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Subjective norms are significantly correlated with the intention to graduate.
INTRODUCTION
STEM PERSISTENCE IS A SPECIFIC CASE of general retention. General persistence theories attempt to explain retention for all students.
STUDENT PERSISTENCE THEORIES
Astin's (1984) Theory of Student Involvement identifies "inputs" such as demographics and the environment encompassing student experiences as important to general student retention.
Tinto (1975) posits a sociological and interactional theory of student persistence that recognizes the importance of what students bring to the university-in terms of personal characteristics, traits, experiences, and commitment- coupled with their interactions at the institution. Specifically, Tinto emphasizes the degree to which the student integrated ("fit") academically and socially.
Tinto revisionists further link social integration (peer relationships) and academic integration (faculty member relationships) with persistence and emphasize the need for on-campus community, such as on-campus student housing and the opportunity to work with faculty advisors (Braxton 2000; Pascarella and Terenzini 1983). Terenzini and Reason (2005) and Reason (2009) suggest that the student's pre-college characteristics and experiences meet with an organizational context consisting of internal structures, policies, and practices; academic curricular and cocurricular programs; and faculty culture. Within this structure, the student finds a peer environment featuring classroom experiences, out-of-class experiences, and curricular experiences that determines student persistence (Reason 2009; Terenzini and Reason 2005).
STEM retention studies typically link student attributes and student engagement experiences to STEM persistence (Braunstein, McGrath, and Pescatrice 2000-01; Foltz, Gannon, and Kirschmann 2011; George et al. 2001; Hall, Curtin-Soydan, and Canelas 2014; Higher Education Research Institute 2010; Reason 2009; Terenzini and Reason 2005; Tinto 1975). Student attributes include gender, race, socioeconomic status, high school curriculum, high school test scores, math ability, and high school class rank or grade point average (GPA) (Braunstein, McGrath, and Pescatrice 2000-01; Chan and Bauer 2014; Cooper and Pearson 2012; George et al. 2001; Higher Education Research Institute 2010; Lewis and Lewis 2007; Spencer 1996; Wagner, Sasser, and DiBiase 2002). Many of the STEM studies examine the importance of student relationships with peers and faculty members. Student engagement experiences for STEM students include hands-on educational research, undergraduate research experiences, relationships with key faculty or advisors, and peer learning groups (Boyer Commission on Educating Undergraduates in the Research University 1998; Christiansen 2014; Fakayode et al. 2014; Hunter, Laursen,...