An Analysis of Hispanic and Caucasian STEM Retention at WTAMU; Exploring Two Year Retention Rates and Retention Factors

This study examines factors that influence retention of STEM majors to the third year, at West Texas A&M University. Specifically retention of Caucasian and Hispanic students in STEM majors that were incoming freshman between 2010-2012 is studied. Logistic regression is utilized to explore the effects of both qualitative and quantitative measures of academic, social, emotional, and financial factors. The odds ratios are presented and used to interpret each variable’s impact of each factor on retention. The results of the study provide evidence that parents’ education, hours worked per week, senior year grades, and the likelihood a student desire to transfer, influence the retention, to the third year, of all STEM majors specifically Caucasian and Hispanic STEM majors.