Supporting the STEM Pipeline: Linking Applied STEM Course-Taking in High School to Declaring a STEM Major in College

2016 ◽  
Vol 11 (2) ◽  
pp. 177-202 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael A. Gottfried ◽  
Robert Bozick
Keyword(s):  
High School ◽  
College Major ◽  
Major Choice ◽  
Longitudinal Survey ◽  
College Major Choice ◽  
Science Technology ◽  
Stem Pipeline ◽  
Stem Major ◽  
And Mathematics ◽  
Scientific Fields

Recently, through the support from the Obama administration, the traditional STEM curricula (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) in high schools are being updated with integrated, applied STEM courses (e.g., technology and engineering) in order to enhance the “real world” applicability of scientific fields and ultimately to strengthen the link between what students learn in high school and college major choice. Using longitudinal survey and transcript data, this study examines whether taking these applied STEM courses in high school can predict higher odds of declaring a STEM major in college. The findings reveal that taking applied STEM courses in high school is associated with a higher probability of declaring a STEM college major for four-year students. Moreover, applied STEM course-taking is highly predictive of declaring an applied STEM major. Implications are discussed.

Understanding Determinants for STEM Major Choice Among Students Beginning Community College

2020 ◽  
Vol 48 (3) ◽  
pp. 227-251
Author(s):  
Colleen A. Evans ◽  
Rong Chen ◽  
Ryan P. Hudes
Keyword(s):  
College Students ◽  
High School ◽  
Community College ◽  
Community Colleges ◽  
Community College Students ◽  
College Major ◽  
Major Choice ◽  
Science Laboratory ◽  
Advanced Mathematics ◽  
Stem Major

Objective: This study explored how high school and postsecondary academic parameters may relate to the choice of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) major for students beginning their postsecondary education at community colleges. Our study incorporated these two clusters of factors into a statistical model to examine STEM major choice in community colleges. In particular, our study was one of the first to examine the direction and magnitude of the relationship between earned college credits in science laboratories and advanced mathematics and STEM college major selection. Method: We analyzed national data from the Education Longitudinal Study (2002) for students who were in 10th grade in 2002, entered community college as their first postsecondary institution, and declared a college major by 2006. A comprehensive integrated model was analyzed through binary logistic regression with the outcome variable of choice of STEM major or not. Results: We found math self-efficacy in high school, postsecondary introductory science laboratory courses, and postsecondary advanced mathematics courses were each positively associated with the choice of STEM major among community college students. Gender continues to be influential, with women less likely to pursue STEM than men. Contributions: Our study highlights the opportunities the science laboratory holds for engaging beginning community college students interested in STEM fields. The linchpin role of mathematics and science for students aspiring to study STEM is underscored by the findings of this study.

scholarly journals College Major Choice and Neighborhood Effects in a Historically Segregated Society: Evidence from South Africa

2019 ◽  
Vol 14 (3) ◽  
pp. 472-491
Author(s):  
Biniam E. Bedasso
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
High School ◽  
Neighborhood Effects ◽  
Role Models ◽  
College Major ◽  
Major Choice ◽  
Geographical Information ◽  
College Major Choice ◽  
Spatial Inequalities ◽  
Expected Earnings

This paper explores factors affecting the choice of investment in specific human capital in the presence of significant inter-group and spatial inequalities. I use four years of admissions application data at an elite university in South Africa in conjunction with quarterly labor force data to trace the link between aptitude-adjusted expected earnings, neighborhood effects, and the choice of college major. The paper relies on the availability of a rich set of academic and geographical information in the admissions database to make causal inference. The results show that expected earnings have a positive impact on major choice independently of high school background when the ex ante distribution of earnings captures the full range of between-major and within-major income differentials. White applicants are more responsive to differentials in expected earnings than black applicants. Neighborhood effects influence college major choice through near-peer role models and relative achievement at the high school level.

Student and high-school characteristics related to completing a science, technology, engineering or mathematics (STEM) major in college

2012 ◽  
Vol 30 (1) ◽  
pp. 17-28 ◽  
Author(s):  
Brandon LeBeau ◽  
Michael Harwell ◽  
Debra Monson ◽  
Danielle Dupuis ◽  
Amanuel Medhanie ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
High School ◽  
School Characteristics ◽  
Science Technology ◽  
Stem Major

Best Practices for Growing the STEM Pipeline for Women

2020 ◽  
pp. 182-201
Author(s):  
Julie C. Murphy
Keyword(s):  
High School ◽  
College Women ◽  
Education System ◽  
Minority Women ◽  
Stem Fields ◽  
System A ◽  
Stem Pipeline ◽  
Collegiate Experience ◽  
And Mathematics

In today's fast paced education system, a huge emphasis has been placed on increasing the number of women who want to enter college studying science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). Many holistic interventions, particularly in engineering happening during the high school years, are already seeing results with college women investigating roles in engineering at a higher rate than in the past. However, the initial success they are experiencing in traditionally male-dominated STEM fields is not manifesting itself long term. It is clear that more strategies are needed to place women in the position to be more confident entering the workforce in all STEM fields especially engineering. This chapter will look at the innovative ways mentoring is being used during the course of a student's collegiate experience to keep women invested in the STEM fields and how more needs to be done in this area particularly for our minority women in order to grow the STEM pipeline permanently.

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