– Ability is shown to have a consistent impact on STEM performance.
– Self-efficacy has large estimated impacts, and there is evidence of strong bias against women.
– High school math preparation and attending small colleges increase the likelihood of noninterested
students switching to STEM fields.
– Overall, there is little evidence that collegiate educational experiences affect persistence or attainment. The results indicate that policies to improve high school math preparation and address the gender gap would be most effective.
– Those who graduated STEM tended to work fewer hours per week and have parents who were more educated and were expected to contribute more money to their education.
– Results show a statistically significant negative relationship between females and STEM degree attainment and a statistically significant positive relationship between Asians and STEM attainment.
– Out of all the educational experience variables, study groups was the only one that had a statistically significant impact on persistence in the STEM major. These estimates point to ability and self-efficacy, not educational experience, as the most influential factors in persistence in STEM majors.