When Expectation Isn’t Reality

Racial Disparities in Overestimation and STEM Attrition Among First-Year Students in College

Bibliographic Data

ID9012852
AuthorsElizabeth S Park (0000-0001-7158-5892, Education Studies, Westat, Rockville, Maryland, USA, corresponding author), Peter McPartlan (0000-0002-8777-8995, San Diego State University), Sabrina Solanki (Division of Teaching Excellence and Innovation, University of California, Irvine, California, USA), Di Xu (0000-0001-5464-9858, School of Education, University of California, Irvine, California, USA)
Year2022
Volume94
Issue4
Pages526-556
Publication date2022-11-30
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessNo
TypeARTICLE
VenueThe Journal of Higher Education (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0022-1546 • E-ISSN: 1538-4640
PublisherTaylor & Francis (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1080/00221546.2022.2146570
OpenAlexW4311015544
LanguageEN
Citations received2
References cited58

Existing research indicates that underrepresented-in-STEM racially minoritized students with similar academic preparation are less likely than their counterparts to persist in STEM, raising the question of factors that may contribute to racial disparities in STEM participation beyond academic preparation. We extend the current literature by first examining race-based differences in what students expect to receive and their actual grades in introductory STEM college courses, a phenomenon termed as overestimation. Then, we assess whether overestimation differentially influences STEM interest and persistence in college. Findings indicate that first-year STEM students tend to overestimate their performance in general, and the extent of overestimation is more pronounced among racially minoritized students. Subsequent analyses indicate that students who overestimate are more likely to switch out of STEM, net of academic preparation. Results from regression models suggest that race-based differences in overestimation can be explained by pre-college academic and contextual factors, most notably the high school a student attended

Academic achievement · Attrition · Developmental psychology · Ethnic group · Persistence (discontinuity · Race (biology · Racial differences · Sociology · Career Development and Diversity · Demography · Education, Achievement, and Giftedness · Gender Studies · Innovative Teaching Methods · Medicine · Psychology · Gerontology

Tools

Open DOI