Previous research suggests that racial and ethnic disparities in postsecondary STEM outcomes are rooted much earlier in the educational pipeline. One possible remedy to these disparities is participation in early STEM enrichment programs. We examine the impact of MESA, which is an early program that targets socioeconomically disadvantaged…

Data about alumni, students, and staff--organized around concepts of job entry, decisions, and changes in goals, jobs, and majors--revealed the importance of satisfaction on the first job, a changing relationship between jobs and majors, the impact of the liberal arts' study on educational aspirations, and the rationale for choice. (Editor/JT)