ABSTRACT
Aggregate statistical data was gathered from 26 NACME consortium member engineering schools as a first step in the search for factors that might facilitate the success of underrepresented minority students in engineering. The purpose of this analysis was threefold: (1) to provide an institutional context for th studies of student focus groups and student surveys to follow, (2) to determine any significant differences between minorities and non-minorities in raw (i.e., unadjusted) academic performance and retention to graduation rates, and (3) to determine what differences remained after adjusting academic performance and retention for differences in test scores. Analysis of variance was used to determine significant ethnic differences in average performance, while linear regression procedures were used to determine institutional rankings before and after variation due to standardized test scores were removed.
The results showed that with test scores controlled, underrepresented minority students as a group showed no differences in math GPA, GPA in core engineering courses, 1-year retention, 4-year, or 6-year graduation rates compared to non-minority students. Minority students did exhibit lower overall GPA and GPA in basic science courses. Within each ethnic group, females exhibited better overall GPA compared to their male counterparts, while non-minority females also showed higher 6-year graduation rates. Many of the differences typically observed between minority and non-minority students in graduation rates may be due to initial differences in entering standardized test scores. However, some evidence of academic underperformance was found among minorities, even with test scores equal to non-minorities. The possible roles of systemic educational issues as well as adjustment issues were discussed.
