Retention and persistence among STEM students: A comparison of direct admit and transfer students across engineering and science

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 firsttime 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.