The United States is experiencing a shortage of STEM workers, with many students leaving the pipeline before attaining a career in STEM. STEM education researchers have identified factors at the high school and college level that contribute to attrition, but earlier life events remain underexplored. In this work-in-progress paper, we examine…

The purpose of this article is to explore how one group of students reflect upon their transition into the higher education environment. This qualitative research project followed one group of female undergraduate students as they moved through the first year of study. All of the participants were the first in their family to consider further…

A study examined the differential impacts on college persistence of preentry attributes, initial goal and institutional commitments, academic and social integration, and subsequent goal and institutional commitments for younger (17-24 years) and older (25+ years) students. Significant age-related differences were found on some factors. (Author/MSE)