Impacts of knowledge in mathematics and science courses toward STEM enrollment in

college

The necessity to deep understanding in mathematics rests as the core influential element
fueling high school students’ interest and decision in STEM education during college. Despite
this highly accepted required eligibility, it is believed that just being familiar and frequently
contacted with math and science courses also help ensuring the entrance to STEM major (Wang,
2013). The growing or declining in student’s interest and persistence in pursuing STEM college
is in accordance to the achievement of high scoring at SAT in mathematics (Elliot et al, 1996;).
Providing advanced preparatory classes on STEM education during high school hold tremendous
impacts on ever encroaching students interest in entering or pursuing STEM pipeline in college
(Means et al., 2016; Wang, 2013). The recent study on the advanced placement classes (AP) for
mathematics courses showed that student who received such preparatory courses are inclined to
continue their degree on STEM field of study (Sahin et al, 2012). The immense knowledge in
mathematics and science courses before college ensure the pursuit in STEM major. In addition to
this, it also empowers the perseverance in degree completion (Elliot et al, 1996). Therefore, it
can be assumed that students who have appealed more to science courses and mathematics along
with having great math achievement or very good standardized test results and involvement in
preparatory classes during high school are likely to enroll for STEM major at college while those
who lacks in those aspects are not estimable to choosing STEM major or complete the degree.
In igniting the interest of students in STEM education, the pre-engagement and
attachment to mathematics and science courses can be very efficient. It should be adopted by
dating from the 10th graders until 12th graders to get students exposed as much as possible to
STEM (Wang, 2013). In addition to enhancing necessary knowledge on STEM subjects, STEM-
focused or Inclusive STEM high school was suggested to use for solving the lack of student
enrollment in STEM from different groups, such as women, low-income family or the minorities.
This program is believed to provide greater quality STEM classes and experiences to students.
(Means et al, 2016).

Conclusion: Mathematic and science courses during high school are very significant in
deciding for STEM education at college because students interest are flourished by the peripheral
on their knowledge and achievements.
 Abstracting :

1. The effects of high school course taking and SAT scores on College Major
Selection

+ Research Problem: There aren’t enough student enrolled in STEM education in the United
States. For this reason, the United States is worried that they would become less competitive in
the global economic. Furthermore, not only just that student don’t enroll in STEM education they
also don’t want to have career related to STEM.
+ Research Question:
1. Does relationship between SAT reading, SAT mathematics, SAT composite and SAT
total score significant to students’ preference of a STEM major?
2. What is the relationship between the number of AP mathematics, science, social studies,
and AP course taking and student’s STEM related major choice?
3. Is there any relationship between the number of computer courses taken by students and
their STEM major preference?
+ Data Collection:

Method: The research use quantitative method by conducted a survey to collect

graduation status, demographic information, major choices, SAT scores, and AP course
enrollment.
Sample: they are graduate students during 2010-2011 academic year from eight
campuses at south central Texas in a charter school.
Sampling Design: They are from a charter school in south central Texas because of 1.)
some of the campuses are STEM focused. 2.) it is a convenient location. 3.) there are many
different computer courses provided for 9-12 grade students.
Findings: the results shows that approximately overall of 90% from each ethnicity did
not enrolled in stem; whereas , for the remainder of theses graduate student , only approximately
an over half the number of each ethnicity did enroll in STEM.
2. STEM-focused High Schools as a Strategy for Enhancing Readiness for Postsecondary STEM
Programs

