ERIC Number: EJ1435252
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2024-Aug
Pages: 23
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-1521-0251
EISSN: EISSN-1541-4167
"My Blood Is Boiling When I Think about Advising": The Role of Academic Advising in STEM Student Retention
Veronika Rozhenkova; Brian K. Sato; Natascha Trellinger Buswell
Journal of College Student Retention: Research, Theory & Practice, v26 n2 p378-400 2024
Student attrition from STEM disciplines is one of the most pressing issues in higher education. To better understand the causes of this attrition, this study examines STEM students' college experiences and uncovers their perspectives on the existing support systems with a specific focus on the role of academic advising. Our research reveals that students from a particular STEM major identified academic advising as problematic, serving as one of the main factors pushing them out of the major, while the STEM major they transferred to did not have this issue. We examined whether this difference was also evident in the perspectives of the student affairs offices by interviewing academic counselors. This research emphasizes the responsibility of academic counselors in students' decisions to leave STEM majors and the importance of care in their work. The findings suggest a need for STEM departments to re-assess academic advising philosophies and practices while creating more supportive learning environments.
Descriptors: STEM Education, Student Attrition, Academic Persistence, Academic Advising, College Students, Majors (Students), Student Personnel Workers, Counselor Attitudes, Caring, Student Experience
SAGE Publications. 2455 Teller Road, Thousand Oaks, CA 91320. Tel: 800-818-7243; Tel: 805-499-9774; Fax: 800-583-2665; e-mail: journals@sagepub.com; Web site: https://bibliotheek.ehb.be:2993
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: Higher Education; Postsecondary Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A