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Board # 65 : Retention and Persistence among STEM Students: A Comparison of Direct Admit and Transfer Students across Engineering and Science

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Conference

2017 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Location

Columbus, Ohio

Publication Date

June 24, 2017

Start Date

June 24, 2017

End Date

June 28, 2017

Conference Session

NSF Grantees Poster Session

Tagged Topic

NSF Grantees Poster Session

Page Count

11

DOI

10.18260/1-2--27899

Permanent URL

https://peer.asee.org/27899

Download Count

907

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Paper Authors

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Omaima Almatrafi George Mason University

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Aditya Johri George Mason University Orcid 16x16 orcid.org/0000-0001-9018-7574

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Aditya Johri is Associate Professor in the department of Information Sciences & Technology. Dr. Johri studies the use of information and communication technologies (ICT) for learning and knowledge sharing, with a focus on cognition in informal environments. He also examine the role of ICT in supporting distributed work among globally dispersed workers and in furthering social development in emerging economies. He received the U.S. National Science Foundation’s Early Career Award in 2009. He is co-editor of the Cambridge Handbook of Engineering Education Research (CHEER) published by Cambridge University Press, New York, NY. Dr. Johri earned his Ph.D. in Learning Sciences and Technology Design at Stanford University and a B.Eng. in Mechanical Engineering at Delhi College of Engineering.

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Huzefa Rangwala

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Jaime Lester George Mason University

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Abstract

Improving student retention in particular science, technology, engineering and mathematics majors has focused on identifying strategies, and practices that will encourage students to complete a degree in STEM major. In this paper, we present findings from a study of retention and migration among STEM students, comparing rates across both engineering and science students. We look at all students admitted between 2009-2014, both direct admits and transfer, at a large public university. Transfer students are often neglected in studies of retention and persistence especially in engineering. We found that engineering students are more persistent than science students with retention rates over 60% for engineering students compared to 40% in math. Persistence rates for first-time students are less than transfer students in the engineering enrollments. Also, as in previous studies, most migration out of discipline occurs in the first two years of enrollment. We also found that among enrolled students, a large number of engineering students (almost 20%) have not declared a major some until later in their studies.

Almatrafi, O., & Johri, A., & Rangwala, H., & Lester, J. (2017, June), Board # 65 : Retention and Persistence among STEM Students: A Comparison of Direct Admit and Transfer Students across Engineering and Science Paper presented at 2017 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition, Columbus, Ohio. 10.18260/1-2--27899

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