In the past decade, undergraduate programs in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) have experienced lower enrollment rates and higher and quicker attrition rates.  In an effort to determine what factors may predict which students persist in the STEM majors, relative to students who move to other majors, we are conducting a longitudinal study following chemistry (STEM) and psychology (non-STEM) majors during their first year of college.  This interdisciplinary study is a preliminary investigation into why students choose to leave STEM majors.  Participants complete surveys at three time points and academic performance is recorded at five time points.  Following this pilot study, the research will be extended to other STEM programs in an effort to be more inclusive of all STEM majors across campus.   Additionally, data collected from the pilot study may help design interventions for identifying students who struggle in STEM majors, possibly leading to increased retention college-wide.

Do they bite off more than they can chew? Why do chemistry majors leave?

245th National Meeting (2013)

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