Student retention in the science, technology, engineering and math fields has been the focus of plenty of media attention.
At the elementary and high school level, there are initiatives aimed at increasing student interest and building the skills necessary to excel in science, math and technology. While retention efforts at the primary education level, such as at [Benton Elementary](http://service.columbia.k12.mo.us/benton/stem/) here in Columbia, are often aimed at getting students interested in science and technology, retention programs at the [college level](http://www.cnn.com/2011/US/05/17/education.stem.graduation/index.html) are aimed more at helping those who struggle academically but not as much at keeping students interested.
The New York Times reported that students leaving the STEM majors [cite difficulty and blandness of topic as the issues](http://www.nytimes.com/2011/11/06/education/edlife/why-science-majors-change-their-mind-its-just-so-darn-hard.html?pagewanted=all). This isn’t something unique to STEM fields, however. All majors have retention problems based on the dryness of the subject to some degree, but STEM in particular.
If you find yourself asking, “What’s the point?” or if you are unable to see an interesting application to what you’re learning, (and this really applies to all majors), get involved in research or organizations that will revitalize your interest and realize the potential of the skills you are learning.
Although joining a club with a non-academic focus could be fun and beneficial because it will allow you to unwind from school stress and let you meet new people, in the end it won’t be adding very much relevant experience to your resume, and it won’t be showing you any possible applications to your major. By joining a club or working at a lab focusing on subjects related to your major, you’ll discover applications to your course work and even learn useful skills. The trick is you have to stick with it. You really do. Even if you don’t like it at first, or think it’s complicated or boring, you have to stick with it until you understand what it’s all about.
In addition to joining a club in your major, undergraduate research will also revitalize your interest and make you a stronger student, especially if you read scholarly journal articles and books for a complete understanding of the professor’s research topic.
If you are an underclassman in a STEM major and want to go to graduate school, I suggest joining a lab as soon as possible. Then, you could build the necessary background to possibly publish something, or you can work in two different labs and gain experience in two different fields, because not all research requires the same methods. The professor you work for might also be willing to write you a letter of recommendation for an internship or grad school application.
Because major-related activities often focus on advanced skills, such as design clubs and research, it can sometimes be overwhelming for underclassmen who have not yet taken any advanced 3000 or 4000 level classes. But everyone working with you will understand this, and the benefit is that you can learn many advanced skills and concepts. Then when you do get to those upper level classes, all the puzzle pieces that you’ve learned will come together like a package with a big bow on it.
By getting involved you gain experience that is beneficial to your future school career. Take civil engineering for example; a student in civil engineering can get an emphasis in four different areas, or no emphasis at all. Clubs or research opportunities could help STEM students explore different topics and decide on an emphasis based on something more than, “Did I get an A in that class or not?”
There is a reason you chose your major, and involvement will help you keep at it when the course load gets boring.
