A Deeper Look Into STEM ReadinessAlthough nearly half of high school graduates who take the ACT
® test express interest in pursuing a career in a science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) field, the percentage of first-year students in college who declare a STEM major is substantially lower. The pool of prospective STEM workers shrinks even further as the majority of STEM majors don’t end up earning a STEM degree.
A lack of academic preparation in science and mathematics has been offered as one explanation for the leaky STEM pipeline. What can educators do to find the leaks? How can we identify and nurture STEM-interested students?