Tag Archive: Undergraduate Students
During a student’s time in a computing degree program, numerous hardships may cause them to seriously consider leaving the program prior to completion. This infographic presents reasons undergraduate and graduate students selected for deciding to remain in their computing degree program.
Data Buddies data show that access to academic resources, quality of the technical content of courses, and availability of professors outside of class are the top three characteristics of a program that are most strongly associated with students’ overall satisfaction with computing degree programs.
Interest in the field, job prospects, and a desire to make an impact on the society are the most common reasons for why students choose to enroll in a computing degree program at both undergraduate and graduate level. An understanding of these factors can not only help departments’ recruitment efforts but also guide strategies for student retention.
The annual CRA Data Buddies Survey will open October 2019. If your department is not yet a member, sign up here to learn more about your students and how your department compares to other similar departments.
Among students at doctoral-granting institutions who have never participated in a formal REU, CERP data indicate IT majors are less likely to plan to participate in an REU before graduation compared to CS and CSE majors. This infographic presents students’ future REU plans by major.
CERP evaluated the 2018 CRA-W Grace Hopper Research Scholars program using a pre/post methodology, wherein program participants were surveyed prior to the event and then immediately following the conclusion of the Grace Hopper Celebration. Results indicate that program participants reported statistically significant increases in their perceived mentorship support.
Data Buddies 2018 came to a close at the end of February 2019 concluding the sixth year of data collection. Since its launch in 2013, the survey has collected approximately 60,000 total responses and 25,000 of these respondents agreed to join CERP’s longitudinal cohorts.
According to the 2017 Data Buddies Survey, significantly higher percentages of students who are underrepresented in computing (29% and above) felt like an outsider in computing than majority men with no disabilities (17%). This lack of a sense of belonging was highest among the students with disabilities who are women or racial/ethnic minorities (45-46%).
Undergraduate and graduate students in computing fields were asked to rate how much importance they place on a list of 15 career values. Helping others was rated the highest by both groups of students.
Diversity-focused conferences such as the Grace Hopper Celebration and Richard Tapia Conference provide an opportunity for students who are underrepresented in computing to meet other students and professionals who have similar experiences. Data Buddies Survey data show that students who participated in these conferences feel more confident in their ability to complete their degree in computing than the students who did not participate.
