Why do students choose chemistry as a major?

Why Do Students Choose Chemistry as a Major? Babu G e o r g e a n d V. P. Wystrach Sacred Heart University, Bridgeport, CT 06606 Ronald Perkins Greenwich High School. Greenwich, CT 06830 W e sought answers t o this question by way of questionnaires sent to chemistrv students attendine colleees and universities in New ~ n g i a n dOur . intention was t o &her information t h a t would he useful in attractine o r o s ~ e c t i v e major in students from junior and senior high school chemistry. T h e thought-provoking responses clearly justify t h e effort. It was expedient to work through the adt,isors of American Chemical Society Student Affiliate chapters. I.'iity-two a d visors were contacted: 21 p a n i r i ~ ) a t e dA. ~total of 551 students responded, and the resilts and some conclusions are re-

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T o simplify the presentation, the questions are stated a s they appeared on t h e questionnaire and t h e responses are summarized: 1) What is your present class status? Freshman, 15.0%, Sophomore, 16.3%, Juniot, 28.9%; Senior, 29.2%; MS Candidate, 4.9%; PhD Candidate, 4.7%; Other, 1.1%. 2) What is your major subject? Chemistry, 69.6%; Chemical engineering, 16.1%, Biochemistry, 9.6%: Other 4.7%. 3) What was your first chemistry course? High school chemistry, 67.6%; Junior high school chemistry, 18.3%:General science. 12.3%:None. 1.8%. 4) Did your initial chemistry course include laboratory? Yes, 86.1%; No, 13.9%. 5) Did you do an independent research project in high sehwl? Yes, 13.0%; No, 87.0%. 6) Did your interest in a career in chemistry develop in high school? Yes, 59.2%; No, 40.8%. 7) Did you enroll as a chemistry major immediatelyupon entering college or university? Yes, 54.3%; No, 45.7%. 8) If your answer to Question 6 is "No", when did your interest in chemistry develop? Explain. See Table 1for a synopsis. 9) If your answer to Question 7 is "No", what was your major before transferring? Specify. See Table 2 for a synopsis. 10) Rank the3 most significant factors (among 14 listed choices) that influenced your decision to major in chemistry (or chemical engineering or biochemistry); 1 is most influential, etc. See Tables 3 and 4 for a summary of the responses.

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We are indebted to the ACS Student Affiliate advisors and their students at the following institutions for participating in our survey: American International College, Springfield. MA: Boston College, Boston. MA; Bridgewater State College. Bridgewater. MA; College of the Holy Cross, Worcester, MA; Emmanuel College. Boston, MA; Fairfield University, Fairfield, CT; Hartford State Technical College. Hartford,CT; Mount Holyoke College, South Hadley, MA; Providence College, Providence, RI; Sacred Heart University, Bridgeport, CT; St. Joseph College, West Hartford. CT; Southern Connecticut State Universitv. CT: Suffolk Universitv. MA: Universitv of~ .. New Haven. ~ ~ . ,. Boston. ~ . Connecricut, Storrs. CT; Unwersity of New rlampsh~re,'~urham. NH Unwersity of New Haven, New Haven, CT: Jn versoty of Rhode Iqland. Kingston. RI. Waterb-ry Stale Technical Codege. Waleroury. CT: Wesleyan University. Middletown. CT; Wheaton College, Norton, MA; and Worcester Polytechnic Institute, Worcester. MA. ~

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Table 1. ResDonses to Question 18) a Responses as Received Number %

Period Before high school After H S./befarecollege College freshman Callege sophomore College junior College senior College no year speclfiedb Afler coilege Totals

30 11 58 38 24

14.5 5.3 28.0 18.4 11.6 1.0 17.9 3.4 100.1

2 37

7 207'

'"When did your interest in ohemisby develop (if it did not develop in high %hool)?" 207 = number of shldents responding to *is question: 228 had answered ,-no'.to Ouestlon (8). i.e..meir interest In chemisby ddnotdewlop in hi@ school-di-pancy Of 19 (8.4%1rtudents.