+ Research Problem: The United States needs more student in STEM education to keep up
the with global economy which require lot of skill workforces while they are lacking of those
people.
+ Research Question:
 1. to what extent do students attending inclusive STEM high schools experience more
advanced STEM courses, engaging STEM teaching, real-world STEM experiences , and
supports for succeeding in STEM courses and applying to college than do students attending
other high school?
2. to what extent do ISHS students’ STEM interests, activities, achievement, and
expectations to differ from those of demographically similar students attending high schools
without a STEM focus?
3. How are the features promoted for inclusive STEM high schools related to student
STEM outcomes?
+ Data Collection:
Method: the research use a quantitative approach by conducting a principle survey ,
grade 12 student survey, state academia outcome measures and survey administration from
ISHS and non-ISHS schools. (inclusive stem high school)
Sample: the sample are 12 ISHS and 16 non-ISHS schools from North Carolina.
Sampling Design: Identifying both types of school through having a list of schools from
the North Carolina New School Project. They received a list of 100 school and pin down to
just 26 schools that match to ISHS criteria. However, only 18 of these school accepted the
request to conduct the research. Last but not least, they find 18 comparison school to take the
survey during spring 2013, but only 12 ISHS submitted while 16 non-ISHS submitted.
Study design: The research use the quasi-experimental design.
Finding: It is shown that the group of ethinicity that is underrepresented or lack in STEM
education will take the ISHS school if they are given the chances. Moreover, there aren’t any
differences between ISHS and non-ISHS regarding their characteristic or living standard. Taking
ISHS , the results are reported that student can continues the major much moer efficient and
easier. The result of test scoring from ISHS are at least similar or better that non-ISHS.
3. Why Students choose STEM majors: Motivation, Highschool Learning, and
Postsecondary Context of Support
+ Research Problem: The number of student in STEM education are incomparable to
other majors while the demand for STEM graduate to fulfill the workforce required is
very significantly high as the employment rate for the field in science and engineering
keep increasing annually. Therefore, the United States need more graduate to engage in
STEM Education.
+ Research Question:
1. What are the relationship among high school exposure to math and science ,
achievement and motivational attributes as related to math , intent to pursue
STEM upon entry into postsecondary education, and entrance into Stem field
of study?
 2. Taking into account the relationships described in question 1, how are
students’ initial postsecondary education experiences, such as academic
interaction, receipt of financial aid, and remediation, related to STEM
entrance?
3. How do these relationships vary by race, gender, and SES?
+ Data Collection
Method: the research use quantitative method by conducting a survey using a
dichotomous variable. They also used secondary source from Education Longitudinal
Study of 2002 (ELS:2002). Moreover, after the survey, they conduct a follow up
interview with the sample.
Sample: the study focus on student from Spring 2014 high school graduates who
did enroll in an institution in 2006.
Result: It has shown that knowledge mathematic is very important toward
enrolling in STEM education. Student who has received efficient or a lot of mathematics
and science courses are inclined to pursue STEM field of Study. Moreover, the type of
people who want to complete a degree are likely to be very motivated and inspired to take
on challenges in the field of STEM.
4. The role of ethnicity in choosing and leaving science in highly selective
institute
+ research problem: There aren’t many student from the minority group(ethnicity) study
in STEM field, yet they are very talented. The choice and persistence on studying STEM
field are poorly made and done for some of the minority despite how good they are they
still drop out and not choosing STEM field. Moreover, it is believed that ability does not
come from talent alone. It comes from the interest of the student. Therefore, they
conducted a study on high ability of the minority student.
+ Data collection:
Method: The research conducted using quantitative method by collecting
secondary data such as high school transcripts, admission office data, and college
transcript.
Sample: the sample are highly selected by the institution and also self-selected by
applying. 22% of white student were selected and 35% of black student were selected.
Moreover, 23% of Asian student and 29% of Hispanics were also selected .
Result: It has shown that having preadmission creates skill or ability in STEM
field that mainly the reason for initial interest and for persistence in science.
+ Research question:
 1. Why are so many talented minority students, especially black, abandoning
their initial interests and dropping out from science when they attend highly
selective school?
2. What are the main different between the two major interest group?
3. Is there any ethnic effects during college?

Reference

References
Alpaslan Sahin, Niyazi Erdogan, Jim Morgan, Mary M. Capraro, Robert M. Capraro. (2012). The effects of
high school course taking and SAT scores on college major selection.

Babara Means, Haiwen Wang, Viki Young, Vanessa L. Peters, Sharon J. Lynch. (2015). STEM-focused high
schools as a strategy for enhancing readiness for postsecondary STEM programs.

Rogers Elliot, A. Christopher Strenta, Russell Adair, Michael Matier, Jannah Scott. (1996). The role of
ethnicity in choosing and leaving science in highly selective institution.

Wang, X. (2013). Why students choose STEM majors: motivation, high school learning and
postsecondary context ofsupport.