Why Science Majors Change Their Minds (It’s Just So Darn Hard)

[ucbalumnus]

<p>

@bluebayou

So its ok to weed “strong students” out of STEM at top schools but its ok if they attend a lower ranked school?</p>

<p>

Berkeley student is at least 13 percent less likely than the one at Cal State to finish a STEM degree.

</p>

<p>There are confounding effects here:</p>

<ol>
<li> It is harder to change majors at CSUs, even to H/SS majors.</li>
<li> STEM majors are not that popular to begin with at most CSUs (other than the Polys and a few others) – the students have probably self-weeded before entering.</li>
<li> CSU students may not be as deterred from majoring in something that they got a B or even a C grade in as Berkeley students who are used to (from high school) getting A grades in everything.</li>
</ol>