Table 2. Initial Major

Responses lo Question (9) a Responses Number

ArtslHumanities Bialogy/Health Sciences

12 119

Business

5.7 56.3 1.9 12.8 12.3 10.9 100.0

4

Engineering Physical Science Undeclared Tola15

27" 26O 23 2116

W h a t was Your inlial m i o r befaretransfwringinto chemistry (if a chemirtw major immediately upon emering college)?

%

you did not enroll as

Engineers were: seven elecbicai. six chemical,five meshanica~,four general, three

6

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~tuden~'rerponding to this question: 248 had answered

to

11) Which basicchemistry courses will you have completed by the end of the current academic year? General, 80.7%; Analytical, 55.1%; Organic, 74.0%: Physical, 58.3%; Biochemistry, 30.1%. 12) How many semesters of advanced chemistry courses will you have com~letedbv the end of the current academic mar? 1,10.8%;i,21.1%;i,13.5%;4,16.1%;5,5.8%;6,7.8%;~orethan 6,13.0%. 13) Do you foresee going to graduate school? Yes, 57.6%; No, 11.2%; Undecided, 30.2% (including 3.8% who gave no answer). 14) For what career in chemist^ are vou oreoarine?

no answer) Discussion Responses t o Question (10) were of prime interest. T h e students were asked to choose three of 14 factors t h a t influenced them and t o rank them in order of decreasing imoortauce. Ahout one-auarter of the students made three choices hut did not rankthem. The final ranking of the factors, Volume 6 2

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Table 3. Factors that Influenced Declsion to Malor In Chemlsttv

Factor 1) Parent, relative. or friend idwas a chemist 2) inspiring high school chemlshy or Science teacher 3) Suggestion or encouragement from guidance counselor 4) High aptitude for science 5) Anracted by reading, lectures. TV programs about chemical science and technology 6) "Turned on" by laboratory work, experimentation, or research experience 7) Importance of chemlshy in medicine and health. energy, or environmental Control 8) Diversity of career appolrunities 9) Financialreward and opportunitie~ for advancement 10) Inspiringcollege chemistry professor 11) Excellentchemistry department at your college or university 12) Chemistry as an entree to a Career in business 13)Chosechernistryas an alternative to medical or dental school 14) Others;specifyb

Ranking of Responses 1st Choice 2nd Choice 3rd Choice No Choice NO. Rank No. Rank No. Rank* 21

8

11

I1

18

7

17

9

56

3

42

5

34

6

44

5

2

14

3

13

10

11

7

13

76

1

70

1

42

3

67

1

31

5

30

6

25

7

29

7

Rank

Percent

Factor

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14

16.8 13.8 13.2 11.8 9.8 7.3 6.1 5.7 4.2 3.7 3.2 1.9 1.7

High aptitude for science laboratow work "Turned an" bv ~, ~, Importance of chemistry in medicine. energy. etc. Inspiring high school chemistrylscience teacher Diversity of career opportunities Reading, lectures, Nprograms about chemlnryfscience Financial reward and advancement Inspiring college professor Parent, relative, or friend is a chemist Chemistry as alternative to medical or dental schwl Excellence of collage chemistry department Others ( h n choices given) Chemistryas an entree into business Suggestion/encouragement from guidenee counsdor

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' hdata horn Tabb 3 went veigMedWn aversged, as follows, m reflect he relative impatanceaf ?stand 2ndchoics: 3X 1st choice. 2X 2nd choice. 1X 3rd choice, and 1X '.NO *ice." 61

