Postsecondary Pathways and Persistence for STEM Versus Non-STEM Majors: Among College Students with an Autism Spectrum Disorder

Little is known about postsecondary pathways and persistence among college students with an autism spectrum disorder (ASD). This study analyzed data from the National Longitudinal Transition Study-2, 2001–2009, a nationally representative sample of students in special education with an ASD who progressed from high school to postsecondary education. Findings suggest that most college students with an ASD enrolled in a 2-year community college at some point in the postsecondary careers (81 %). Those in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) fields were more likely to persist in a 2-year community college and were twice as likely to transfer from a 2-year community college to a 4-year university than their peers in the non-STEM fields. College persistence rates varied by gender, race, parent education level, and college pathway and major. Educational policy implications are discussed.

[1]  Eric Grodsky,et al.  Equal Opportunity in Higher Education: The Past and Future of California's Proposition 209. , 2010 .

[2]  Susan P. Choy,et al.  Students Whose Parents Did Not Go to College: Postsecondary Access, Persistence, and Attainment. Findings from the Condition of Education, 2001. , 2001 .

[3]  E. Fombonne,et al.  Pervasive developmental disorders in preschool children. , 2001, JAMA.

[4]  Eugene Anderson,et al.  Increasing the Success of Minority Students in Science and Technology , 2006 .

[5]  Mary Wagner,et al.  The Post-High School Outcomes of Young Adults with Disabilities up to 8 Years after High School: A Report from the National Longitudinal Transition Study-2 (NLTS2). NCSER 2011-3005. , 2011 .

[6]  S. Baron-Cohen.  The hyper-systemizing, assortative mating theory of autism , 2006, Progress in Neuro-Psychopharmacology and Biological Psychiatry.

[7]  Jessica R. Jones,et al.  Changes in prevalence of parent-reported autism spectrum disorder in school-aged U.S. children: 2007 to 2011-2012. , 2013, National health statistics reports.

[8]  Xin Wei,et al.  Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) Participation Among College Students with an Autism Spectrum Disorder , 2012, Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders.

[9]  Xianglei Chen,et al.  Students Who Study Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) in Postsecondary Education. Stats in Brief. NCES 2009-161. , 2009 .

[10]  D. Commerce.  Statistical abstract of the United States , 1978 .

[11]  Susan W. White,et al.  Loneliness, social relationships, and a broader autism phenotype in college students , 2007 .

[12]  S. Baron-Cohen,et al.  Mathematical Talent is Linked to Autism , 2007, Human nature.

[13]  C. Rice,et al.  Prevalence of autism in a US metropolitan area. , 2003, JAMA.

[14]  Phoebe Ho,et al.  STEM in Postsecondary Education: Entrance, Attrition, and Coursetaking among 2003-04 Beginning Postsecondary Students. Web Tables. NCES 2013-152. , 2012 .

[15]  Darlene F. Russ-Eft,et al.  Community College Students with Disabilities and Transfer to a Four-Year College , 2009 .

[16]  S. Baron-Cohen.  Autism: The Empathizing–Systemizing (E‐S) Theory , 2009, Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences.

[17]  P. Decouflé,et al.  Prevalence of autism in a United States population: the Brick Township, New Jersey, investigation. , 2001, Pediatrics.

[18]  Thomas D. Snyder,et al.  Digest of Education Statistics , 1994 .

[19]  J. Lee,et al.  The College Completion Agenda: 2010 Progress Report. , 2010 .

[20]  P. Gándara,et al.  Building Pathways to Transfer: Community Colleges That Break the Chain of Failure for Students of Color. , 2012 .

[21]  Thomas D. Snyder,et al.  Digest of Education Statistics, 2011. NCES 2012-001. , 2012 .

[22]  Mark C. Long,et al.  Why Are Men Falling Behind? Gender Gaps in College Performance and Persistence , 2010 .

[23]  D. Fike,et al.  Predictors of First-Year Student Retention in the Community College , 2008 .

[24]  Fred Volkmar,et al.  Supporting More Able Students on the Autism Spectrum: College and Beyond , 2008, Journal of autism and developmental disorders.

[25]  T. Glennon,et al.  The stress of the university experience for students with Asperger syndrome. , 2001, Work.

[26]  M. Rutter,et al.  Adult outcome for children with autism. , 2004, Journal of child psychology and psychiatry, and allied disciplines.