The role of academic ability in choice of major and persistence in STEM fields

Anne Marie Lucietto, Purdue University

Abstract

This study is intended to provide a greater understanding of academic ability and to determine whether it plays a role in the choice of college major. Further, it is also intended to evaluate persistence as it relates to the continuation and modification of choice of major among exceptional students and typical students. The population studied included students from nine public universities in the southeastern United States and spans the timeframe inclusive of 1996 through 2010. These universities are part of a dataset known as Multiple Institutions Database for Investigating Engineering Longitudinal Development (MIDFIELD) project. A quantitative research program was developed and instituted to answer research questions focused on academic ability and persistence. MIDFIELD data was examined for typical and exceptional students, contrasting demographic data, choice of major at matriculation, choice of major after completion of a FYE program, and the timing and choice of new major if changed. Exceptional students are defined and extracted from the typical student data as the top 3% of students using composite SAT scores. The composite scores were derived as a result of adding the mathematical and verbal scores. These datasets were tabulated, graphed and compared cross tabulation and clustering were also used to examine the data. Cluster analysis provides a better understanding of students' change of major and continuation in major areas by grouping data by SAT scores and analyzing the majors most represented in each of the clusters. The findings indicate that academic ability is not a predictor of persistence. However, exceptional students most often choose STEM majors and tend to stay in STEM fields if chosen at matriculation or following the completion of an FYE program. Therefore, students with higher SAT scores and high school GPAs are more likely to choose majors in STEM subject areas. When exceptional students are examined separately, the data indicates that they are most likely to choose an engineering major. While typical students that graduated with a business degree frequently began their study in a FYE program.

Degree

Ph.D.

Advisors

Ohland, Purdue University.

Subject Area

Mathematics education|Science education|Higher education

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