2

49

3

48

2

63

2

ronmental control ranked this factor third with 13.2%. The opportunity for making a contribution in these areas might he a eood stimulatine-. ~ o i ndurine t counseline. Significantly, the fourth ranking factor was an inspiring high-school chemistry or science teacher (11.6%). Interaction between the college professors and high school chemistry teachers should he promoted to emphasize the latter's importance in developing future chemists. For instance, at Sacred Heart Universitv, we hold Institutes for High School Chemistry Teachers two or three times a yea2 to keep them apprised of new develonments in chemistrv and t o exchange .. iniormation and experiences in connection with teaching. At fifth rank (9.8"~)was the diversity of career onwrtunities available to practicing chemists. In this connect&, i t seems somewhat surprising that students in general appear to be unaware (possibly disinterested) of the value of a chemical education as "an entree into business," 13th rank (1.7%). These few recognized that the diversity of career opportunities included a chance to climb up the corporate management ladder. The five highest ranking factors account for 65.2% of the responses. The 10th ranking response-a career in chemistry as an alternative to medical or dental school-is noted to call attention t o a discussion of this topic by the authors of the recent biography of the late Roger Adams? Guidance counselors appear to be ineffectual in promoting chemistry as a career, 14th rank (1.0%). The point of concern is whether high school students have much chance for exposure to our profession. Invited speakers from local colleges and industry provide useful inputs, particularly on the subject of careersin chemistry.4 Questions (I), (2), (ll),and (12) were included to establish the makeup of the sample.

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52

4

63

2

41

5

51

4

22

7

48

4

62

1

57

3

18

9

22

8

42

3

34

6

26

6

23

7

16

9

25

8

10

12

14

10

21

8

11

11

5

13

7

12

10

11

8

12

15

10

15

9

15

10

15

10

12

11

3

13

8

12

4

14

~ a n kwas calculated by dividing me number of responreotoa given tacmr by me tom1 number Of "NO Choice'' respOnSB6. a Most hequem responses: Enjoyed me subject (six). Chemistry prwides aderly expbmtion d he physical world (meel. Aid a bsckgowdto medical a law *I (mree). General interest in scisnce and nature (two), and parental enmuragemsnt (twal. Mostre mining responwa were related to the choices onered.

Table 4. was develoned bv weighting the responses as shown in able 3. The order of the three highest ranking factors was the same whether weighted or not: factors (4) and (5),also (6) and (7) were reversed Uneauivocallv, the single most influential factor (16.8%) of a high aptitude for science, was th; studeni's recogn~~ion nresumabls based on testinr at the high-school level. The secbnd highest ranking factor (13.8%) was being "turned on" hv lahoratorv work or research experience. The latter having Leen acqui;ed hy way of summer jobs during high school or college. Clearly an excittng lahoratury segment of a chemistry course can he highly stimulating to the high school student. A recognition hy students of the important role that chemistry plays in medicine and health, energy, and envi502

Table 4. Factors that Influenced Declslon to Major In Chemistry IWeiahted Comnoslteb a

Journal of Chemical Education

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Conclusions Our results clearly substantiate that the secondary school period is the most important, possibly critical, for spawning a commitment to a career in chemistry. Suggestions are made or implied for ways in which high school teachers, college professors, and education-minded industrial personnel might become more involved in stimulating- students with high - scientific aptitudes to pursue chemical science as a rewarding profession. George, B., J. CHEM.EDUC., 60, 664 (1983). Tarbell, D. Stanley,and Tarbell, Ann T., "Roger Adams-Scientist and Statesman." American Chemical Society, Washington, DC,1981, pp. 97-8.

* Wystrach, V. P.,

The Hexagon, 72(3),59 (1981).

The second decision point occurs during the first two years of college or university. Students who change their initial majors to chemistry are most likely to do it then. An interesting question to contemplate is why such a large fraction (56.3%)of transfer students come from biology and health sciences. Is college-level biology not stimulating? In any event, opportunities to give prospective turncoats additional insights into chemistry as a satisfying career should be exploited. For example, a chemistry "open house" activity might be a pro-

ductive part of freshman week t o assist undecided students to make their decisions even earlier. ~

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We are grateful to Moses Passer and David Daniel of the Education Division of the American Chemical Society in Washington, DC, for their advice and encouragement, and to Paul of the Sacred Heart Decorso and University whose literature searching revealed no previous relevant studies on this subject.

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