Why women aren’t pursuing STEM majors
One reason young women may drop STEM majors is a feeling of not belonging in classrooms and labs. They might face bias or the pressure to disprove assumptions about who is naturally suited for science and math. These experiences can affect confidence and persistence, even if they perform as well as, or even better than, their peers.
Grades alone don’t explain who completes their bachelor's or master's degree in a STEM field. Research examining 10 years of data from a large public university shows that women who left STEM often had higher grades than the men who stayed. This suggests that retention is more than purely an academic matter.
Benefits of a STEM education at a women-centered college
To retain women in the sciences, technology, engineering, and math, recognition and support go a long way. Faculty, peers, mentorship programs, and institutional culture plays a powerful role in women’s success in STEM.
Women’s colleges offer this support more consistently, especially in STEM programs. Because women aren’t competing for attention in male-dominated groups, they are more likely to:
- Lead lab teams
- Present findings from research projects
- Participate in internships and fellowships.
- Hold STEM leadership roles early in college.
Study STEM at Simmons University, a women-centered college in Boston
Simmons University in Boston, Massachusetts, is a leader in supporting women (inclusive of students who identify as women or nonbinary) in STEM. We offer 20+ bachelor's degrees and tracks in areas including biochemistry, biology, neuroscience, computer science, data science and AI, and pre-engineering — as well accelerated and advanced degrees to fast-track your career success.
At Simmons, your journey to prepare for a career as a scientist, researcher, or inventor begins immediately. From year one, you’ll learn with expert faculty and mentors who know your name and welcome you into the discovery process.
- You’ll take STEM classes with no more than 16 students, giving you access to faculty mentors and chances to work with your peers.
- You’ll conduct research in faculty-student groups, with opportunities in biomedical ultrasound, microscopy, spectroscopy, and advanced tissue culture labs.
- You’ll belong to a community where women choose STEM majors more often than at many coed schools. This builds a strong network of peers and faculty. It also connects you with alumnae/i role models who can connect you with real-world experience.
The encouraging atmosphere helps you grow, and prepares you to join other women in STEM fields making a difference in science.
Learn more about STEM at Simmons
