PERC 2018 Abstract Detail Page
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| Abstract Title: | Exploring undergraduates’ perceptions of barriers to graduate school |
|---|---|
| Abstract: | Previous work on admissions practices have argued that they are a gateway for the diversification of graduate physics. To further explore these concerns, this study focuses on students' own perspectives on the potential barriers they face in pursuing graduate school. Drawing from the Post-Graduation Career Intentions (PGCI) survey, developed as part of the APS Bridge Program and including responses from over 1000 physics majors, we regressed students' reported interest in graduate school on their perceptions of barriers towards graduate studies. Through an exploratory factor analysis, we characterized four categories of barriers related to worries about: "commitment" (e.g. length of a PhD, having to move to a new place, etc), "GRE scores", "money" (e.g. application fees, availability of scholarships/funds) and "difficulty" of graduate school, all of which statistically significantly impact interest in graduate school. We further analyzed responses to identify interactions between these four factors and demographic indicators. |
| Abstract Type: | Contributed Poster Presentation |
| Session Time: | Poster Session I |
| Poster Number: | A56 |
Author/Organizer Information | |
| Primary Contact: |
Camila Monsalve Florida International University 11200 SW 8th Street Miami, FL 33199 Phone: 7865635180 |
