– High school course taking in science and performance on science and math standardized tests were significantly and positively related to an increased interest in STEM.
– More high school science courses equated to a greater likelihood of an early STEM interest, while more English decreased one’s odds.
– College aspirations were significant, and those with loftier educational goals were generally more likely to plan to major in a STEM field.
– Male high school students were significantly more likely to have an early interest in STEM relative to their female peers, as were African American high school students compared with White students.
– There was no statistically significant difference between Latinos and White students.
– Low-income students were significantly more likely to be interested in STEM majors than higher income students, respectively.
– In terms of school-level context, while teacher academic qualifications had a negative but significant relationship with an early interest in STEM, teacher experience had a small but significant positive relationship.
– Students from schools with smaller class sizes had higher odds of an early STEM interest as compared with those from schools with larger class sizes.