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Rigor & Retention
Do tougher entrance requirements for engineering boost persistence? Less than you might think.
Universities across the country have different requirements for entry into undergraduate engineering programs. Most schools follow one of three policies: Secondary Admission, considered the most selective, typically allows admission to engineering only after students meet some additional criteria following matriculation, such as a common freshman year, selected courses, and/or a certain GPA. Primary Admission allows students to enter engineering at the time of matriculation provided they meet certain requirements, such as strong test results in math.
University Admission requires no additional screening beyond admission to a university. ASEE’s most recent collection of retention data shows that student retention is higher at engineering schools and programs with Secondary Admission policies than at schools with University Admission or Primary Admission policies. However, the difference is fairly small. For instance, freshmen admitted under Primary and Secondary policies obtain degrees within five years at roughly equal rates, and those admitted under University policies fall just a few percentage points behind.
Compiled by Brian Yoder
Infographic by Michelle Bersabal