Subject Choice in Junior Studies: Why Do Gifted Students Choose STEM Subjects and How Does This Relate to Subject Choice in Regular Studies?

Junior study programs are measures of gifted education in Germany that were designed, among other purposes, to address the shortage of young talent in the fields of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). However, in recent years, the number of students choosing STEM subjects within these programs has declined. In the present study, we examined first which student characteristics predict the choice of a STEM subject in junior studies and second how this is related to choosing a STEM subject in later regular studies. We analyzed data from 288 junior students who had applied for and completed the junior study program at the University of Würzburg, Germany, between 2009 and 2019. The results showed that the choice of a STEM subject in junior studies was particularly influenced by parents’ STEM occupation, students’ gender, their quantitative abilities, math grades, and STEM and non-STEM extracurricular activities. Additionally, we found a strong association between subject choice (STEM vs. non-STEM) in junior studies and in later regular studies. This association was partially mediated by former junior students’ interests.