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Abstract Title: Who Goes where: patterns in academic field switching of successful college graduates
Abstract: We examine patterns of students switching into and out of colleges, STEM/non-STEM fields, and majors within fields, examining the impact of both discipline and demographics. Our data include over fifteen years of student records, with over 22,000 students graduating with an identifiable degree.  Restricting the analysis to graduates removes issues of readiness and retention, instead focusing on issues of environment and pathways. We find statistical significance in switching rates of students in colleges of engineering, computer science and applied science and "paths" between colleges that students are more likely to follow as they switch majors.   Correlation between persistence within a program and student demographics is strongest in STEM colleges of engineering, computing and applied science and non-STEM colleges of health science and liberal arts.  Connections are seen between colleges of engineering and applied science and between biology (within the College of Science) and non-clinical health sciences.
Abstract Type: Contributed Poster Presentation
Session Time: Poster Session III
Poster Number: 3.A1
Contributed Paper Record: Contributed Paper Information
Contributed Paper Download: Download Contributed Paper

Author/Organizer Information

Primary Contact: Scott Franklin
Rochester Institute of Technology
Rochester, NY 14623
Co-Author(s)
and Co-Presenter(s)
Emily Wilson, Rochester Institute of Technology