Need Help Choosing Engineering Schools.

[Mastadon]

Engineering curriculum/culture reform (with an eye toward improving retention and diversity) started in the 1980’s

Here is an article in the Iowa State newspaper (circa 1999) indicating that they had not implemented any of the changes

The College of Engineering loses more students every year than any other program at Iowa State.

There are several reasons that lead to the loss of engineering students, but some faculty members and students put the blame on the difficulty of the major, while others hold the university responsible.

According to studies compiled by ISU’s Institutional Research Office, each year, from 1993-1997, 14.4 percent of the students in the College of Engineering switched to majors in other colleges at ISU.

The College of Agriculture averaged only a 7.5 percent loss for the same time period.

http://www.iowastatedaily.com/article_76850912-ead1-521b-8d49-7e8a16ce7eec.html

By 2012, the changes had become more mainstream. Here is an ASEE report with some schools that had recently made some of the changes and had seen a measurable improvement in retention

A Summary of
Reported Student
Retention Best Practices

• Focus on Student Learning Through Tutoring/Mentoring
• Student Programs and Financial Aid
• Student Academic Enrichment Programs
• Student Research/Work Experience
• Curriculum and Class Enhancements
• Institutional/Educational Research
• Change in Institutional/Departmental Policy

file:///C:/Users/Owner/Downloads/ASEE-Student-Retention-Project%20(1).pdf

Here is an ASEE Video produced as a part of the project and a link to the report
https://www.asee.org/retention-project

The question in my mind is how can a Dean of Engineering who was a past president of the ASEE blame her retention problem on selectivity issues?

The Dean is a woman and you have used the male pronoun when referring to the person you spoke with. Are you sure it was the Dean that made the comment about retention rate?