Exploring factors affecting success and persistence of underrepresented minorities in undergraduate science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) majors

This was a study to explore the persistence and success of underrepresented minorities in undergraduate science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) majors. Specifically, the effect of the precollege STEM curriculum on the preparation and persistence of undergraduate STEM students was examined. National statistics continue to illuminate the need for increasing the number of underrepresented minority students attaining STEM degrees, emphasizing that a large percentage of these students have enrolled in these majors. The persistence of traditional and nontraditional students was considered in the study. The following research questions were used to determine the types of data that was collected and analyzed: (a) How does the precollege STEM curriculum affect the persistence or non-persistence of underrepresented minorities in undergraduate STEM majors? (b) How can curriculum reform motivate underrepresented minority learners to persist to undergraduate STEM degrees? (c) What types of instructional methods aid in nontraditional STEM students persistence and degree attainment? A qualitative approach was identified as the appropriate methodology to address the research questions, and the data collecting tool, consisting of semi-structured interviews gave rich descriptions into the STEM students' preparation, persistence, and success. Findings from this research will help to improve understandings about underrepresented minorities' precollege STEM preparation and its effect on their postsecondary STEM success, thus adding to the growing body of knowledge about improving underrepresented minorities' persistence and degree attainment in STEM programs. The findings of this study suggest that the most important factor for underrepresented minority in undergraduate STEM programs to succeed and persist is their precollege STEM preparation.