experiences, and disparities according to gender, race and ethnicity, social class, as well as disability, immigration or language minority status. Based at the Population Research Center at The University of Texas at Austin, this research is supported by grants from various sources. An interdisciplinary, policy-oriented approach is enabled by the diverse academic backgrounds and non-academic, real-world experience of the university faculty members, post-doctoral fellows and graduate students comprising the research group.