Pre-College and In-College Experiences that Contribute to Women Selecting and Persisting through STEM and Arts Majors at an Undergraduate Institution

Women are underrepresented in STEM fields at the college level and beyond. Existing research identifies pre-college and in-college factors that influence women to choose college majors in STEM fields. At the same time, trends in education have promoted the incorporation of Arts and Design, an area where women are comparatively overrepresented, into the STEM paradigm. Survey data were collected from students at a private, Midwestern university to explore the various pre-college and in-college experiences that have influenced students' major choices in fields across the STEAM spectrum. These experiences were categorized by organized inquiry, individual inquiry, adult mentoring, peer mentoring, and common design process as we compared and contrasted students in STEM and Arts disciplines. The results suggest that further study of the relationship between STEM and Arts may allow researchers, policymakers, and educators to better understand and address the gender gap that exists in STEM.