“My Blood Is Boiling When I Think About Advising”: The Role of Academic Advising in STEM Student Retention

Abstract

Student attrition from STEM disciplines is one of the most pressing issues in higher education. To better understand the causes of this attrition, this study examines STEM students’ college experiences and uncovers their perspectives on the existing support systems with a specific focus on the role of academic advising. Our research reveals that students from a particular STEM major identified academic advising as problematic, serving as one of the main factors pushing them out of the major, while the STEM major they transferred to did not have this issue. We examined whether this difference was also evident in the perspectives of the student affairs offices by interviewing academic counselors. This research emphasizes the responsibility of academic counselors in students’ decisions to leave STEM majors and the importance of care in their work. The findings suggest a need for STEM departments to re-assess academic advising philosophies and practices while creating more supportive learning environments.