Women best prepared for STEM degrees, but fewer graduate

Female students arrive at college the best prepared academically to earn degrees in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) fields, but graduate at lower rates than their male counterparts, according to results from a survey by Bayer Corporation released on 7 December.

The survey of faculty from the nation’s top 200 research universities who chair STEM departments showed that 82 per cent of US women entering college are poised to successfully earn STEM degrees, but they are deterred—along with minority students—by early discouragement and traditional STEM teaching approaches.